Second board exam

CBSE began holding two Class 10 board exams in 2026. The first, in February and March, is compulsory for everyone. The second, in May, is a choice for some. In 2026 it ran from 15 to 21 May.

Who can sit it?

• A student who passed and wants better marks, in up to three main subjects. This is the improvement exam.
• A student with a Compartment result, to clear that subject. This is the compartment exam.
• A student with a compartment who also wants to improve another subject.

A student who missed three or more papers in February cannot sit it. The school fills in the form, not the family.

What stays the same

Both exams cover the full syllabus, with the same paper pattern. Only the written paper is sat again. The school marks, or internal assessment, are given once, before February.

A small example

Say your child sits Science again in May. The better of the two Science scores counts. This is the best of two rule. In 2026, a student who was registered and paid the fee but missed the May paper kept the February result.

The rules are in CBSE's notification on the two board exams. The two board exams explains each rule in full, and whether your child should sit the second exam helps with the choice.

About the author

Mohit Sardana

Chief Architect

An engineer (B.Tech, Computer Science) with over 20 years of preparing students for entrance exams, including as Dean at FIITJEE and Vice-President at Aakash. He is the chief architect of the TRUpreBoards evaluation engine.

Mohit Sardana on LinkedIn