Class 10 students must appear in first exam: CBSE clarifies two board exams policy

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday issued an official clarification regarding the implementation of two Board examinations for Class X starting from 2026. 

In its circular, CBSE clarified that all students must appear in the first Board examination. The Board stated that the second examination is not an alternative for those who skip the first exam without a valid eligibility under the scheme.

Improvement Exam In Only 3 Subjects

According to the notification, students who have passed the first examination will be allowed to improve their performance in up to three main subjects, including Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and Languages. However, students who fail to appear in three or more subjects in the first examination will not be permitted to sit for the second examination.

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Such candidates will be placed in the ‘Essential Repeat’ category and will have to appear again in the main examinations the following year.

Compartment Category

The Board further clarified that students placed under the Compartment category after the first examination will be eligible to appear in the second examination under the same category. The eligibility criteria for the second examination include improvement in up to three subjects, first or third chance compartment, compartment plus improvement, and improvement for students who passed by the replacement of a subject.

CBSE also announced that additional subjects will not be permitted after passing Class X and that standalone subjects will not be allowed.

The Board emphasized that any requests from students seeking permission to appear in the second examination after missing three or more subjects in the first exam will not be entertained, reiterating that the policy will be strictly followed from the 2026 academic session onward.