New Delhi: From 2026, Class-10 students will be able to take CBSE board exams twice in an academic session, but it will be mandatory for them to appear for the first phase in February, officials said on Wednesday.

The second phase scheduled in May will be optional for students who wish to improve their performance. In case a student appears for both the phases, the best score of the two will be retained, they said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has approved the norms for conducting board exams twice a year for Class-10, a move recommended in the new National Education Policy (NEP).

"The first phase will be conducted in February and second in May. The results for the two phases will be announced in April and June, respectively,” CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said.

"It will be mandatory (for students) to appear for the first phase while the second phase will be optional. Students will be allowed to improve their performance in any three subjects out of science, mathematics, social science and languages," he added.

Explaining the rationale behind making the first phase mandatory for the students, CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh said it is being done to ensure that students take the exams seriously and the sanctity of the board exams is maintained.

"If a student does not appeared for three or more subjects in the first examination, he or she will not be allowed to appear for the second exam.

Such students will be placed in the 'Essential Repeat' category and can take the examination only next year in the main exam in February," he said.

"Students whose result in the first examination is compartment will be allowed to appear in the second examination under the compartment category. Additional subjects will not be permitted after passing Class-10, students will not be allowed in stand-alone subjects," he added.

According to the approved norms, Class-10 students from winter-bound schools will get an option to appear for the board exams in any of the two phases.

Similarly, sports students will be allowed to appear in the second phase in subjects which coincide with their sports events. The internal assessment will be conducted only once during the academic session.