New Delhi, June 25, 2025 — In a major shift aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that students of Class 10 will now be allowed to appear for board exams twice a year, starting from the 2025–26 academic session.
The announcement, released on the official CBSE website, stated that the two-phase board examination system will help reduce pressure on students by giving them a second chance to improve their scores. It also aligns with the board’s aim to promote continuous and holistic assessment.
According to the CBSE notification, the first phase of the Class 10 board exams will be held in November-December 2025, while the second phase will be conducted in February-March 2026. Students can opt to appear in either one or both phases. The best score out of the two attempts will be considered as the final result.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier hinted at this reform during a press briefing, stating that a more flexible and student-friendly examination system was being prioritized under NEP reforms.
The board clarified that students who are satisfied with their performance in the first phase need not appear in the second. However, those wishing to improve their scores will have the opportunity to do so without the stigma of ‘compartment exams.’
School principals and educationists have largely welcomed the move, calling it a progressive step toward reducing exam stress and giving students multiple chances to succeed. Some, however, raised concerns about the readiness of schools to manage logistics and resource allocation for two full-fledged board exam cycles in one academic year.
CBSE is expected to release detailed guidelines regarding registration, exam pattern, syllabus bifurcation, and evaluation procedures in the coming months.
