3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 16, 2026 03:14 PM IST
As the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) rolls out changes linked to board examinations in 2026, students and parents continue to seek clarity on improvement examinations, eligibility, and attempts available after passing Class 12, as well as whether the two-board exam system will extend beyond Class 10. CBSE Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bharadwaj responds to frequently asked questions:
What options do students have to improve their overall percentage after passing Class 12?
Students can improve their overall performance in Class 12 in the following manner:
(i) In the supplementary examination, after the main examination, which is conducted in July 2026. At this time, they can improve performance only in one subject.
Read |‘How the two Class 10 Board exam sessions will be structured’: CBSE exam controller answers
(ii) In case a student wishes to appear in more than one subject for improvement, they can do so only in the main exam in February next year.
Can Class 12 students also take board exams twice, similar to Class 10?
No. The CBSE has made the ‘two examination’ policy only for Class 10.
Is there an improvement exam for Class 10? If yes, when will the improvement exam forms be released for CBSE 2026?
Yes. In fact, the 2nd board examination is the improvement examination for the students of Class 10 as per the current policy.
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It has been decided that as soon as the main examinations will be over, the candidates, based on their expectations about their performance in the first examination, can submit their candidature for the second. This window will be open for about 10 days.
Once the result of the first examination is declared, the students can apply for the improvement examination based on their actual performance.
In the second window, candidates — those who applied after the examination and the ones who submitted their candidature after the result is declared — will pay the fee. Only those paying the fee will be allowed to appear in the second examination.
When will the CBSE improvement exam form be released in 2026 for Class 12 students?
As for the policy of the board for Class 12, the CBSE is permitting Improvement only in one subject. This examination is scheduled for 15th July, 2026. As soon as the result is declared, the students can submit their candidature for improvement as well as for compartment examinations. The CBSE will issue a detailed circular at the time of declaration of results in May 2026.
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If a private candidate appears in only two subjects, how will the final percentage be calculated?
As far as the CBSE is concerned, only marks are mentioned in the Marksheet.
The CBSE is not calculating the percentage. Further, the calculation of percentages, etc., depends on the rules of higher education institutions or the organisations selecting people for the job. They will calculate the percentage as per their own eligibility criteria.
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