New Delhi: In a significant reform, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced the Class 10 board examinations will be conducted twice a year starting from 2026.

According to CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj, all Class 10 students will be required to appear for the first phase of the exam, while the second phase will be optional. The best score obtained in either of the two phases will be considered final.

The decision to introduce bi-annual board exams is based on recommendations from the National Education Policy (NEP), aiming to reduce student stress and provide more opportunities for improved performance.

Those wishing to enhance their scores in up to three subjects can appear for a second Board exam, to be held in May. Results for the two exams will be declared in April and June respectively.

The move aims to reduce the high-stakes nature of Board exams and offer students multiple opportunities to improve their performance.

Under this new model, students who pass the first exam can opt for improvement in key subjects, while those in the compartment or essential repeat category can reappear in the second session. Notably, internal assessments will be conducted only once, prior to the first exam.

The policy is designed to reduce academic pressure and the reliance on coaching centres by offering a 'best-of-two' opportunity, ensuring a fair and inclusive assessment system.

Special provisions have been made for 'sports students, winter-bound schools, and children with special needs', allowing flexible exam scheduling to suit their requirements.

For winter-bound schools, students will be allowed to choose which phase to appear in.

The CBSE announced the draft norms in February, which were put in the public domain for stakeholders' feedback.

Notably, while this new two-exam policy has been confirmed for Class 10 students from 2026, with this the CBSE has indicated that a similar system may be considered for Class 12 in the future, though no official confirmation has been made yet. (With IANS inputs)