CBSE Board Exams 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced major changes for the Class 10 Board Examinations 2026, ranging from question paper formats to the introduction of biannual exams. The Science and Social Science papers will follow a revised format. A significant change is that Class 10 board exams will now be conducted twice a year, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This new framework allows students to retake the exams to improve their scores or clear any failed subjects. Under the scheme, a student can appear for improvement in a maximum of three subjects in the second examination. The second board exams for 2026 are scheduled from May 15 to June 1.
In a notification dated December 9, 2025, the Board informed schools and students that the question papers for Science and Social Science have been divided into sections to improve evaluation quality and ensure clarity in answer writing.
Science Paper Divided Into Three Sections
For Science, the question paper has been divided into three sections:- Section A - Biology
- Section B - Chemistry
- Section C - Physics
Students will be required to write answers strictly in the respective sections of the answer book.
Social Science Paper Divided Into Four Sections
Similarly, the Social Science question paper has been divided into four sections:
- Section A - History
- Section B - Geography
- Section C - Political Science
- Section D - Economics
The Board said this structured format is aimed at streamlining the evaluation process.
Important Instructions For Class 10 Students
CBSE has issued the following instructions for students appearing in the Class 10 Board examinations:
- Students will divide the answer book in 03 sections in Science and 04 sections in Social Science for writing answers.
- Replies of questions are to be written only within the space identified for the concerned section only.
- Reply of a section should not be written or mixed in any other section.
- In case, if replies are mixed, these will not be evaluated and no marks will be awarded.
- Such mistakes will not be accepted and addressed even during verification or revaluation process after the results are declared.
Students have been advised to go through the sample question papers of Science and Social Science available on the CBSE Academic website to familiarise themselves with the revised paper pattern.
The Board has directed all affiliated schools to ensure that students practise this format in advance to avoid mistakes during the Board examinations. Schools have also been asked to incorporate these instructions in the Pre-Board examinations to ensure proper preparation.
CBSE Board Exams 2026 Overview
The CBSE will conduct the Secondary and Senior Secondary Board Examinations 2026 from February 17 for students of over 31,000 affiliated schools in India and 26 countries abroad. The Class 10 examinations will begin with Mathematics (Standard and Basic), while Class 12 examinations will commence with Biotechnology, Entrepreneurship, Shorthand (English), and Shorthand (Hindi). The Class 10 examinations will conclude on March 10, and the Class 12 examinations will end on April 9.
This year, approximately 46 lakh students are expected to appear for the examinations at more than 8,074 centres across India and abroad.
To strengthen the examination process, CBSE has introduced three key initiatives for 2026:
- Second Board Examination for Class 10
- On-Screen Marking for Class 12
- Division of Science and Social Studies question papers for Class 10
Meanwhile, CBSE has postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations that were originally scheduled for March 3, 2026. The Board has released a revised schedule, with several major papers rescheduled.
The Class 10 examinations for regional and foreign language papers, Tibetan, Bhoti, Bhutia, Bodo, Tangkhul, Mizo, Kashmiri, German, Japanese, Spanish, and Bahasa Melayu, along with Academic Electives (Group A2), including National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Elements of Book Keeping and Accountancy, will now be held on March 11. The Class 12 Legal Studies paper, originally scheduled for March 3, will now be conducted on April 10.
