CBSE Board Exams 2026: Will it Impact JEE Main and NEET Preparation
Call 8585951111
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has come up with Class 10 and 12 board exam datesheet for 2026. Both the examinations would start on Feb 17 next year.
The CBSE datesheet announced on September 24 mentions that Class 10 first phase exam will end on March 9, Class 12 will end on April 9, 2026. Class 12 exams were conducted from Feb 15 to April 4, 2025 this year. Class 10 also began in mid-February and concluded after a month in mid-March. After the boards, students had good number of days to prepare for exams like JEE Main, CUET-UG and NEET-UG.
This year in 2025, JEE Main Session 2 took place in early April, as was organized on April 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and April 9. The CUET-UG was held in May and June and this year also it is expected around same time. On the other hand NEET UG 2025 took place on May 4 this year and if it conducted around same date in 2026, it would leave less time for students to focus on it.
As per the 2026 exam schedule, CBSE Class 12 exams are ending on April 9, around the same time JEE Main Session 2 is also expected, which would only create problem with preparation but are might also clash with these dates. If this happens, this will leave little gap for students moving from board exam mode to JEE preparation.
NEET-UG exam is also likely to be in early May, giving students about four weeks after their boards.
Students, parents and teachers are of the view that this short gap could increase pressure. Many of them want more breathing space between these major exams. Coaching institutes are also contemplating on how to adjust their crash courses and revision plans after the tentative dates are out.
Teachers are suggesting students to finish their core revision early, as they can then use the short window after the board exams for mock tests and quick recap.
With CBSE announcing tentative dates, exam dates for JEE Main Session 2 and NEET 2026 are also likely to be out in next few weeks, confirming their exact schedule.
Read More:
Follow Shiksha.com for latest education news in detail on Exam Results, Dates, Admit Cards, & Schedules, Colleges & Universities news related to Admissions & Courses, Board exams, Scholarships, Careers, Education Events, New education policies & Regulations.
To get in touch with Shiksha news team, please write to us at news@shiksha.com
Abhay Anand is an experienced education journalist with over 15 years in print and digital media. Currently serving as Manager- Editorial at Shiksha.com, he specializes in higher education policy, student mobility,
Read Full Bio