New Delhi, June 26: India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct Class 10 board examinations twice a year starting in 2026, in a bid to reduce academic stress and give students more flexibility to improve their performance, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
The decision marks a major shift in the country’s school examination system and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes student-centric learning and aims to ease pressure caused by high-stakes assessments.
Under the new structure, all Class 10 students will be required to appear for the first phase of the board exam, while the second phase will be optional. The better score from either attempt will be used for the final result, according to the report.
The first-phase results are expected to be declared in April, followed by the second phase in June, providing students sufficient time to prepare for a second attempt if desired. In a further change, CBSE will streamline internal assessments by conducting them only once during the academic year, aiming to simplify evaluation procedures while ensuring consistency.
The reforms are intended to foster continuous learning, reduce exam-related anxiety, and improve overall academic outcomes, the board said. CBSE’s policy overhaul is expected to set a precedent for other education boards across India, potentially reshaping the country’s school examination framework in the coming years.
