New CBSE Class 10 Guidelines

As per the new guidelines for CBSE class 10 students, the exams will be conducted twice in a single academic year. The first one will be conducted in February, and the second one will be conducted in May. Read on to know more about the latest CBSE guidelines for class 10.

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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the new CBSE class 10 guidelines for CBSE class 10 students. Now, the CBSE 10th exams will be conducted 2 times in a single academic year, in February and May. Exams conducted in May are for improvement, and the highest marks out of two will be considered as the final score.

The CBSE class 10 exam dates are from February 17 to March 9, 2026. Since these exams are around the corner, you must be aware of the instructions CBSE has issued for class 10th examinations. It includes the general conditions, grading scheme, and details regarding merit certificates. Additionally, the guidelines include exam day instructions that both teachers and students need to follow.

This article covers all the updated CBSE guidelines for class 10 of the CBSE Board.

CBSE Class 10th New Guidelines: Subject Structure Change

CBSE has changed the structure for Science and Social Science exams as part of the updated CBSE new rules for class 10, 2026. You must write your answers in the correct section of the answer sheet. The marks will not be evaluated for an answer written in the wrong section. It is advisable to go through the CBSE 10th sample papers 2026 for a proper understanding.

Subject	Section	Bifurcation
Science	A	Biology
	B	Chemistry
	C	Physics
Social Science	A	History
	B	Geography
	C	Political Science
	D	Economics

Two Board Exams in an Academic Year

Starting in 2026, the CBSE is introducing a dual-examination system for Class 10 to provide students with more flexibility and a chance to improve their scores. Here is a breakdown of the new structure:

Phase 1: February (Mandatory)

All students are required to sit for these board exams. Internal and practical assessments will also take place during this February window.

Phase 2: May (Optional Improvement)

Only students who successfully passed the February exams can participate. You may choose to resit for a maximum of 3 subjects. This session is strictly for improvement. The board will take the higher of the two scores (from February or May) to calculate the final result.

CBSE Guidelines for Class 10 2025-26

The CBSE Board releases guidelines for the CBSE Class 10th Board Exam every year. The CBSE guidelines for class 10 include detailed instructions for both theory and practical exams. The following pointers illustrate the important aspects of CBSE 10th guidelines 2025-26.

CBSE Class 10 Guidelines: General Conditions

Only students with 75% attendance are eligible to appear for the CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026.
You cannot appear for the board exam without the admit card.
The class 10 exam administered by the CBSE Board will follow the examination schedule and pass requirements, which will be issued periodically.
The class 10 exam will strictly follow the latest syllabus prescribed by the CBSE board.
The CBSE Board issues a curriculum which gives in-depth insight into the number of papers in the question paper, exam duration, and subject-wise marks assignment.
Based on the specifics of the subjects, the examination would consist of theoretical and practical assessments, while the grades and marks will be awarded as per curriculum guidelines.
As per the updated CBSE guidelines for class 10, marks and grades will be allocated for individual subjects. No aggregate marks will be provided.

CBSE Class 10 Guidelines: Grading Scheme

The evaluation of theoretical and practical exams in external subjects will be carried out through numerical scores. You can check the numerical scores for external subjects from the mark sheets. Only grades will be shown for subjects assigned under internal evaluation.
The assessment is based on the five-point scale, i.e. A, B, C, D & E.
The CBSE Board will only issue grades for external examination, and grades for internal evaluation will be provided by the respective schools.
As per the CBSE guidelines for class 10, you must secure 33% in theory and practical exams separately to pass the exam.

The process of grade allotment is as follows:

CBSE 2024 Class 10 Grading Scheme
Grades	Grade Point	Range of Marks
A1	10.0	91-100
A2	9.0	81-90
B1	8.0	71-80
B2	7.0	61-70
C1	6.0	51-60
C2	5.0	41-50
D	4.0	33-40
E1	Less than 4.0	21-32
E2	Less than 4.0	00-20

CBSE Class 10 Guidelines for Merit Certificates

Only the top 0.1 % will be awarded the Merit Certificates, provided they have secured the passing marks.
The number of Merit Certificates in a subject will be determined by rounding the number of candidates passing the subject to the nearest multiple of a thousand.
No merit certificate will be issued if the number of candidates passing a subject is less than 500.

Also Check: CBSE Grading System for Class 10th and 12th

CBSE Class 10 2025-26 Guidelines For Exam Day

Every student studying in class 10th must go through the CBSE class 10 guidelines 2025-26 carefully. The following are the new guidelines for CBSE class 10 students 2025-26.

As per the CBSE guidelines for class 10, only 24 students will be allowed in a room while appearing for the exam. Moreover, 2 centre superintendents will also be present in the room.
The authorities will use modern data analytics, external flying squads, and CCTV cameras to prevent unfair means or malpractices.
CBSE will cancel the 2-term test system and resume the previous class 10 board exam pattern.
You must adhere to the COVID-19 safety measures like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, using sanitisers, etc.
One must reach the test centre at least an hour before the exam starts to avoid last-minute hassles.

Class 10 CBSE Guidelines 2025-26 for Students and Teachers

The Board has released CBSE's new rules for class 10 2025-26, and regulations for class 10th board exams. The following are the guidelines for teachers and students.

Teachers, students, and other staff members need to compulsorily wear masks and hand gloves.
You are allowed to bring hand sanitisers to maintain hygiene.
You must follow social distancing instructions. They must keep a distance of at least 6 feet from others at the test centre.
You must check the CBSE class 10th admit card for more instructions concerning test centres, seating arrangements, entry and exit guidelines, and more.
You can also visit the official website to learn more about CBSE guidelines for class 10.

Also Read: Guidelines for Writing CBSE Board Exams