CBSE Board Exams 2026 are running, with Class 10 students taking English (Communicative) and English (Language & Literature) and Class 12 students appearing in Automotive and Fashion Studies today. Exams for both classes are held in a single shift from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, and entry closed sharply at 10:00 am.
CBSE 2026 Exam Schedule and Participation
The Central Board of Secondary Education commenced the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations on 17 February 2026, with more than 43 lakh students registered — about 25 lakh in Class 10 and 18.5 lakh in Class 12. Exams are being conducted across 8,074 centres for Class 10 and 7,574 centres for Class 12 nationwide. Class 10 examinations are scheduled to conclude on 10 March 2026, while Class 12 exams will end on 10 April 2026. Students will sit for 83 subjects in Class 10 and 120 subjects in Class 12 this year. Around 14 lakh boys and 10.9 lakh girls are among Class 10 candidates, and about 10.2 lakh boys and 8.3 lakh girls are registered for Class 12.
Today’s Class 10 and Class 12 Papers
On 21 February 2026, Class 10 candidates appeared for English (Communicative) and English (Language & Literature) papers. Class 12 students took Automotive and Fashion Studies examinations, all conducted in a single shift from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Students were advised to reach their centres well in advance, considering traffic and local conditions.
CBSE Clarification on Class 10 Exam Rules
For the 2026 session, the board clarified that appearing in the first Class 10 board exam is mandatory for all students. Direct entry to the second exam is not permitted. Students who have passed may seek to improve scores in up to three subjects, including core disciplines such as Science and Mathematics. Students missing three or more subjects in the first exam will be categorised as Essential Repeat and must appear in the main exam next year in February. Those with a Compartment result may appear in the second exam under that category. The board also reiterated that after passing Class 10, students cannot appear in stand-alone additional subjects.
Exam Conduct and Advisory
CBSE advised students and parents to rely on official communication channels for accurate information and not to be influenced by unverified messages or rumours circulating on social media, which can cause unnecessary anxiety during this crucial period. Exams continue as scheduled with heightened arrangements at centres nationwide to ensure smooth and secure conduct for students appearing in one of India’s largest annual examination events