CBSE Class 10 Two Board Exams 2026: Feb Main, May Optional

Your child is in CBSE Class 10 this year. Here is exactly how the new two-exam system works, what is compulsory, what is optional, and how to decide whether to sit the second attempt. From the 2026 board exams onwards, CBSE conducts the Class 10 board examination twice in the same academic session. The first exam in February is compulsory for every student. The second exam in May is optional and only for those who want to lift their score. The board keeps the better of your two marks.

This change flows from para 4.37 and 4.38 of the National Education Policy 2020, which says students should be able to take board exams “on up to two occasions during any given school year, one main examination and one for improvement, if desired.” CBSE notified the scheme for Class 10 on 25 June 2025 and the 2026 cycle has already run on it. The first phase began on 17 February 2026, results were declared on 15 April 2026, and the second phase began on 15 May 2026.

Every Class 10 student must sit the first (February) exam. There is no way to skip it and jump straight to May. The second (May) exam is for two groups of students:

1. Students who passed but want a higher score. Passed students may improve in up to three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Science and the languages.
2. Students who failed in one to five subjects in February. They are placed in the “Improvement Category” and are allowed to sit the second exam.

Eligibility for the second exam follows from how you appeared in the first one. A student who misses a large number of subjects in February may not qualify for the May attempt and would instead wait for the next year's February main exam, so confirm your eligibility with your school against the official CBSE notification. Either way, treat the February attempt as the one that truly counts, and the May attempt as a second chance, not a substitute.

Use this flow before paying the second-exam fee:

1. Did you pass all subjects and are happy with the marks? Then skip May. Your February marksheet is final and you can take Class 11 admission on it. The board records your February score in DigiLocker for this purpose.
2. Did you pass but want more in one to three subjects (Science, Maths, Social Science or a language)? Sit May only for those subjects. The better of the two marks is kept, so a lower May score never pulls you down.
3. Did you fail in one to five subjects in February? You should sit May for those subjects to clear them and be declared pass.
4. Did you miss many subjects in February? Your May eligibility may be affected, so check with your school. Plan for next February if you do not qualify.
5. Is the May syllabus different? No. Both exams cover the same full syllabus and the same textbooks, so no fresh preparation theme is needed.

If a February result looks lower than expected, you can use the RTI route for CBSE re-evaluation records to inspect the evaluated copy before deciding whether the May attempt is worth it. For the full citizen toolkit on using RTI against public bodies, keep The RTI Playbook handy.

The marksheet cum passing certificate shows the marks from both attempts, the practical and internal assessment marks, and the better of the two scores. Passing documents are issued after the second exam window closes, so students who appear only in February receive their performance through DigiLocker for Class 11 admission.

The exam fee is collected once, while filling the List of Candidates for the first exam, and it covers both attempts. It is non-refundable. You choose the option for both exams at that point, and you cannot change your subjects afterwards except in limited cases allowed only for the second exam. Practical and internal assessment is done once and applies to both attempts.

This twice-a-year system applies only to Class 10. CBSE has not extended it to Class 12, which continues with its single main examination. If your APAAR ID is still pending, sort that out first, because board registration now runs through the unique student ID. See how the APAAR ID ties into CBSE board registration for the 2026-27 cycle.

Yes. From the 2026 board exams, CBSE conducts the Class 10 exam in two phases in the same session. The February phase is compulsory for all students and the May phase is optional for improvement. The board keeps the better of your two marks.

No. The May exam is optional. You sit it only if you want to improve up to three subjects, or if you failed one to five subjects in February and need to clear them. Students happy with their February result can stop there.

No. CBSE retains the better of your two attempts for each subject. A weaker May score is simply ignored, so there is no downside risk to sitting the second exam for eligible subjects.

No. The February exam is compulsory for everyone. Your eligibility for the May exam depends on how you appeared in February, so a student who misses many subjects may have to wait for the next year's February main exam. Confirm your case with your school against the official CBSE notification.

No. Both exams are conducted on the same full current syllabus and the same textbooks. There is no separate or reduced syllabus for the second attempt.

No. The twice-a-year board exam scheme applies only to Class 10. CBSE has not extended it to Class 12, which continues with one main board examination.

Your February result stands as final. Your performance is made available in DigiLocker and you can use it for Class 11 admission. Passing documents for those who appear in both phases are issued after the second exam result.

• CBSE, Draft Scheme for Two Examinations, Class X from 2026 (25 February 2025): https://www.cbse.gov.in/cbsenew/documents/SCHEME_BOARD_EXAMS_POLICY_25022025.pdf
• CBSE, Notification on Two Board Examinations in Class X from 2026 (25 June 2025): https://www.cbse.gov.in/cbsenew/documents/Notification_Two_Board_Examinations_Class_X_2026_25062025.pdf
• Akashvani / News on Air (Government of India): CBSE to conduct Class 10th board exams twice a year from 2026: https://newsonair.gov.in/cbse-to-conduct-class-10th-board-exams-twice-a-year-from-2026/
• Akashvani / News on Air (Government of India): CBSE to conduct Class 10 second phase examination from 15 May 2026: https://newsonair.gov.in/cbse-to-conduct-class-10-second-phase-examination-from-15-may-2026/

Reviewed by Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak. This guide is for general information on CBSE examination rules and is not a substitute for the official CBSE notification.