CBSE 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has instructed all the schools to immediately relieve the teachers engaged for the purpose of evaluating the answer scripts for the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations to be held in the year 2026, emphasising the importance of correct and timely evaluation being a joint obligation for schools and the board.
Direct link for official notification
Board exams to begin from February 17
CBSE informed schools that the 2026 board examinations will begin on February 17.
Class 10 exams: February 17 to March 11, 2026
Class 12 exams: February 17 to April 10, 2026
Total candidates: Around 46 lakh students from India and 26 countries
New initiatives introduced for 2026 exams
CBSE highlighted several changes being introduced this year to improve assessment quality:
Second board exam for Class 10:
In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, CBSE will conduct a second board examination for Class 10 students for the first time, starting from May 15, 2026, for about 15 days.
Section-wise question papers:
To ensure fair and focused assessment:
Science: Physics, Chemistry, Biology
Social Science: History, Geography, Political Science, Economics
Evaluation will be done by subject-specific teachers.
On-Screen Marking (OSM):
Class 12 answer books: To be evaluated through OSM for the first time
Class 10 answer books: Physical evaluation to continue as before
CBSE has also announced that Class 12 answer books will be evaluated through on-screen marking (OSM) for the first time, while Class 10 evaluations will continue in physical mode, as in previous years.
Measures to ensure error-free evaluation
According to the official notification, to ensure consistency and minimise errors, the Board has updated its standard operating procedures and prepared instructional videos for evaluators. It has also reduced the number of answer books allotted per evaluator and planned capacity-building programmes to improve assessment quality. The evaluation process is expected to be completed within eight to ten days, compared to ten to twelve days earlier.
Schools directed to relieve teachers full-time
However, the Board has made it clear that these measures will be effective only if qualified evaluators are available full-time. Schools have been instructed to relieve teachers immediately as per directions from their respective regional offices. Teachers must be relieved for the entire duration of evaluation in their subject, and schools are required to issue relieving certificates. Principals have also been asked to ensure that only qualified and competent teachers, in line with CBSE norms, are deputed for evaluation, and that schools release teachers in proportion to the number of students presented for the board exams.
CBSE has warned that any failure to comply with these directions will be treated seriously. Non-compliance may lead to the school’s results being withheld and further action under the Board’s examination and affiliation bye-laws. Emphasising the impact of evaluation on students, the Board said that any lapse could directly affect candidates and urged schools to cooperate fully to ensure a fair and error-free assessment process.
