CBSE Board Exams 2026: Unfair Means and Cheating Penalties
CBSE Board Exams 2026 will be held between February 17 and April 10, 2026. To ensure that the CBSE board exams are conducted smoothly and without students' involvement in unfair means and cheating, the Board has put in place detailed guidelines on Unfair Means (UFM), which students must follow strictly...
Cheating Penalties for the CBSE Board Exam 2026: The CBSE Board Exam 2026 for 10th and 12th classes will be conducted from February 17 to April 10, 2026. Even though the number of students taking the examination is above 44 lakh, the number of subjects is 204, the Board makes it imperative for the examination to be fair. The Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE, is also taking care of this aspect by providing the cheating penalties.
CBSE Date Sheet for class 10 exams in the year 2026 is released. Similarly, the date sheet of class 12 exams in 2026 is also released. According to it, class 10 exams of CBSE will start from February 17 to March 11, 2026. In addition to it, class 12 exams of CBSE will start from February 17 to April 10, 2026. This will be in pen and paper mode. The Board will release the CBSE Admit cards 2026 soon.
CBSE will conduct CBSE 12th exams 2026 between February 17 and April 9, 2026. The CBSE 12th Science exams 2026 will be held between February 20 and March 27, 2026. The Board released the CBSE 12th date sheet 2026 in October 2025. Check the dates for CBSE Class 12 Science below:
Date | Subject |
|---|---|
20-Feb-2026 | Physics |
28-Feb-2026 | Chemistry |
9-Mar-2026 | Mathematics, Applied Mathematics |
12-Mar-2026 | English elective, English core |
17-Feb-2026 | Biotechnology |
27-Mar-2026 | Biology |
Students can click on CBSE 12th date sheet 2026 to check the detailed CBSE Class 12 date sheet.
CBSE Class 10 date sheet 2026 for Phase 1 exams can be checked on cbse.gov.in. Students can also click on CBSE 10th date sheet 2026 to download it. The Phase 1 exams will be held between Feb 17 and March 11, 2026.
Fair Conduct of CBSE Board Exam 2026
CBSE therefore, lays emphasis on the conduct of CBSE 10th exam 2026 and CBSE 12th Exam 2026 in a very fair manner so as to safeguard the interests of all categories of students. The board has put in place detailed guidelines relating to Unfair Means (UFM), which students must adhere to.
CBSE Exam Cheating Punishment and Penalties
The penalties for the use of unfair means during examinations are divided into five levels, depending on the seriousness of the offense.
Category 1: Minor Offenses
- Possession of previous year’s papers or other unauthorized materials.
- Writing answers or questions on materials other than answer book.
- Tearing pages from the answer book or trying to communicate with others during the exam.
CBSE will conduct CBSE 12th exams 2026 between February 17 and April 9, 2026. The CBSE commerce exams 2026 will be held between February 21 and March 28, 2026. You can check the date sheet below:
Date | Subject |
|---|---|
21-Feb-2026 | Business studies, business administration |
9-Mar-2026 | Mathematics, applied mathematics |
12-Mar-2026 | English elective, English core |
18-Mar-2026 | Economics |
25-Mar-2026 | Informatics Practices, computer science, IT |
28-Mar-2026 | Accountancy |
Students can click on CBSE 12th date sheet 2026 to check and download the detailed CBSE Class 12 date sheet.
CBSE releases guidelines for students appearing for CBSE 10th, 12th board exams. Students can check instructions:
CBSE Board Exam Dress Code
The dress code for students attending CBSE 10th Exam/CBSE 12th Exam is as follows:
For Regular Students: Students attending from schools are required to wear their school uniform.
For Private Students: Private candidates should wear light clothes. It is advisable to choose comfortable attire, as students may need to spend several hours in exam hall.
Permitted Items for CBSE Board Exam
- CBSE 10th Admit Card/ CBSE 12th Admit Card & School Identity Card (For Regular Students)
- Regular students must carry their admit card and school identity card for verification at centre.
- CBSE Admit Card & Any Government-Issued Photo Identity Proof (For Private Students)
- Private students must bring their admit card along with any government-issued photo ID, such as a voter ID, Aadhar card, or passport, for identity verification.
- Stationery Items
- Students can carry essential stationery in a transparent pouch.
- A simple analogue watch is allowed. Digital watches, smartwatches, or any other electronic devices are not permitted.
- Students can carry a transparent water bottle for hydration.
- Students are allowed to bring a MetroCard, bus pass, or money for convenience.
Barred Items for CBSE Exam
- Stationery and Electronic Devices
- Textual material, whether printed or written
- Pen drives, calculators, log tables (log tables will be provided by the exam centres)
- Electronic pens, scanners, etc.
- Communication Devices
- Mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, earphones, microphones, pagers, health bands, smartwatches, cameras, etc
- Wallets, goggles, handbags, and pouches are not allowed.
- Any edible items (except for diabetic students who are permitted to carry food for medical reasons).
- Any items that could be used for unfair means, such as unauthorised notes or gadgets, will lead to punishment under “Unfair Means” category.
To read the complete official circular as released by the board in 2025, click here.
For CBSE 10th exams:
- Must-haves: Admit Card & School ID
- Optional: Pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler (check subject requirements), water bottle (check school rules).
- Dress code: School uniform (unless advised otherwise).
- No electronics or valuables.
- Arrive 30 minutes early.
Punishment: Cancellation of current exam in concerned subject. The student may appear in compartment exam if eligible.
Category 2: Moderate Offenses
- Using or attempting to use copied material during exam.
- Erasing or altering information on answer sheet.
- Providing false information on answer sheet.
Punishment: Cancellation of current exam and mandatory re-examination in all subjects the following year.
Also Read:Â CBSE Board Exams Dress Code, Permitted and Barred Items
Category 3: Serious Offenses
- Smuggling out question papers or answer sheets from exam hall.
- Using electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones) to cheat or communicate.
- Indulging in violent behavior or abusive language.
Punishment: Cancellation of the current and next year's exams, and a mandatory re-examination in all subjects.
Category 4: Extreme Offenses
- Impersonation (someone else writing the exam on behalf of the student).
- Sharing exam-related materials on social media.
- Attempting to influence the CBSE board through legal or other means.
Punishment: Cancellation of the current and next three years' exams.
Category 5: Miscellaneous Offenses
- Using obscene language in answer sheets.
- Enclosing currency notes or messages for the evaluator.
Punishment: Forfeiture of currency notes or other instruments, and counseling to prevent recurrence of such offenses.
CBSE Board Exam 2026 Barred Items
Students must be aware of barred items in CBSE 10th Exam 2026/ CBSE 12th Exam 2026 that are strictly prohibited in exam hall. These items include:
- Mobile phones
- Calculators
- Books, notes, or any study material
- Any electronic gadgets or communication devices
The presence of any of these items in exam hall can lead to immediate disqualification or penalties.
Read More:
CBSE is conducting the CBSE practical exams between January 1 and Feb 14, 2026. There is no external examiner allotted to conduct practical exams for Class 10, while external examiners are called to conduct the CBSE 12th practical exams.
For winter-bound schools, CBSE practical exams 2026 were held between November 6 and December 6, 2026.