The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is implementing three major changes for the 2026 board exams. These include conducting the Class 10 exam twice a year, introducing on-screen marking for Class 12 answer scripts, and splitting the Class 10 Science and Social Science question papers.
Class 10 Exam Twice a Year
Starting in 2026, Class 10 board exams will be held in two phases. The first phase is scheduled from February 17 to March 6, and the second phase will run from May 5 to May 20. This aims to allow students to improve their scores without repeating a full academic year.
On-Screen Marking for Class 12
Answer scripts for Class 12 board exams will now be evaluated digitally. This on-screen marking system is being introduced to streamline the evaluation process. Class 10 answer sheets will continue to be marked manually.
Split Class 10 Question Papers
The question papers for Class 10 Science and Social Science will be divided. Science, which covers Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, will have separate sections. Similarly, Social Science, encompassing History, Geography, Economics, and Political Science, will also see a split. This change recognizes that these subjects are taught by different teachers and involve distinct disciplines.
Exam Schedule and Scale
Approximately 46 lakh students are expected to appear for the CBSE Class 10 and 12 board exams in 2026. The exams will be conducted from February 17 to April 10 in 8,074 exam centers across India and 26 other countries. This large-scale operation requires extensive planning.
On-Screen Marking Process Details
The implementation of on-screen marking for Class 12 begins with a dedicated day for discussing the marking scheme and conducting mock evaluations. This ensures consistency among evaluators. A Head Examiner and an Additional Head Examiner will oversee a team of three evaluators for each set of answer scripts.
Examiners will receive a system-generated One-Time Password (OTP) to access the digital evaluation platform. The responsibilities of individual evaluators remain the same. This digital system is intended to provide more time for evaluation and reduce examiner stress.
The motto for this year’s exams and evaluation is: “Smart exams, smarter evaluation – naye Bharat ki pehchan.” Teachers interested in learning more about these initiatives can email info.cbseexam@cbseshiksha.in by 5 p.m. tomorrow. The CBSE will also release Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to address queries.