CBSE Releases Rules For Second Attempt In Class 10 Boards From 2026; Details Here

CBSE Class 10th Board Exam 2026: The chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Rahul Singh, has recently announced important information regarding the 2026 Class 10 Board examination cycle. During the new two-exam model webinar, which was conducted on 20 November 2025, the CBSE provided the specific eligibility rules for students who can sit for the second attempt.

CBSE Class 10th Board Exam 2026: Who can not sit for the second attempt?

1. Students who don't show up for at least three subjects in the initial board exam.

2. Some students are attempting to avoid the primary exam completely, instead opting for the additional exams.

3. Applicants who try to divide their subjects between both exams, primarily for their own convenience.

Note: Once the results of the main exam are released, those who qualify can submit applications for the improvement exam. CBSE will subsequently check qualifications and issue the final list of applicants who are permitted to appear.

CBSE Class 10th Board Exam 2026: Limited subjects

A student is allowed to reappear for only three subjects, but the choice will only be available for papers when more than 50% of the marks depend on external assessment. The Board explained that this framework is designed to boost student achievement while avoiding an overwhelming academic load.

CBSE Class 10th Board Exam 2026: How many students are expected to appear in the reexam?

According to CBSE, it is expected that about 40% of students will decide to attempt the second exam in any of the core courses. According to Singh, the pressure of evaluating papers will be reduced. It is expected that more than 1.5 crore answer sheets will be evaluated for the first board test, while just 20–30 lakh copies will be checked for the second attempt.

CBSE Class 10th Board Exam 2026: Fast Result

The Board intends to finish the paper evaluation quickly and declare the second attempt result by June 30. This timeline assures that students can proceed to the next step of their study without interruption.

CBSE Class 10th Board Exam 2026: Why is this decision being taken?

This concept was implemented in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which advises lowering the high-stakes aspect of board exams.

CBSE adopted an improvement-focused framework over a semester-based or any-time assessment system to avoid: high stress on teachers/invigilators, logistical burden on schools and Board resources, and students having increased academic stress.