NEW DELHI, Feb 26: In a significant move, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has approved a draft proposal to conduct Class-10 board exams twice a year starting from 2026. This reform seeks to provide students with an additional opportunity to improve their performance and relieve the pressure typically associated with a single annual exam.

Under the newly approved guidelines, the Class-10 board exams will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will take place between February and March, while the second phase will be scheduled for May. Both exams will encompass the entire syllabus, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of students’ knowledge and skills. This will allow students to choose the exam session that best aligns with their preparation.

While the board exams will be held twice annually, practical and internal assessments will continue to be conducted only once a year, as per the new norms. This revised system is designed to offer students greater flexibility while keeping the structure of practical assessments intact.

The decision follows extensive discussions between the Ministry of Education and CBSE. Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, shared details of the meeting on social media, announcing that the CBSE will soon seek public consultation on the proposed exam schedule. The move is part of the government’s broader effort to create a stress-free and balanced learning environment for students.

The CBSE’s draft policy also proposes that the Class 10 and 12 board exams will commence from the first Tuesday after 15th February each year. The board has called for responses from stakeholders on the draft policy by March 9, 2025.

This change is in line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. One of these recommendations suggested allowing students to take board exams twice during a school year – once for the main examination and another opportunity for improvement if desired.