CBSE Board Exams 2026: Dates & Subject Overview

The CBSE has officially released the datesheet for the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations for the academic session 2025-26. The written examinations for both classes are scheduled to begin on 17 February 2026.

Important Dates

For Class 10, Phase 1 of the board exams will run from 17 February to 9 March 2026.

A second opportunity (Phase 2) for Class 10 is set between 15 May and 1 June 2026.

For Class 12, the exams are scheduled to span from 17 February to early April 2026 (with sources indicating up to 4 April 2026) for the main theory papers.

Subject-Wise Highlights for Class 10

Here are some of the specific subject dates for Class 10 (first phase) from the draft datesheet:

• Mathematics: 17 Feb 2026 (Tuesday)
• English: 21 Feb 2026 (Saturday)
• Science: 25 Feb 2026 (Wednesday)
• Information Technology: 27 Feb 2026 (Friday)
• Hindi: 2 Mar 2026 (Monday)
• Social Science: 7 March (Saturday)

Subject Stream Overview for Class 12

For Class 12, the detailed dates vary by stream (Science, Commerce, Humanities) and subject. A few indicative subject-dates (tentative) are as follows:

(Note: These dates are indicative; the final PDF should be checked for exact subject-codes and dates.)

Exam Timing & Mode

Exams will be held in pen-and-paper mode (offline).

Typical start time is 10:30 a.m. for most subjects.

Some subjects (e.g., skill-based, automotive, fine arts) may have different timings.

Key Instructions for Students & Schools

Students must download the official PDF of the datesheet from the CBSE website and verify subject-code, date and time.

Schools will finalise and submit the list of candidates (LOC) and ensure all internal assessments/practicals are completed as per schedule.

For Class 10 students: the two-phase system allows a second attempt within the same academic year (Phase 2) for improvement.

For Class 12 students: ensure you check your stream’s subject-specific schedule, as subjects differ widely.

While the schedule shared here reflects the latest released information, students and schools are advised to refer to the official CBSE datesheet PDF on cbse.gov.in for the final, authoritative version with subject-codes and centre details. Preparation plans should be structured accordingly with the dates above, allowing for revision, rest days, and subject-wise focus.