Beginning in 2026, the Central Board of Secondary Schooling (CBSE) will introduce a significant change: Class 10 college students can have the choice to look for board exams twice a 12 months. This transfer goals to scale back stress and provides college students a greater probability to enhance their scores with out ready a complete 12 months.
Nonetheless, opinions on this alteration stay combined. Whereas some dad and mom and academics welcome the flexibleness, others are involved about added strain, logistical challenges, and its general impression on college students’ studying.
What’s altering?
From 2026, Class 10 college students can have the choice to take board exams twice a 12 months, giving them extra flexibility to enhance their scores. They will select to look in both session or each, and if happy with their first try, they’ll skip particular topics within the second spherical. This modification eliminates the necessity to wait a complete 12 months for a second probability.
Necessary particulars concerning the new system
- The draft norms have been accredited by CBSE on Tuesday and are open for public suggestions till 9 March 2025.
- Each exams will cowl the total syllabus and comply with the identical textbooks, with college students taking exams on the similar centres for each makes an attempt.
- Examination charges will improve and will probably be collected on the time of utility.
- No separate supplementary exams will probably be held — the Might session will exchange them, and no particular examinations will probably be carried out below any circumstances.
- The checklist of candidates (LOC) will probably be finalized by September 2025 for the February 2026 examination, and no new candidates can register for the Might 2026 examination in the event that they aren’t on the September 2025 checklist.
- College students can’t change topics as soon as the LOC is finalised. Nonetheless, they’ll skip a topic within the first examination and take a special one within the second examination.
- Sensible and inner assessments will probably be carried out solely as soon as per 12 months.
- The ultimate marksheet will present scores from each periods, with one of the best rating highlighted for every topic.
Why is CBSE doing this?
This modification follows suggestions of the Nationwide Schooling Coverage (NEP) 2020, which goals to scale back the ‘high-stakes’ nature of board exams. The primary thought is to scale back stress and provides college students extra alternatives to carry out their finest.
Blended reactions from dad and mom and academics
Anjali Mehta, a mother or father from Mumbai, whose son research at Billabong Excessive Worldwide College, is optimistic. “Having two probabilities in a 12 months reduces the immense strain on college students. My son can now plan his research higher and has a security internet if issues don’t go nicely the primary time.”
Suresh Iyer, an English instructor at a famend faculty in Mumbai, highlights the constructive impression on college students’ psychological well being, “Figuring out that there’s a second probability throughout the similar 12 months can alleviate loads of stress. It’s a welcome change for each college students and educators.”
Nonetheless, some dad and mom and academics consider the success of this method relies on how nicely it’s applied.
Rajeshkumar Patel, a arithmetic instructor at Ahmedabad Worldwide College, factors out the significance of structured instructing, “This technique permits us to construction our instructing strategies extra successfully. However we have to make sure that college students don’t take the primary try calmly, pondering they’ve a backup choice.”
In the meantime, Priya Nair, a mother or father from Mumbai, whose daughter research at Cathedral and John Connon College, has combined emotions. “The choice to look twice provides college students management over their efficiency, however I fear that some could not take the primary try significantly, resulting in pointless stress later.”
Considerations about further burden on college students and colleges
Not everyone seems to be satisfied that the change is useful. Some consider it might improve stress for college students and create logistical challenges for colleges.
Neha Trivedi, a mother or father from Ahmedabad whose son research at Udgam College, fears this might add extra strain. “As a substitute of lowering strain, this would possibly improve it. College students will really feel like they’re continuously making ready for exams, leaving little time to relaxation. As a mother or father, I’d need my son to look for each exams, however I really feel it’s an pointless burden on children.”
Ravi Sharma, a instructor at a CBSE faculty in Mumbai, raises issues about faculty logistics, saying, “Conducting board exams twice a 12 months would require further planning, infrastructure, and staffing. Not all colleges could also be geared up to deal with this.”
Whereas CBSE’s transfer to conduct board exams twice a 12 months goals to learn college students, it has sparked combined reactions amongst dad and mom and academics. Some view it as a step in direction of flexibility and decreased strain, whereas others worry it could result in added stress and logistical hurdles.
Edited by Khushi Arora
