New Delhi: In a major shift towards a more flexible examination system, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has proposed conducting Class 10 board exams twice a year starting from the academic session 2025-26. The board has released draft guidelines for the new exam structure and invited feedback from stakeholders, including schools, teachers, parents, and students, through its official website.
According to an official notice from CBSE, the initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends giving students multiple opportunities to improve their board exam performance. The proposal was discussed in a recent meeting chaired by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, where it was agreed that the dual-exam format would be introduced for Class 10 students from 2026.
The proposed system aims to reduce the pressure associated with board exams while allowing students to improve their scores. Under the new structure:
- Students will have two chances to appear for board exams each year—once during the main examination and once in an improvement examination.
- The first phase of Class 10 board exams will be held from February 17 to March 6, 2026, while the second phase is scheduled for May 5 to May 20, 2026.
- A merit certificate will be issued only after the second examination, and students must pass all five subjects to be declared successful.
- Students who fail one or more subjects in the first examination will be placed under the “Improvement Category” and allowed to reappear in the second phase in July 2026.
- To ensure continuity in education, students who do not qualify in the first exam will be provisionally admitted to Class 11, with final admission being based on their performance in the second exam.
The CBSE has made the draft policy available on its official website (cbse.gov.in) and has invited feedback from stakeholders. The deadline for submitting responses is March 9, 2025. After analyzing the feedback, the board will finalize the policy.
With an estimated 26.6 lakh students set to take the board exams in 2026, the proposed reform aims to ease academic stress and provide students with greater flexibility. By offering two attempts, CBSE hopes to create a less high-stakes testing environment, allowing students to focus on learning rather than memorization.
The final decision on the implementation of this system will be based on stakeholder feedback and policy revisions in the coming months.
