CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education has issued an official clarification stating that appearing in the first Class 10 Board Examination from 2026 will be compulsory for all students. According to the notification dated February 14, students who miss three or more subjects in the first exam will not be allowed to appear in the second examination, and will instead be placed in the Essential Repeat category, meaning they can take the boards only in the next academic year.
Mandatory First Exam Rule Announced for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2026
The board clarified that the second examination is not an alternative attempt for absentees but is meant only for specific categories of candidates. These include students seeking improvement in up to three subjects, those placed in compartment, or those combining compartment and improvement attempts. Students who pass the first exam may use the second phase to improve marks in subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and languages.
The notification further states that students absent in three or more subjects in the main examination will be considered ineligible for the second phase under any circumstances. The board emphasized that requests seeking special permission in such cases will not be entertained, reinforcing that attendance in the first examination is mandatory under policy guidelines.
The clarification was issued under the authority of Dr. Sanyam Bhardwaj
The clarification was issued under the authority of Dr. Sanyam Bhardwaj, Controller of Examinations, from the CBSE headquarters in New Delhi. Officials said the move is aimed at maintaining examination discipline, preventing misuse of the dual-exam system, and ensuring that the second exam remains a structured opportunity for improvement rather than a substitute attempt.
Education experts say the new rule will encourage students to take the first examination seriously while still offering a fair chance to improve performance without waiting an entire year, thereby balancing flexibility with accountability in the revised board exam framework.