CBSE Class 10 Students Can Reattempt Three Subjects in New Dual-Exam System
Board introduces optional second exam from 2026, allowing students to improve scores in key subjects
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will now allow Class 10 students to re-attempt up to three subjects — from Science, Mathematics, Social Science and Languages — in an optional second examination to improve their scores, officials announced during a webinar held on November 20. The move comes as part of the dual exam system being introduced for the 2025–26 academic session under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
According to the board, Class 10 students will appear for two exam cycles each year. The first exam will be held in February–March 2026, followed by an optional second exam in May 2026 for those wishing to enhance their theory marks. The better of the two scores will be considered for the final result, giving students a structured opportunity to improve their performance.
However, the second exam will only be offered in subjects with an external assessment component of over 50%. Students who fail in one or two subjects in the first exam may take the second exam under the compartment category. Those absent in three or more subjects will be marked as Essential Repeat and barred from the May attempt, requiring them to take the exam the following year.
CBSE chairperson Rahul Singh noted that the board does not expect more than 40% of students to opt for the second exam and clarified that attempts cannot be split across cycles, to maintain the seriousness of the first examination.
Results for the February–March exam will be declared in April, while the May exam results will be released in June to ensure timely school admissions. Students may register for the second exam after receiving their first-cycle results.
The biannual examination system aims to lower the pressure associated with board exams while giving students additional chances for academic improvement, in line with NEP 2020 recommendations.