New CBSE Board Exam Rules Get Mixed Response From Parents, Students In Pune

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced new rules for students appearing for the board examinations.

One of the changes is the introduction of a two-attempt system for Class 10 students. The first attempt will be the mandatory board examination held in February. A second, optional attempt will be conducted in May 2026 for students who wish to improve their performance in any of the three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and languages. The higher score from the two attempts will be considered for the final result, offering students greater flexibility and reduced pressure.

Later, the CBSE issued a clarification stating that it was mandatory for Class 10 students to appear for the first board exam in order to take the second exam. Besides, those who do not attempt at least three subjects in the first edition will be placed in the “essential repeat” category, and they can take the examination only next year in the main examinations in the month of February.

Meanwhile, this has sparked mixed reactions from parents and students in Pune.

Ananya Upadhyay, a student who will be appearing for the boards next year, said, “I’m not happy with CBSE's new rules that students have to appear twice. We will be the first batch to actually see the implementation. There’s no clarity on how to go about the board exams. I feel this is only going to increase the pressure.”

Vijay Bhagat, a parent, said, “My daughter is giving the 12th boards now. My daughter is good at studies, but I still saw my child getting tense for the exams, so I feel this is a welcome move. If CBSE is planning to conduct boards twice, it’s a good thing because students will get a fair chance to improve if they score less in the very first attempt. Also, they would get good experience, and there won’t be pressure as such to perform best all at once.”

Ambika Singh, a Class 10 student, said, “I’m giving my boards currently, and I’m a little bit sceptical about the new rules. Some students will treat it like a prelim and get more preparation time for the second attempt. In this way, they can score more marks and get into a good college. This will hamper students who are regular with their studies.”