CBSE 2026 Board Exam: Exam Dates, Revised Registration, Fees & Syllabus

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the linking of the APAAR ID card for CBSE students in classes 9 to 12 in a recent meeting. A few significant changes can be seen in the CBSE 2026 Board Exam, such as:

• It will be the responsibility of the school administration to collect the APAAR ID from each student at the time of registration for Classes 9 and 11.
• As per the revised fee, the registration fee for Indian students of Class 9 and Class 11 has been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 320.
• The examination fees for class 10th and 12th for the academic session 2025-2026 have been increased to Rs 20 per theory paper and Rs 10 per practical paper.

Is the CBSE going to conduct two board exams next year?

The Ministry of Education officials, in an interview, spoke about the implementation of the CBSE Board exam twice a year in session 2025-2026 session. Talking of the board exam twice a year, the changes align with all the goals of the MoE’s new strategy and the National Education Policy 2020. It is expected to reduce the stress on students who fear missing out on single opportunities in practice to date.

Facts to Remember for CBSE Board Exam Twice A Year

CBSE board exam will be conducted in two sessions from academic year 2025-2026: First in February-March 2026 and next in May 2026. However, not all candidates don't need to appear for both exams.

In the words of the Ministry of Education, you can take the second attempt if you are unhappy with the scores secured in the first attempt and aim to improve your performance. The best of the two scores will be counted for the final result and merit list, says MoE.

CBSE APAAR ID 2026 Board Exam

The full form of APAAR ID is Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry. CBSE has recently announced to link the APAAR ID of all students to the school records. This is the latest initiative under the One Nation One Student ID made mandatory by the Ministry of Education for schools at the time of Class 9 and Class 11 registration.

CBSE Board Exam 2026 Datesheet

The CBSE has released the draft of the Class 10 Board exam datesheet on its official website recently. The details are given below in the tabular format:

CBSE Class 10 Draft Date Sheet 2026

CBSE 2026 Revised Registration & Examination Fees

The Central Board of Secondary Education is likely to start the registration process for Class 10 and Class 12 Board exams 2026 in August 2026. Both regular and private candidates are eligible for the registration process by visiting the official link, filling out the form, and paying the fees.

The revised registration fee for Unreserved or general category students is Rs 1600 for 5 subjects, while an extra Rs 320 must be paid per subject for any additional subject you wish to attempt. The correction fee stands at Rs 1000.

As per the latest update, the revised registration and examination fees are given in the tabular format below:

Note: You are permitted to edit the LOC form to carry out required corrections, if any, via the CAMC portal, expected to be activated from the 1st week of January 2026.

CBSE 2026 Board Exams Important Dates

As per the previous year exam trends, it is expected that this year too, the CBSE Class 10 exam 2026 will begin with English (Communication) and English (Language & Literature) papers, whereas the CBSE Class 12 students will begin their exam with Entrepreneurship.

• CBSE Exam Timings:
• The exams will be held from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
• Students will be given 15 minutes of extra time to read the question paper.
• CBSE Class 10 Exam 2026 End Date (Tentative): March 18, 2026, with exams for subjects like Computer Applications, Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence.
• CBSE Class 12 Exam 2026 End Date (Tentative): April 4, 2026, with the Psychology paper marking the end of the exam.

What Not to Bring to the CBSE Exam Hall

CBSE has issued an official notice regarding items that are strictly prohibited inside the board exam hall. Failure to comply with these rules may result in the cancellation of exams for both the current and subsequent years. Here is a list of items not allowed:

• Stationery items like printed or written materials, calculators, etc. Exception: Students with learning disabilities, such as Dyscalculia, may use calculators.
• Electronic devices like mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, smartwatches, earphones, microphones, and health bands.
• Personal items like wallets, bags, goggles, and pouches.
• Eatables (opened or packed), except for diabetic students who may carry snacks for medical reasons.
• Any other item that could be used for unfair practices.