Biannual board exams: Boon for students or burden on schools?

By now, you all are aware of the big change for CBSE Class 10 students. Starting 2026, board exams will be held twice a year. Yes, you read that right. In a bid to reduce stress and give students a fair chance to improve their scores, CBSE has approved biannual board exams. Under this new system, all students will have to appear for the first set of exams, while the second phase will be optional, for those who want to try and better their marks. Only the best score out of the two attempts will be counted in the final result.

This move is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages a more student-friendly, flexible approach to learning, moving away from the pressure of one high-stakes exam deciding everything. But the decision has sparked mixed reactions especially from educators. While many teachers agree that it’s a student-first move, they’re also worried about how this will affect the already tight academic calendar, teaching time, and overall workload.

A teacher from a well-known CBSE school in Kolkata pointed out that holding board exams twice a year could lead to serious logistical challenges, especially when it comes to completing the syllabus on time. “Ever since NEP 2020 was introduced, we’ve already seen a major shift from teacher-led to student-centric learning. But many students are still struggling to fully grasp the content. Now, with two board exams, the time left for regular teaching will be even more squeezed,” the teacher said.

“I see CBSE’s move to introduce a second optional board exam as a positive and student-centric step. It offers learners a valuable opportunity to improve their performance without the burden of a single high-stakes attempt. That said, it’s important to ensure that this flexibility doesn’t become an added expectation. The option should be exercised judiciously—only when genuinely necessary—so that it serves its true purpose of easing pressure, not unintentionally amplifying it,” said Preeti Bhandary, Co-Founder and Director, Glentree Academy.

According to Joyoti Chaudhuri, Principal of Delhi Public School Ruby Park Kolkata, the biannual exam is an opportunity for students to improve their performance in multiple subjects. She said that while there may be some logistical hiccups in the beginning, these challenges are likely to ease over time. “The time gap between the main and the second examination is reduced. It will reduce exam stress. There might be logistical issues in the beginning but gradually it will subside,” she said.

“By allowing students to appear for board exams twice a year and retain their best scores, we are acknowledging that one exam on one day should not define a child’s potential or future. This gives students a second chance to improve—without stigma or penalty—and helps them approach academics with a growth mindset rather than fear,” said Anuradha Sinha, Principal, The Millennium School in Noida.

Another CBSE teacher from a reputed Mumbai school highlighted that the already packed academic calendar with its limited number of working days will be stretched even thinner under the new policy. She pointed out that having two board exams will make it even harder to maintain a balanced and effective academic schedule.