CBSE 2025 Schedule Major Change: Two Class 10 Exams Annually, Shorter Exam Period Expected
"CBSE is set to introduce two Class 10 board exams annually in 2025, with a shorter exam period of under two weeks. Learn about the upcoming changes and their impact."
Hyderabad: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is considering a significant transformation in its Class 10 board examination schedule.
To accommodate a proposed two-exam system, CBSE is reportedly planning to compress its usual month-long exam schedule to a more condensed period of less than two weeks.
Table of Contents
A Shift in Exam Scheduling for Efficiency
Currently, CBSE structures the Class 10 board exam timetable to ensure that no two subjects chosen by a student are scheduled on the same day. This leads to a month-long exam period with varying gaps between subjects, ranging from three to ten days.
For instance, the ongoing Class 10 board exams commenced on February 15, 2025, and are set to conclude on March 18, 2025.
However, with the proposed two-exam system, CBSE may have to significantly reduce the gap between exams, possibly limiting it to a single day.
This adjustment aims to ensure that both examinations are conducted within a feasible timeframe, allowing results to be announced by June. Consequently, students could be taking their board exams within a compact 7 to 10-day period instead of the traditional month-long schedule.
Government’s Push for a Two-Exam System
The possibility of this major scheduling shift was discussed in a high-level meeting led by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, where officials from CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and NCERT were present. The objective is to introduce two board exams annually for Class 10 students in CBSE-affiliated schools, with potential future expansion to Class 12, depending on its effectiveness.
CBSE has been instructed to draft a schema detailing the implementation of the two-exam system and make it publicly available for feedback. Public opinions and expert recommendations will be taken into consideration before finalizing the exam schedule.
Why Two Exams? Stress Reduction and Flexibility
According to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, students should be given at least two opportunities to appear for board exams within the same academic year. Additionally, only the best score will be retained to encourage better performance without undue stress.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized that the two-exam system would be optional, allowing students the flexibility to either appear for both exams and opt for just one, depending on their comfort level.
- Also Read | CBSE Refutes Rumours on Paper Leaks, Warns Against Misinformation During 2025 Board Exams
Potential Exam Timeline Under the New System
One of the scheduling models under consideration involves conducting the first Class 10 board exam early in the year, with results being declared by March—two months ahead of the current May timeline. The second exam would then be held in early May, with results expected in June. This new framework aims to streamline academic progression, ensuring that results are available before the start of the new academic session.
Challenges and Considerations
CBSE, India’s largest national school board, is actively working on strategies to overcome the logistical challenges posed by this new format. These challenges include conducting the exams efficiently, evaluating answer sheets within a shorter timeframe, and ensuring timely declaration of results.
Moreover, winter conditions in some regions pose an additional challenge. As board exams traditionally begin in February, shifting them earlier could be impractical due to limited teaching time and harsh weather conditions in northern states.
Future of CBSE Board Exams: On-Demand Testing?
The long-term vision for CBSE exams, as outlined in the NCFSE 2023, includes making board exams more flexible by eventually allowing students to take subject-wise exams immediately after completing their school term. This could pave the way for semester-based or on-demand board exams, offering students even greater flexibility.
This article is published by Munsif News. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
