New Delhi (Staff Correspondent): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has approved a draft to conduct the class 10 board examination twice in a year. This draft has now been put in the public domain and stakeholders can give their feedback till March 9. After this change, Class 10 board exams will be conducted twice in a year, which can be a big relief for the students.
Highlights of the plan
- Conducting the exam in two phases:
As per the draft norms, Class 10 exams will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will be from February 17 to March 6, while the second phase will be held between May 5 and 20. This change will give students an opportunity to prepare better during the exam, as they can take their exam in the first phase and reappear in the second phase.
- Change in exam dates:
According to the official release, the Class 10 and Class 12 exams will begin on the first Tuesday after February 15 every year. This may lead to a slight delay in the start of the exams compared to the earlier dates, giving students more time for their preparation. Around 26.60 lakh students in Class 10 and around 20 lakh students in Class 12 are expected to appear for the exams in 2026.
- Exams based on full syllabus:
Both exams will be based on the full syllabus and text-books, as was the case earlier. This means that the scope of the exam will remain the same and students will need to cover the entire book. However, this plan may be beneficial for students as they will get two chances as per the time for their exams.
Grouping of subjects
- Regional and foreign languages:
Under the draft norms, regional and foreign languages have been grouped into one group. The exams for these languages will be conducted on a single day and in a single session. This will give students an opportunity to better utilize the time and resources for these subjects.
- Grouping of other subjects:
Apart from Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Hindi and English, other subjects have been divided into two groups. The exams for these subjects will be conducted on 2 or 3 days depending on the choice of the students. This flexibility will give students an opportunity to choose their exam dates, so that they can prepare better.
- Exams for important subjects:
Exams for Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Hindi and English will be conducted on a fixed day as before. There is no change in these important subjects, and these will remain the priority subjects for students for the exam.
Effects of the change in the future
The decision of CBSE to conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year can bring many positive aspects for the students. This arrangement will give students another chance to improve their performance, especially for those students whose first attempt was weak. Moreover, this policy can reduce the mental pressure of students as they will be able to prepare for the exams twice in the same year. However, before implementing this proposal, the board will have to get feedback from students, schools and other stakeholders to ensure that the plan is suitable for everyone. It will be finalised based on the feedback received by March 9.
