CBSE to seek public feedback on biannual exams

New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has announced that the Ministry of Education will consult with stakeholders to seek their view on holding CBSE board exams twice in an academic year, starting 2026-27.

The Union Minister took to X to announce that the ministry will soon release a draft representation of what is being planned, for public consultation.

In his post, he said, "(The Ministry) held detailed deliberations with the Secretary School Education, CBSE Chairperson and other officials of the ministry and CBSE over 'Conduct of CBSE examinations twice a year'. The draft schema of these deliberations will be placed soon for public consultation by the CBSE."

The minister further said creating a stress-free learning environment for students has been a priority of the government, and that improvements and reforms in assessments are a key step towards fulfilling this.

The proposed system will include exams held in November-December and February-March, with the best score being considered for the final result.

In April 2024, the Education Ministry asked the CBSE to prepare a roadmap for conducting board exams twice a year. In January 2025, Pradhan said the decision to conduct board exams twice a year will be implemented from the academic year 2026-27.

The CBSE is also increasing the teachers' training for a smooth transition towards this progressive assessment model. Besides, the CBSE is also launching its global curriculum for foreign schools in 2026-27. The curriculum will integrate core Indian subjects.

The reform is another crucial step towards implementation of various key provisions of the new National Education Policy (NEP) and will help mitigate exam-related stress among students, the minister added.