CBSE Class 10 Second Board Exam Schedule 2026: Dates, Subjects, Eligibility Criteria

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the timetable for its second board exam for class 10th students. The CBSE second board exams will start from May 15, 2026 and will conclude on May 21, 2026. The exams will be held from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, while a few papers will conclude at 12:30 pm.

It is pertinent to note that this is the first time the CBSE is conducting under a two-board exam structure, implemented by the Board last year to help students improve their scores on up to three subjects.

As per the schedule, the CBSE will conduct Mathematics Standard under subject code 041 and Mathematics Basic under 241 on the opening day. English papers will be held on May 16, followed by Science on May 18 and language papers on May 19, all in a single shift.

The CBSE declared the Class 10 examination results for 2026 on April 15, with Delhi recording an overall pass percentage of 97.38%, marking a sharp rise from last year's 95.14% and placing the Capital above the national average of 93.70%.

Eligibility criteria for CBSE Second board exam:

Students who have fulfilled these conditions can appear for the CBSE second board exams: Students who appeared in at least three subjects in the first exam, Class 10 pass students seeking improvement, Students placed in the compartment category, Students who passed by substituting a subject with a sixth subject, Candidates under UFM Category 1 (if eligible), Students from the 2025 compartment category, Students opting to improve up to three main subjects, Candidates appearing for first/third chance compartment or compartment plus improvement, Sports students allowed by Central Board of Secondary Education.

Who are not eligible?

Students who failed or did not appear in three or more subjects, Students placed under the ER category (eligible only next year).

The CBSE has introduced flexibility for students regarding the subject of Mathematics: Students who appeared for Standard Mathematics in the first examination may opt for Basic Mathematics in the second examination. Conversely, students who appeared for Basic Mathematics may choose the option of Standard Mathematics for the second examination. This facility will assist students in performing better in accordance with their individual proficiency levels.

CBSE has directed schools to submit the list of students appearing for the second exam and the fees by April 20. The board has given a limited time for this, so students must complete the application process in time.