CBSE Class 12 board exam still once a year; 20 lakh expected to appear in 2026 from February 17
Anu Parthiban | February 26, 2025 | 01:22 PM IST | 2 mins read
The CBSE will hold the Class 12 board exam 2026 from February 17 to April 4 for around 20 lakh students. A total of 17,88,165 students registered this year.
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Download NowNEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will be conducting the Class 12 board exams 2026 only once a year as done currently. However, the draft policy published on Tuesday states that the board will hold the CBSE Class 10 exams 2026 twice a year - in February and May.
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Around 20 lakh students are expected to appear in the CBSE Class 12 board exam 2026, the board said, adding that the exam will be conducted based on the syllabus and the textbooks followed currently. As per the indicative CBSE Class 12 board exam date sheet 2026, the exams will commence on February 17 and end on April 4.
This year, the board is conducting the CBSE Class 12 board exam from February 15 to April 4 for a total of 17,88,165 registered students. The exam will be held for a span of 38 days covering 120 subjects.
Except for science, maths, social science, Hindi, English, all other subjects have been grouped in two categories - regional and foreign languages group and remaining subjects group.
“Examination of science, maths, social science, Hindi and English will be conducted on a fixed day as done currently,” according to the draft policy . The board exam for regional and foreign languages will also be administered on a single day.
Also read Minister objects to Punjabi's absence from list in CBSE draft; board says language list 'indicative'
CBSE Class 12 board exam date sheet 2026
The CBSE Class 12 indicative schedule for the next academic year is given below. As per the date sheet, the CBSE Class 12 board results 2026 will be declared on May 20, 2026.
|
CBSE Board exam date 2026 |
Day |
Class 12 draft date sheet |
|
DATE |
DAY |
SUBJECTS |
|
February 17, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Minor subject (Ecam-1) |
|
February 18, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Major subject (Exam-2) |
|
February 19, 2026 |
Thursday |
Minor subject (Exam-3) |
|
February 20, 2026 |
Friday |
Major subject (Exam-4) |
|
February 21, 2026 |
Saturday |
Minor subject (Exam-5) |
|
February 22, 2026 |
Sunday |
Sunday |
|
February 23, 2026 |
Monday |
Minor subject (Exam-6) |
|
February 24, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Major subject (Exam-7) |
|
February 25, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Minor subject (Exam-8) |
|
February 26, 2026 |
Thursday |
Major subject (Exam-9) |
|
February 27, 2026 |
Friday |
Minor Subject (Exam-10) |
|
February 28, 2026 |
Saturday |
Major Subject (Exam-11) |
|
March 1, 2026 |
Sunday |
Sunday |
|
March 2, 2026 |
Monday |
Minor Subject (Exam-12) |
|
March 3, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Minor Subject (Exam-13) |
|
March 4, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Holiday |
|
March 5, 2026 |
Thursday |
Major subject (Exam-14) |
|
March 6, 2026 |
Friday |
Minor subject (Exam-15) |
|
March 7, 2026 |
Saturday |
Exam-16 |
|
March 8, 2026 |
Sunday |
|
|
March 9, 2026 |
Monday |
Exam-17 |
|
March 10, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Exam-18 |
|
March 11, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Exam-19 |
|
March 12, 2026 |
Thursday |
Exam-20 |
|
March 13, 2026 |
Friday |
Exam-21 |
|
March 14, 2026 |
Saturday |
Exam-22 |
|
March 15, 2026 |
Sunday |
|
|
March 16, 2026 |
Monday |
Exam-23 |
|
March 17, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Exam-24 |
|
March 18, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Exam-25 |
|
March 19, 2026 |
Thursday |
Exam-26 |
|
March 20, 2026 |
Friday |
Exam-27 |
|
March 21, 2026 |
Saturday |
Eid-ul-Fitar |
|
March 22, 2026 |
Sunday |
|
|
March 23, 2026 |
Monday |
Exam-28 |
|
March 24, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Exam-29 |
|
March 25, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Exam-30 |
|
March 26, 2026 |
Thursday |
Ram Navami |
|
March 27, 2026 |
Friday |
Exam-31 |
|
March 28, 2026 |
Saturday |
Exam-32 |
|
March 29, 2026 |
Sunday |
|
|
March 30, 2026 |
Monday |
Exam-33 |
|
March 31, 2026 |
Tuesday |
Exam-34 |
|
April 1, 2026 |
Wednesday |
Exam-35 |
|
April 2, 2026 |
Thursday |
Exam-36 |
|
April 3, 2026 |
Friday |
Good Friday |
|
April 4, 2026 |
Saturday |
Exam-38 |
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