CBSE likely to conduct board exams twice a year from 2025-26 academic session: Sources

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is likely to conduct board examinations twice a year from the 2025-26 academic session, sources said on Friday. However, contrary to some speculations, there seem to be no concrete plans to introduce a semester system alongside this proposed alteration.

This potential move, if implemented, could mark a significant departure from the traditional annual examination format that has long been a hallmark of CBSE assessments. The shift towards bi-annual exams could provide students with more opportunities to showcase their understanding and performance across subjects.

Sources have revealed that the Ministry of Education along with the CBSE, is set to engage in meetings with school principals next month. The focus of these consultations will be to gather input and insights regarding the plan for conducting board exams twice a year, they added. 

The CBSE is currently in the process of working out the modalities of how will the academic calendar be structured to accommodate another set of board exams without impacting the undergraduate admission schedule, they



said.

"The ministry has asked the CBSE to work on the logistics of how will board exams be conducted twice a year. The board is working out the modalities and a consultation will be organised next month with school principals," a source said. "The idea being explored is to conduct two editions of the board exams at the end of the year from the 2025-26 academic session but the modalities still need to be worked out. However, there is no plan to implement the semester system," the source added.

It's worth noting that any such transition would likely require careful planning and consideration to ensure that it aligns with the broader educational objectives and does not unduly burden students or educators. As of now, discussions and deliberations continue within educational circles regarding the feasibility and potential implications of this proposed change to the CBSE examination structure, the sources added. 

According to the New Curriculum Framework (NCF) announced by the education ministry last year, board examinations will be held twice a year to ensure that students have enough time and opportunity to perform well and get an option to retain the best score.