CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2026: Two Exams a Year, New Pattern, and What It Means for Students

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a major reform for the Class 10 Board Exams starting in 2026. As part of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), students will now receive two opportunities to write the Board Exam in the same academic year. This is especially relevant for families in Bahrain following the CBSE curriculum.

This fully breakdown is written for parents and students seeking structured guidance from Learnify Academy Bahrain.

1. Two Exams Per Year: How the New CBSE System Works

The new system follows a Main Exam + Improvement Exam format. This is not a term-based structure—both exams cover the full CBSE syllabus.

The First Exam (Main Board Exam) – Mandatory

• When: February – March 2026
• Who: Compulsory for all Class 10 students
• Syllabus: 100% of the year’s syllabus
• Role: Considered the student’s main Board Exam

The Second Exam (Improvement Exam) – Optional

• When: May 2026
• Purpose: Improve results in selected subjects
• Limit: Up to 3 subjects
• Best for: Students aiming for higher marks or clearing weaker subjects

2. Key Rules Every Parent and Student Must Know

 ✔ Best Score Is Retained

The final marksheet shows the higher score between the February and May attempts.

✔ Skipping February Is Not Allowed⚠️

CBSE’s strict rule:

• Missing 3 or more subjects in February = Essential Repeat
• Student becomes ineligible for the May attempt
• The academic year must be repeated

✔ Internal Assessment Is Carried Forward

The 20-mark internal assessment is submitted once and reused for both attempts. It includes:

• Projects
• Assignments
• Notebook work
• Periodic tests

3. Does This Apply to Class 12?

For 2026:

• Class 10: Two-exam system
• Class 12: One main exam
• Supplementary: Still available for Class 12

4. New CBSE Question Paper Pattern (Competency-Based)

CBSE is shifting toward analytical and application-based questions. The expected distribution is:

• 50% Competency-Based Questions
• 20% MCQs
• 30% Descriptive Answers

5. Benefits and Challenges

✔ Benefits

• Lower stress with two chances
• Only the best score appears on the marksheet
• No “supplementary” label
• Selective improvement for weak subjects

⚠ Challenges

• Exam season may extend till June
• Attendance rule: 75% minimum
• February exam is compulsory
• Improvement exam may overlap with Class 11

6. How Students Should Prepare Under the New System

• Complete the syllabus by January
• Treat February as the main attempt
• Use May only if improvement is required
• Practice CBSE case-study & competency equations
• Score strongly in internal assessments
• Build strong subject foundations in Class 9

Final Summary

• CBSE Class 10 adopts two exams from 2026
• February exam is mandatory
• May exam allows improvement in up to 3 subjects
• Best score is retained for the marksheet
• Class 12 remains unchanged

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