New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday announced the tentative datesheet for the Class 10 and 12 board examinations, scheduled to be held from February 17 to July 15, 2026.
Nearly 45 lakh students across 204 subjects from India and 26 countries abroad are expected to appear in CBSE board examinations 2026.
According to the tentative schedule, the main board exams will run from February 17 to March 9 for Class 10 and from February 17 to April 9 for Class 12. The second round of exams for Class 10 is scheduled from May 15 to June 1. The results of all exams will be announced by July 15, 2026.
In June, CBSE announced the implementation of its policy to conduct Class 10 board exams biannually starting from 2026, with the first mandatory exam in mid-February and an optional second exam in May for students aiming to improve their results in three subjects out of four subjects – science, mathematics, social science, and languages. This reform aligns with recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises reducing the ‘high-stakes’ nature of board exams.
“Alongside the conduct of examinations, several other activities such as practical, evaluation, and post-result processes will be undertaken to ensure timely declaration of results. To facilitate effective planning and execution of responsibilities by all stakeholders, CBSE has decided to release tentative date sheets for the examinations,” said Sanyam Bhardwaj, CBSE’s controller of examinations, in a letter to schools.
{{/usCountry}}“Alongside the conduct of examinations, several other activities such as practical, evaluation, and post-result processes will be undertaken to ensure timely declaration of results. To facilitate effective planning and execution of responsibilities by all stakeholders, CBSE has decided to release tentative date sheets for the examinations,” said Sanyam Bhardwaj, CBSE’s controller of examinations, in a letter to schools.
{{/usCountry}}The tentative schedule for board examinations 2026 will help students plan studies effectively, enable schools to coordinate academic and administrative tasks, and allow teachers to manage personal schedules more clearly, he added.
According to CBSE’s tentative schedule, the evaluation of answer scripts will generally start about 10 days after each exam and finish within 12 days. For instance, if the Class 12 Physics exam is held on February 20, 2026, evaluation is expected between March 3 and March 15, 2026.
Bhardwaj said that the released schedules are tentative and final date sheets will be issued after schools submit the final list of candidates. Schools have to submit the list of candidates (LOC) by September 30, 2025, without late fee. A late-fee window will be available till October 11, 2025.