Twice-a-Year Board Exams Roll Out Nationwide as Reform Push Gathers Pace
Students will now sit board examinations in two sittings a year and keep their best score, part of a broader shift toward reducing exam pressure and moving to competency-based assessment.
New Delhi, September 8, 2026 — A flagship school-education reform took effect this academic year, allowing students to appear for board examinations twice annually and retain their better result, in a move officials say will lower the stakes attached to a single high-pressure exam.
How It Works
- Two attempts: Students can sit exams in two windows and keep the higher score.
- Competency focus: Question papers lean toward application and reasoning over rote recall.
- Flexible subjects: Wider choice combinations blur the old streams divide.
The Reaction
Educators broadly welcomed the flexibility but flagged the need for teacher training, question-bank quality and logistical readiness in smaller districts. Parent groups urged clear communication so families understand the new scoring rules.
What Comes Next
The board said it will publish sample papers and a detailed assessment framework, and will review the first cycle's data before extending the model further.