SSC, HSC Exam Dates Announced: Students Step Up Preparation, Worry About Paper Leaks

Pune: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education’s announcement of the tentative schedule for the 2026-27 SSC and HSC examinations has brought a sharper focus on preparation among students, with many saying they are now assessing their readiness and identifying subjects that require additional revision.

The Board announced the examination schedule on Thursday. The HSC written examinations will be conducted from February 8 to March 16, 2027, while the SSC written examinations will be held from February 15 to March 11, 2027. The HSC practical, oral, graded and internal assessment examinations will be conducted from January 20 to February 6, while the corresponding SSC assessments will take place from January 28 to February 13. The detailed subject-wise timetable will be announced separately.

With the dates now announced, students said the remaining months would be crucial for completing portions, revision and solving board-pattern question papers. While several students said their schools and junior colleges had largely completed the syllabus, they pointed to specific subjects where they continue to face difficulties.

'Focus on teaching students and making them understand every concept in depth'

For SSC students, Mathematics and Science emerged as areas requiring additional practice. Aditi Kulkarni, a Class 10 student, said, “I understand the concepts when they are explained in class, but solving lengthy problems within the exam time is difficult. Our teachers have completed most of the syllabus and regular tests have helped, but we need more practice with board-pattern questions. My school focused more on submissions and completing the portion within the timeline, which was tough for me to handle. Now I’m focusing more on my coaching classes and self-study.”

Kulkarni added, “I would want the Maharashtra Board to direct all schools to focus on teaching students and making them understand every concept in depth, rather than focusing on completing notebooks and notes, which carry zero marks and are a waste of time. Instead of notes, we can solve problems, practise writing answers, etc., which will be more helpful and help us understand concepts better.”

'Worried about rumours of paper leaks'

Another Class 10 student, Rohan Jadhav, said Science remains challenging, particularly questions requiring application of concepts. He also expressed concern over the possibility of examination papers being leaked.

“The announcement of the dates has made the exams feel much closer. Science is difficult when questions require application rather than just remembering answers. I am also worried about rumours of paper leaks. Students who have prepared honestly should not have their efforts affected by such incidents. If a paper gets leaked, it will be very difficult for us to deal with it,” he said.

'Rumours can create unnecessary anxiety'

For HSC students, the concerns vary according to their streams. Commerce students said Accounts and Banking required additional practice, particularly for lengthy answers and numerical problems. Omkar Deshmukh, a Class 12 Commerce student, said, “Sometimes I know the method but lose marks because of a small calculation mistake under pressure. Our college has conducted regular tests, but we need more board-level practice papers. The possibility of a paper leak is also worrying because even rumours can create unnecessary anxiety.”

Neha Shah, another Class 12 Commerce student, said Banking and Accountancy were the subjects in which she needed the most revision. “The concepts are clear, but writing answers according to the expected format and completing the paper on time is difficult. The college has covered the syllabus well, but I would have liked more revision lectures. Rumours about paper leaks on WhatsApp can also disturb students before an important examination,” she said.

Meanwhile, Science students said conceptual subjects continued to require focused preparation. Arjun Joshi, a Class 12 Science student, identified Physics as his main concern. “Physics is difficult because it requires both conceptual understanding and numerical practice. The syllabus has been completed and practical sessions have helped, but we need more time for revision and solving previous board papers,” he said.