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CBSE Confirms Two-Session Board Exams and Tighter Rules for 2026

The 2026 cycle pivots to competency-focused testing with digital records.

Overview

  • Students will sit a compulsory February board exam and can use an optional May session to improve up to three subjects, with the better score counted and results released in April and June respectively.
  • Class 10 Science and Social Science answer books will have strict section-wise writing; any response placed in the wrong section will be treated as “Attempt Not Done” and will not be evaluated.
  • Question papers shift toward application, with about half the paper comprising competency-based items such as MCQs, case studies and data-based questions alongside objective and descriptive sections.
  • Eligibility will require at least 75% attendance, and a new 9-point grading scale will be introduced from 2026 to present performance more transparently.
  • Schools must link registrations to students’ APAAR IDs as CBSE expands on-screen evaluation following 2025 pilots, aiming for faster, more accurate marking and cleaner records.