Class X students across CBSE schools want their teachers to clarify the board’s new rule that gives them the choice to appear for two exams in the same year.
The new rule will apply to the current Class X students who will write their board exams in 2026. They will have the choice to appear for an improvement test in up to three subjects.
“Students are confused because this is something new, and they will be the first batch to face the change,” said Madhumita Sengupta, principal of BDMI International.
“They want to know whether they should focus on all the papers in the first exam or break it into segments and concentrate more on some subjects in the second one. They are also worried about how appearing in the improvement test will impact their choice of subjects in Class XI,” she said.
Several schools have circulated CBSE’s announcement among students by sharing the circular with parents or posting it on their websites.
But that is not enough. Both students and parents are seeking clarification, and schools are planning to conduct an orientation meeting with Class X students and their parents.
“We have to first clarify to the children that they cannot bypass the first exam. It is mandatory to appear in all subjects. The second exam is not mandatory. If they fare well enough in the first one, they can move on,” said Anjana Saha, principal, Mahadevi Birla World Academy.
But Saha said there would be students who would want to appear for the improvement exam, especially in science and mathematics.
“Parents will encourage their children to reappear for a subject because of their aspirations. If they don’t get their chosen stream, there is a possibility that parents will tell them to appear for the improvement exam,” said Saha.
Arun Dasgupta, principal, Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir, is apprehensive that two exams might take away the sanctity of the first exam.
“When both children and parents know that they can appear for another exam, the seriousness of the first exam might get diluted,” said
Dasgupta.
The announcement came last week at a time when most students across schools are writing their periodical exams or unit tests.
Some schools have decided to float online forms where parents can write their queries and share those with the school.
“We can assess that parents have a lot of queries. They want to know if their children get a stream of their choice after the improvement exam result. They are also wondering whether a school will informally allow their child to attend classes in a stream of their choice even if they had not cleared the cut-off marks in the first exam and are scheduled to appear for an improvement test,” said Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal, The Newtown School.
Bhattacharjee said that before July 11, when the school has scheduled an orientation meeting, they will float in online forms where parents would put in their questions.
“If we get the questions beforehand, it is easy for us,” she said.
