Mandatory to appear in first board exam for class 10 students: CBSE clarifies two-exam policy

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for Class 10 students to appear in the first board examination under its newly introduced two-exam system, set to begin in 2026.

The clarification came after the board received requests from schools and parents seeking permission for students to skip the first exam due to various reasons and instead appear only in the second edition.

According to Central Board of Secondary Education, students who fail to appear in at least three subjects in the first examination will not be permitted to take the second examination in the same academic year.

CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said, “It is mandatory for all the students to appear in the first board examination. All passed and eligible students will be allowed to improve their performance in any of the three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages.”

He further clarified that students who do not appear in three or more subjects in the first exam will be placed in the “Essential Repeat” category. Such candidates will only be allowed to reappear in the main board examinations scheduled for February the following year.

The two-exam policy for Class 10 aims to reduce exam stress and provide students with an opportunity to improve their scores within the same academic session. However, the board has now clearly stated that participation in the first examination is compulsory to avail the benefit of the second attempt.

(Inputs from PTI)