Over 25% of CBSE Class 10 students opt for second board exams this year

More than 6.68 lakh students have registered for the second phase of the CBSE Class 10 board examinations in 2026, with the majority opting to improve their scores from the main exam, according to data released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Out of a total of 6.68 lakh registered candidates, a significant portion, over 5.25 lakh students, have applied under the improvement category.

Additionally, 85,285 students have registered under the compartment category, and 57,914 students have opted for both improvement and compartment.

Gender-wise participation

Male candidates account for a larger share of registrations, with 4.02 lakh students, compared to 2.66 lakh female candidates, while two candidates fall under the ‘other’ category.

Among female candidates, 2,15,215 registered for improvement, 31,548 for compartment, while 19,446 for both.

Among male candidates, 3,10,439 opted for improvement, 53,736 for compartment, and 38,468 for both.

The second board examination will be conducted from May 15 to May 21, 2026. The date sheet was released on April 23, and is available on the official CBSE website.

CBSE has stated that all preparatory processes, including the submission of the List of Candidates (LOC), were completed in a timely and systematic manner.

What is the new two-exam system?

From 2026, CBSE has introduced a two-exam system for Class 10 students:

• The first board exam is mandatory.

• The second exam is optional, meant for students in the compartment category and students seeking to improve their scores.

• Students who pass the first exam can reappear in up to three subjects to improve their marks.

• Importantly, the board will consider the best score from either attempt while preparing the final marksheet.

Results and next steps

The results of the second examination are expected to be declared by the end of June 2026.

Students who chose not to appear for the second exam can use their first exam results, declared on April 15, for admission to Class 11.

Final passing and merit certificates will be issued after the second exam results are announced.