CBSE Two-Board Exam Reform 2026: The CBSE's two-board examination reform for Class 10 has drawn significant attention, as it allows students to appear for their board examinations twice in a single academic year. The board has now issued a detailed clarification reiterating that students placed in the compartment category in the first exam will be permitted to appear for the second examination.
CBSE Board Exams 2026: What Did The CBSE Notice Say?
"For students whose result in the first examination is 'Compartment', they will be allowed to appear in the second examination under the Compartment Category," the official CBSE notice stated.
This means students whose result is marked as "Compartment" in the first examination, scheduled from February 17 to March 2026, will be eligible to appear for the second examination to be held from May 15 to June 1, 2026.
Apart from this, the board also clarified who else will be eligible to appear in the second board examination and explained the "Essential Repeat" rule.
CBSE Clarification On Two-Board Exams
The CBSE clarified that the two-board exam system provides an opportunity for students who have passed to improve their scores in up to three subjects, including Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and languages.
Under the "Essential Repeat" rule, students who do not appear for at least three papers in the first examination will not be eligible to take the second examination. Such students will only get another chance in the next academic year.
Who Can Appear For The Second Exam?
Students who wish to improve their marks in up to three main subjects, those under the "First Chance Improvement" or "Third Chance Improvement" categories, or those seeking to clear a compartment subject while also improving other scores, can appear for the second examination scheduled from May 15 to June 1, 2026.
Students who passed after subject replacement in the first examination are also eligible to apply for improvement in the second examination.