Govt set to roll out twice-a-year board exam on optional basis

The option of appearing for board exams two times a year will be provided to students of Classes 10 and 12 from the next academic session, a senior official at the ministry of education said

​The government is set to roll out the twice-a-year board exam format on an optional basis from the 2024-25 academic session, officials aware of the matter said on Friday, adding that there is no plan to implement a semester system in schools for now.

The framework, which was released by the ministry in August last year, also proposed that the students be given the option to write their board exams twice a year (HT)

The option of appearing for board exams two times a year will be provided to students of Classes 10 and 12 from the next academic session, a senior official at the ministry of education said.

But the option of the second attempt will only be available for students who wish to improve their performance, the official added.

“Students who will come in class 10 and 12 in the 2024-25 session will get two board exam options in 2025. Only students who would want to improve their performance can appear in the second board exam,” the official said not wishing to be named.

This second attempt will help reduce the stress-levels of the students, the official said. “It will help students because it will always be at the back of their minds that if for some reason they could not do well in the first exam they will have an option for the second. It will reduce their stress.”

The new national curriculum framework (NCF), prepared by the Union government-appointed national steering company which was led by former Isro chairman K Kasturirangan in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, proposed a semester system for students of classes 11 and 12. The framework, which was released by the ministry in August last year, also proposed that the students be given the option to write their board exams twice a year.

“There is no plan to implement a semester system in schools for now,” the official added.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in October last year announced that the twice-a-year board exam format will be optional for students.

“If any student feels their preparations are complete and fully satisfied with the score in one set of exams, he/she can choose not to appear for the next exams. Nothing will be made mandatory,” Pradhan said in an interview with a news agency.

Meanwhile, the official quoted above also said that the ministry is targeting to release updated NCERT books for the maximum number of classes by April, before the next academic session begins.

“We are targeting to at least release the textbooks of classes 3rd to 8th by April 1st,” the official said.