The Madhya Pradesh School Education Department has confirmed that the Class 5 and Class 8 examinations for the 2025-26 academic session will be conducted on a board-exam pattern across the state starting 20 February 2026. The tests will run through 28 February 2026 for students enrolled in government, private schools and madrasas. The decision follows an official directive from the Rajya Shiksha Kendra to standardise assessments for primary and middle school learners, aligning them with board-style examinations similar to those held for higher classes. Over 25 lakh students are expected to appear across 12,920 examination centres that have been arranged to ensure adequate facilities and logistics.
Board-Pattern Exams and Question Paper Design
Under the revised pattern, question papers will be prepared in alignment with the prescribed NCERT syllabus and state textbooks. Separate language question papers have already been prepared to suit the linguistic needs of students from private schools. Officials have stated that every eligible student will be permitted to take the exam, even if registration details were not completed prior to the examination. In such cases, examination centres will enter candidate information into the state online portal after the exams conclude to facilitate attendance and result processing.
Exam Timeline and Logistics
The board-pattern evaluation will be conducted over a nine-day window from 20 to 28 February 2026. The examinations are scheduled across all districts, with the state education infrastructure scaled up to manage such a wide outreach. Education officials have also emphasised equity and inclusion by ensuring that learners from government schools, private institutions and madrasas sit for common examinations under the board format without any separate conditions.
Expected Impact and Future Updates
The move to a board-exam pattern for Class 5 and 8 aims to bring uniformity and greater accountability to the early stages of school assessment in Madhya Pradesh. Parents and students are being advised to prepare according to the prescribed syllabus and pattern indicated in the official timetable.Further updates regarding admit cards, detailed subject schedules and evaluation criteria are expected to be issued by the Rajya Shiksha Kendra and MPBSE ahead of the exam start date.