CBSE to Conduct Second Attempt of Class 10 Board Exam 2026 in May; 40% Participation Expected

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday announced the Class 10 board exam results for Phase 1 (2026), bringing relief to over 20 lakh students across the country. The results have been made available on the board’s official website, cbse.nic.in.

This year marks the rollout of CBSE’s two-exam system for Class 10 board examinations, a reform aimed at offering students an opportunity to improve their performance without losing an academic year. Under this policy, all students are required to appear for the first phase, while the second phase is optional for those seeking better scores.

According to CBSE guidelines, students who missed three or more subjects in Phase 1 will not be eligible to sit for the second phase of examinations. However, those who have appeared in all subjects may choose to reappear in up to three subjects, including science, mathematics, social science, and languages, for score improvement.

The second phase of the Class 10 board exams is scheduled to be conducted from May 5 to May 20, 2026. Only subjects with an external assessment component exceeding 50% will be included in this phase, while practical examinations will not be repeated, as they are conducted only once.

CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh stated that the board anticipates around 40% participation per subject in the second phase at most. He added that the new system is also expected to ease the evaluation burden on teachers.

Following the declaration of Phase 1 results, CBSE is expected to open the List of Candidates (LoC) registration window shortly for students opting to appear in the second phase.

The introduction of the dual-exam system represents a significant shift in India’s school assessment framework, focusing on flexibility, reduced stress, and improved academic outcomes for students.