CBSE to hold Class 10, 12 board exams from Feb 17 onwards; details inside

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will begin the Class 10 and Class 12 board exams from February 17, 2026, making a significant change in the academic calendar, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

In a first-of-its-kind move, the CBSE Class 10 board exams will be conducted twice in the same academic year, giving students a second chance within the session itself.

“While the first edition will be conducted from February 17 to March 6, 2026, the second edition is scheduled from May 15 to June 1,” said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.

The CBSE Class 12 exams 2026 will be held in a single session, from February 17 to April 9, he added.

The board has released a tentative CBSE datesheet 2026, and schools have been advised to prepare accordingly.

“As a general guideline, evaluation of answer scripts will commence approximately 10 days after the conduct of each subject’s examination and will be completed within 12 days. For instance, if the Class 12 Physics examination is scheduled for 20th February, 2026, evaluation is likely to begin on 3rd March, 2026, and conclude by 15th March, 2026,” Bhardwaj explained.

The dual-session approach for Class 10 is expected to reduce pressure on students and provide flexibility, a move welcomed by many education experts.