NEW DELHI – The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) gave millions of students an important update on Wednesday by releasing the tentative datesheet for the 2026 board exams. The schedule says that the long-awaited Class 10 and 12 exams would start on February 17, 2026, for almost 45 lakh children in India and 26 other countries. The board also said that the results should be disclosed by July 15, 2026.
Sanyam Bhardwaj, who is in charge of the CBSE’s exams, said that releasing the timetable early is a smart decision. The timetable is meant to “help students plan their studies better, help schools coordinate academic and administrative tasks, and help teachers keep track of their own schedules more clearly.”
Important Changes and Important Information
The announcement also confirms the CBSE’s new policy, which was first announced in June. Beginning in 2026, the board will make a big shift for Class 10 students: they will be able to sit their board exams twice a year.
Two Exams a Year: The new plan calls for a first, required exam in mid-February and an optional second exam in May.
The second exam is for students who want to do better in three of the four key subjects: Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and Languages.
Consideration of Results: The final result will be based on the better of the two scores, which gives students a chance to improve their performance without the stress of a single, high-stakes test.
The CBSE also gave a rough idea of when the post-exam procedure would happen. It said that the grading of answer sheets will start about 10 days after each exam and be done within 12 days.