The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced in a press release that it is mandatory for CBSE Class 10 students to appear in the first board exam. According to the official notice, students who do not attempt at least three subjects in the first edition will be placed in the “essential repeat” category.
The CBSE Class 10th board exam starts from February 17, 2026, and the exam will continue till March 11, 2026. The board exams for class 10 and class 12 will begin tomorrow, with over 46 lakh students set to appear from India and abroad. Under the new National Education Policy (NEP), several recommendations have been made with regard to Board exams, including conducting them twice a year. However, students and parents have several doubts regarding the two-board exam policy. Read the full article to know what CBSE has clarified for Class 10 students.
CBSE 2026 First Board Exam Mandatory for All Students
In an attempt to clarify several doubts in the minds of parents and Class 10 students, the board stated that “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.”
“If a student has not appeared in three or more subjects in the first examination, then he or she will not be allowed to appear in the second examination,” said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj. “Such students will be placed in the ‘Essential Repeat’ category and can take the examination only next year in the main examinations in February next year,” he added.
CBSE Class 10th Board Exam: Rules on Compartment, Second Attempt, Additional Subject
The CBSE board has also stated that students with compartment in the first exam will be allowed to appear in the second exam under the compartment category. Candidates must also note that additional subjects will not be permitted after passing the class 10 board exam. CBSE clarified that the students will not be allowed in stand-alone subjects.
If a student is not able to appear in three or more subjects in the main examination, he or she will not be permitted to appear in the second board exams as per the policy.
As the NEP 2020 aims to reform and eliminate the need for coaching classes and to reverse the harmful effects of the current assessment system, the board exams are redesigned to encourage holistic development. Students will now be able to choose many subjects depending on their individualised interests.
