Mumbai, 13 February 2026 : 

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct the Class 10 and Class 12 Board Examinations 2026 from February 17, with nearly 46 lakh students expected to appear across India and abroad.

For the 2026 academic session, CBSE has rolled out significant reforms aligned with NEP 2020. Class 10 students will now have two opportunities to appear for board exams within the same academic year, with the best score retained. The board has also increased the weightage of competency-based questions to test conceptual understanding and application skills rather than rote memorisation.

Class 12 answer sheets will be evaluated through On-Screen Marking (OSM) to ensure faster and more accurate results. Greater focus will also be placed on internal assessments and practical components.

The marking pattern remains largely unchanged, with most subjects following an 80:20 (theory-internal assessment) split, while practical-based subjects may follow a 70:30 division. Students must secure a minimum of 33% in each subject, including theory and practicals combined, to pass. A mandatory 75% attendance is required to be eligible for the exams. Candidates failing in one or more subjects can appear for compartment exams as per CBSE rules.