CBSE's draft norms for conducting Class-10 board exams twice: First phase in Feb-Mar, second in May

As per the draft the first phase of the exams will be conducted from February 17 to March 6, while the second phase will be conducted from May 5 to 20.

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday approved draft norms for conducting Class-10 board exams twice a year from 2026.

The board will put it in the public domain, and the stakeholders can submit their feedback by March 9. After this, the government will finalise the policy, said an official here.

As per the draft, the 1st phase of the exams will be conducted from February 17 to March 6, while the second will be conducted from May 5 to 20. "Both the examinations will be conducted on the full syllabus, and the candidates will be allotted the same examination centres in the two editions. Exam fees will be enhanced and collected for both exams at the time of application filing," a senior board official said.

"The first and second editions of the board exams will also act as supplementary exams, and no special exams will be conducted in any circumstances," the official added.

The new National Education Policy recommended that to eliminate the "high stakes" aspect of the board exams, all students will be allowed to take the exams on up to 2 occasions during any given school year.