CBSE 2026 Board Exam final date sheet released, exams to begin from February 17

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the date sheet for the Class 10 and 12 Board Examinations 2026. The examination body said that exams will be conducted from February 17, 2026.

The CBSE also stated that the 2026 Board examinations for Class 10 will be conducted in accordance with the recommendations made in the NEP-2020.

As per the notice, for the first time, CBSE released a tentative date sheet for the 2026 examinations on September 24, 2025, based on the registration data from Class 9 and Class 11. This was 146 days before the exams were set to begin, allowing stakeholders enough time to plan and prepare accordingly.

CBSE stated that careful consideration has been given, and all relevant factors have been taken into account to ensure that no exam dates overlap with competitive exams.

In June, CBSE approved twice-a-year Class 10 Board Exams from 2026, with the first attempt mandatory, the second optional.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year starting from 2026, making the first phase mandatory and the second optional, the board announced.

In an official press statement, CBSE said, “As per the recommendations of the NEP-2020 and stakeholders’ consultations, CBSE has decided to implement the policy of two Board Examinations in Class X from the 2026 examinations.”All students will be required to appear in the first exam, which will be held in mid-February and declared in April. Those who qualify will be allowed to improve performance in up to three subjects — Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages— in the second exam, to be held in May with results declared in June.

The board clarified that the internal assessment will be conducted only once before the main examinations. Students who do not appear in three or more subjects in the first exam will not be allowed to appear in the second and will be marked as “Essential Repeat”, eligible to reappear only in the next year’s main exams. (ANI)