In a significant move for students and educators, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the much-anticipated date sheets for the Class 10 and 12 board examinations for the 2026 academic year. The exams are scheduled to commence on February 17 and will conclude on April 9, 2026. This early announcement, made nearly 110 days before the examinations begin, is a first for CBSE and is intended to empower students with ample time for thorough preparation.
CBSE’s Controller of Examinations, Sanyam Bhardwaj, highlighted the benefits of this proactive approach, stating in a letter to affiliated schools that the early release will help students manage exam anxiety and potentially boost their performance. It is projected that approximately 4.5 million students will participate in these exams across 204 subjects, with participation expected from both within India and 26 other countries.
The schedule has been meticulously designed to ensure a comfortable gap between subjects frequently chosen by students, with over 40,000 subject combinations analyzed to prevent any exam overlaps. Furthermore, the board has considered the dates of major competitive entrance examinations like JEE and NEET, aiming to complete the board exams well in advance to aid students in balancing their preparations for both board and entrance tests.
This strategic scheduling is part of CBSE’s ongoing reforms, including the policy to conduct Class 10 board exams biannually starting in 2026. This initiative, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, seeks to make board exams less of a high-stakes event. The results for all board examinations are slated to be announced by July 15, 2026.