The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) began its Class 10 and 12 board exams for 2026 today. Over 4.5 million students are participating in the exams, which are being held under a new assessment framework. This year’s exams mark one of the largest school-level examinations globally, with centers established in over 8,000 locations across India and 26 other countries.
Exam Statistics and Schedule
A total of 25,08,319 students are registered for the Class 10 board exams. The Class 12 exams will see 18,59,551 students appear. The board has clarified that participation in the first Class 10 board exam is mandatory for all students.
The Class 10 exams are scheduled to run from February 17 to March 11 . Class 12 examinations will take place from February 17 to April 10 . The board will also conduct exams for sports students, the second Class 10 board exam, and supplementary exams by July 15 .
Exams for both classes will commence at 10:30 AM and conclude at 1:30 PM . Exam centers will close entry gates at 10:00 AM . Latecomers will not be permitted to enter.
Question papers will be distributed at 10:15 AM , granting students 15 minutes for reading. On the first day, Class 10 students are taking Mathematics (Standard and Basic). Class 12 students are appearing for exams in Biotechnology, Entrepreneurship, and Shorthand (English and Hindi).
Examination Data
| Category | Class 10 | Class 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Candidates | 25,08,319 | 18,59,551 |
| Total Subjects | 83 | 120 |
| Total Centers | 8075 | 7574 |
| Male Candidates | 14,08,546 | 10,27,552 |
| Female Candidates | 10,99,773 | 8,31,999 |
Evaluation Process
The board stated that answer script evaluation will begin approximately 10 days after each subject’s examination. The evaluation is expected to be completed within 12 days of commencement. For example, if the Class 12 Physics exam is on February 20, 2026, evaluation is anticipated to start on March 3 and finish by March 15, 2026.