New Delhi, June 26: In a landmark move aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially approved a plan to conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year, starting from the academic session of 2026. This change aims to reduce pressure on students and allow flexibility in performance improvement.
Key Highlights of the New CBSE Exam Format:
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Two exam phases: The board exams will be held twice annually—Phase 1 in February (mandatory) and Phase 2 in May (optional).
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Improvement opportunity: Students will be allowed to appear for any one or both phases but must take the first phase. They can improve scores in up to three subjects among Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and Languages.
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Result timeline: Results will be declared in April for Phase 1 and in June for Phase 2, allowing sufficient time for academic planning.
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Winter-bound school flexibility: Students from winter-bound regions will have the option to appear in either of the two phases.
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Single internal assessment: Internal assessments will continue to be conducted once per academic session.
What Officials Are Saying
CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj confirmed the development and stated:
“The first phase will be conducted in February and the second in May. The second phase is purely optional, designed to help students enhance their academic scores in key subjects.”
The decision follows a public feedback process, after draft guidelines were released in February this year.
In Line With NEP 2020 Vision
The move is a major step toward implementing NEP 2020, which aims to reduce the pressure of “high-stakes” board exams and make assessments more holistic and student-centric. According to NEP 2020:
“Board exams will be redesigned to encourage holistic development… and allow students to take the exams on up to two occasions during any given school year.”
The policy emphasizes flexibility, choice of subjects, and the elimination of the need for coaching-dependent preparation.
