CBSE proposes new 'best of 2' Class 10 exam format, may be rolled out next yr

THE BOARD SAID THAT QUESTION PAPERS FOR NON-CORE SUBJECTS WILL BE TAKEN BACK FROM STUDENTS AFTER THE EXAMINATION

- Sanjay Maurya

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has proposed a significant shift in its examination policy, outlining plans to conduct Class 10 board examinations twice in an academic year starting from 2026.

The draft policy, released on Tuesday, proposes conducting the first phase of exams from February 15 to March 7 with results to be announced on April 20, and the second phase from May 5 to 20 with results by May 30.

The draft scheme will require all students to take the complete set of their registered subjects in the first examination phase, with the second examination positioned either as an improvement opportunity for those who passed but want better scores, or as a necessary follow-up for those who failed 1-5 subjects in the first attempt and placed in the "improvement category".

This reform aligns with recommendations of the NEP 2020, which emphasises reducing the high-stakes nature of board exams. The CBSE is seeking stakeholder responses on the draft policy until March 9.