CBSE Mandates First Exam Attempt for Class 10 Students

CBSE announces that Class 10 students must take the first board exam. Students missing three or more subjects will be categorized as 'Essential Repeat' and can retry only in next year's main exams. The policy addresses students' requests to skip initial exams due to personal reasons, rolling out in 2026.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has declared it compulsory for Class 10 students to participate in the first board exams. This decision follows several student appeals to forgo these exams for personal reasons, with hopes to take only subsequent exams.

According to CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj, students who do not attempt at least three subjects out of the options provided will be placed in the 'Essential Repeat' category. Such students will have to retake the exams in February of the following year instead of being allowed to appear in the second exam.

The regulation will be in effect from 2026, ensuring students engage adequately with their subjects through the initial assessment. The board's initiative aims to uphold academic standards while addressing administrative and educational challenges.

(With inputs from agencies.)