Mayank
Mayank Uniyal
Assistant Manager
New Delhi, Updated on Oct 6, 2025 10:45 IST

Students participating in national or international sports or olympiads are allowed to appear in may session board exam if their event clashes with February session exam.

CBSE Board Exam 2026

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced important information for class 10 students appearing for board exam 2026. As per notification, CBSE class 10 students who are participating in national and international sports or olympiads can appear for CBSE board exam class 10 in May session if their event clashes with February session exams. 

CBSE announced that sports or Olympiads students will be allowed to appear for affected subjects in next phase of CBSE board exam 2026. Before this circular, students had to apply separately for board special examinations. However, no separate exam will be conducted as per revised policy.

Further, students can appear for May session board exam if they are unable to appear for February session board exams. Reportedly, official approval from CBSE will be required for students who are not appearing in the first exam phase.

CBSE Class 10 Exam 2026 in Two Sessions

CBSE class 10 board exam 2026 will be held in two session, i.e. February and May. Students unsatisfied with their February session result will be able to appear for May session exams. Reportedly, CBSE is recognising olympiads as a part of regular class 10 curriculum. 

CBSE guidelines further mentioned that students have to apply for main exam with list of sports and olympiads participants. Last date to submit names is September 30, 2025. Further, if any second session student appears for compartment category, their compartmental exam will be held in February/ March next year. 

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Q:   What things are not allowed in CBSE board exam?
A:

Students must go through the points below to avoid the CBSE board exam-day hassles:

  • All communication devices like mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, headphones, pagers, fitness bands, cameras, etc., are barred from carrying to the examination hall.
  • Accessories like wallets, goggles, handbags, and purses are not to be carried.
  • Students must not forget to carry all the stationary items that are required to appear for the CBSE 12th board exams as sharing of stationary is not allowed
  • However, do not forget to carry your CBSE admit card on all exam days
  • Students without the admit crad will not be allowed to write their CBSE board exams
Q:   What are CBSE Board exams passing marks?
A:

To clear the CBSE 10th board examinations in 2026, students need to score at least 33% in each subject. This means that students must secure a minimum of 33% marks in all the subjects they have taken in the examination.

For example, if a student has taken 5 subjects, they must score at least 33% marks in each of those subjects to qualify the examination. 

It's important to note that there is no negative marking in CBSE board exams, so students should not worry about losing marks for incorrect answers. Instead, they should focus on attempting all the questions and attempting to answer them to the best of their ability.

Q:   How many marks do I need to clear the CBSE 10th exams?
A:

Students need to score at least 33 per cent in each subject in order to clear the 10th board examinations 2026.

For subjects that include practical component, students are required to score 33 percent separately in practicals as well as theory. 

To score well, students must read the CBSE 10th syllabus thoroughly and must know the exam pattern. This will help them understand that the important chapters and topics and know the marking scheme and the types of questions that are asked in the exam. A little effort on this side will help students clear the exams easily. 

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Mayank Uniyal
Assistant Manager
Mayank Uniyal is a seasoned academic content creator at shiksha.com. Having a master's degree in International Business, he is creating content across several domains including CUET, Medicine and Universities. Apart Read Full Bio

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