CBSE will conduct Two Examinations for Class 10th from 2026

The government of India has released the National Education Policy 2020. In this policy, the following are the recommendations for the examinations:- 

PARA 4.37 OF NEP-2020

While the Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued, the existing system of Board and entrance examinations shall be reformed to eliminate the need for undertaking coaching classes. To reverse these harmful effects of the current assessment system, Board exams will be redesigned to encourage holistic development; students will be able to choose many of the subjects in which they take Board exams, depending on their individualized interests. Board exams will also be made ‘easier’, in the sense that they will test primarily core capacities/competencies rather than months of coaching and memorization; any student who has been going to and making a basic effort in a school class will be able to pass and do well in the corresponding subject Board Exam without much additional effort. To further eliminate the ‘high stakes’ aspect of Board Exams, all students will be allowed to take Board Exams on up to two occasions during any given school year, one main examination and one for improvement, if desired. 

PARA 4.38 OF NEP-2020

In addition to introducing greater flexibility, student choice, and best-of-two attempts, assessments that primarily test core capacities must be the immediate key reforms to all Board exams. Boards may over time also develop further viable models of Board Exams that reduce pressure and the coaching culture. Some possibilities include: a system of annual/semester/modular Board Exams could be developed - that each test far less material, and are taken immediately after the corresponding course is taken in school - so that the pressure from exams is better distributed, less intense, and less high-stakes across the Secondary Stage; all subjects and corresponding assessments, beginning with mathematics, could be offered at two levels, with students doing some of their subjects at the standard level and some at a higher level; and Board exams in certain subjects could be redesigned to have two parts – one part of an objective type with multiple-choice questions and the other of a descriptive type. 

ACTION TAKEN BY THE CBSE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF NEP-2020

 1. A draft scheme for the conduct of 2 Board examinations for Class X has been developed. 

2. It is proposed that the scheme be implemented from the 2026 examinations of Class X.

ANALYSIS BEFORE DEVELOPING SCHEME FOR THE TWO EXAMINATIONS

Duration for the conduct of both Class X and Class XII Exams = 55 days Spread of examinations - India and 26 countries abroad.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROPOSED SCHEME

1. Class X and Class XII examinations will begin on the first Tuesday after 15 February. 
2. It is expected that in Class X, in 2026, about 26.60 Lakh students and in Class XII, about 20 Lakh students will appear in the examinations. 
3. Both the examinations will be conducted on the full current syllabus and the text-books. 
4. Except Science, Maths, Social Science, Hindi, English, rest of the subjects are grouped in the following manner:- (i) A Regional and Foreign languages in one group (ii) Rest of the subjects in one group 
5. Examination of Science, Maths, Social Science, Hindi and English will be conducted on a fixed day as done currently. 
6. Examination of Regional and Foreign Languages will be done in one go on a single day. 
7. Examination of remaining subjects will be conducted 2 times to 3 times based on the choices of the students on 2 or 3 days. Meaning thereby, the Data Science examination will be conducted on two or three days. The students will be allotted the day of the examination based on the formula devised by the CBSE and the subject combination offered by the student. Students will not be given a choice to select the dates of examinations. The question papers of these subjects will be taken back from the students after examination is over.

Subjects groups will be as follows for 2026:-

Language-1 ENGLISH (101, 184) 

Language-2 HINDI (002,085) 

Elective-1 SCIENCE (086) 

Elective-2 MATHEMATICS(041,241) 

Elective-3 SOCIAL SCIENCE(087)

Regional and Foreign languages group:-

RAI(131), GURUNG(132), TAMANG(133), SHERPA(134), FRENCH(018), SANSKRIT COMMUNICATIVE(119), SANSKRIT(122), URDU COURSE-A(003), BENGALI(005), TAMIL(006), MARATHI(009), GUJARATI(010), MANIPURI(011), URDU COURSE-B(303), TIBETAN(017), GERMAN(020), BHOTI(088), TELUGU-TELANGANA(089), BODO(092), TANGKHUL(093), JAPANESE(094), BHUTIA(095), SPANISH(096), KASHMIRI(097), MIZO(098), BAHASA MELAYU(099), THAI(136)

Remaining subjects group:-

ELEMENTS OF BOOK KEEPING & ACCOUNTANCY (254), INTRODUCTION TO FIN. MARKETS(405), BANKING & INSURANCE(411), MARKETING & SALES(412), ELEMENTS OF BUSINESS(154), RETAIL(401), PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRAINER(418), SECURITY(403), AUTOMOTIVE(404), INTRODUCTION TO TOURISM(406), FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS(410), BEAUTY & WELLNESS(407), HEALTH CARE(413), AGRICULTURE(408), FOOD PRODUCTION(409), APPAREL(414), HOME SCIENCE(064), MULTI-MEDIA(415), DATA SCIENCE(419), ELECTRONICS & HARDWARE(420), DESIGN THINKING & INNOVATION(422), COMPUTER APPLICATIONS(165), INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY(402), ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE(417), MULTI SKILL FOUNDATION COURSE(416), FOUNDATION SKILL FOR SCIENCES(421), PAINTING(049, NATIONAL CADET CORPS (NCC) – 076, HINDUSTANI MUSIC PER INS(036), CARNATIC MUSIC VOCAL(031), CARNATIC MUSIC MEL INS.(032), CARNATIC MUSIC PER. INS.(033), HINDUSTANI MUSIC VOCAL(034), HINDUSTANI MUSIC MEL INS(035)

1. The scheme of studies and scheme of examinations will remain the same. 
2. In this scheme, the facilities extended to CWSN candidates will be taken care as taken care of now. 
3. For the Sport’s students, they have to appear in any of the two Board Examinations of Class X and no separate examination will be conducted for them. 
4. The examination centres will be fixed for the 1st examination, and for the 2nd examination too, the same centres shall be allotted. 
5. LOC will be completed by September end of the previous year from the year of conduct of examination. 
6. After submission of LOC, no change in the subjects offered will be allowed. This will be considered only in the second examination. 
7. Filling of LOC for the first examination will be compulsory. Option for both examinations will be obtained in the LOC when filling for the first examination. No new name will be added to the LOC of the second examination. 
8. For second examinations, LOC will be made live immediately after the result declaration only for opting out of second examinations. 
9.  All schedules will be fixed and there will not be any deviation in the schedule. 
10. Examination fee will be enhanced and collected for both examinations at the time of filling of LOC for the first time which would be non-refundable if once paid. 
11. First/ Second examinations will also act as Supplementary examinations. 
12. No special examination will be conducted in any circumstances. 
13. Facilities of verification, Photocopy and revaluation extended after the result declaration to the students will be reviewed and framed in accordance with the availability of time.
14. Schools will be assessed for becoming an examination centre and issued a letter/certificate in this regard to ensure the quality of examination centres.
15. No self-centre will be fixed. If there is no school near to a sponsoring school and as per policy if the examination centre is at a distance, needful arrangements will be made by the sponsoring school.
16. Only on National Gazetted Holidays, examinations will not be conducted. Restricted holidays and state holidays, the schedule of examinations will be fixed and accordingly examinations will be conducted.
17. Candidates as per defined eligibility will be allowed to appear in the 1st examinations.
18. No passing document will be issued after the result of 1st examinations.
19. Performance of 1st examination will be made available in DigiLocker. This could be used for admission to class XI if the student does not wish to appear in 2nd examination.
20. All the candidates will be issued passing documents after the second examination result.
21.  Practical/ Internal assessment will be done only once.
22. Mark Sheet cum Passing Certificate will have marks secured in the first examination, the second examination, marks secured in Practical/Internal assessment and Grades. Also, better of the two marks will also be mention.
23. Students not qualified in the 1st examination could be allowed admission in Class XI and based on the result of the 2nd examination, their admission be finalised.
24. A merit certificate will be issued after 2nd examination.
25. Students qualifying all 5 subjects will be declared as pass.
26. Students who failed to pass from 1 to 5 subjects in 1st examination will be placed under the “Improvement Category” and will be allowed to appear in 2nd examination.
27. The syllabus for any examination will be the syllabus of the year of examination.  
28. Additional Subjects will not be permitted. This means that after passing class X, students will not be allowed in stand-alone subjects.
29. If a student is declared pass by replacing the 6th/7th subject will be eligible for improvement in the failed subject only for the next two examinations from their 1st examinations.
30. After submission of LOC, no subject will be changed. If any student wishes to change the subject after submission of LOC, this will only be allowed in 2nd examination. Such students can opt not to appear in that subject during the 1st examination. If they appear in the 1st examination, they will not be permitted to change the subject in 2nd examination.
31. Students appeared only in the 2nd examination, no further examination will be conducted. Such students will be allowed to appear in the 1st examination of the subsequent year, but the syllabus shall be the syllabus applicable for the subsequent year.
32. After the feedback, the policy will be reviewed, revised and finalised. 42. Examination-Bye-Laws will be amended suitably.

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