CBSE Class 10 exams 2026: Miss first paper and you may be marked ‘essential repeat’; here's what it means

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that it is mandatory for all Class 10 students to appear in the first board examination under its new two-board exam policy, officials said. Students who fail to attempt at least three subjects in the first exam will be placed in the “essential repeat” category, they added.

The board is introducing two board exams for Class 10 starting 2026, with the first exam scheduled as the main assessment and the second offering students an opportunity to improve their scores in eligible subjects.

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The clarification comes after CBSE received requests from some students seeking permission to skip the first exam and appear only in the second.

“It is mandatory for all the students to appear in the first board examination. All passed and eligible students will be allowed to improve their performance in any of the three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages,” said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.

He added: “If a student has not appeared in three or more subjects in the first examination, then he or she will not be allowed to appear in the second examination. Such students will be placed in the ‘Essential Repeat’ category and can take the examination only next year in the main examinations in the month of February next year.”

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Under the new policy, the first exam is mandatory and will serve as the primary assessment for all students, while the second exam is optional and primarily for improvement. CBSE emphasised that the system is designed to reduce exam pressure and provide students with a chance to enhance their performance in key subjects.