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The Central Board of Secondary Education will begin Class 10 and 12 board exams from February 17, 2026. Over 46 lakh students will appear. Entry closes at 10 am. Students must carry admit cards and follow strict exam-day guidelines.

CBSE 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education will begin the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations from Tuesday, February 17, 2026, with more than 46 lakh students appearing from India and 26 countries abroad. The exams will be conducted in a single shift, starting at 10.30 am.

Direct link for CBSE class 10 exam timetable

Advisory for Schools, Parents and Students

As per the Central Board of Secondary Education, the following instructions have been issued:

Students must reach the examination centre on or before 10:00 am; entry will close after this time.

The Board has emphasised punctuality and proper planning on all exam days.

Due to scheduled national and international events, traffic congestion and route diversions may occur in some cities.

Students are advised to leave home early and plan their travel considering traffic, distance and weather conditions.

Schools have been requested to guide parents and students and ensure candidates are familiar with their examination centres in advance.

Exam-day guidelines

CBSE has laid down clear instructions for candidates:

Reach the centre before 10.00 am; no entry will be allowed after that time.

Carry the CBSE admit card and school identity card without fail.

Follow seating plans and instructions given by invigilators.

PwD candidates will be given additional time as per Board rules.

What to carry

Admit card issued by the school.

School ID card.

Basic stationery items such as pens, pencils and permitted geometry tools.

Necessary medical items, if required and approved.

What not to carry

Mobile phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices, earbuds, microphones and health bands.

Calculators, unless specifically allowed for certain subjects or eligible candidates.

Written or printed papers, chits or study material.

Bags, wallets, purses and goggles.

Food items, except for diabetic students who may carry snacks for medical reasons.

With the exams being held on such a massive scale, the CBSE has already clarified that the rules are going to be enforced strictly. Students are advised to be prepared with their documents the night before and not wait until the last minute.

Meanwhile, the Board is ready to introduce the On-Screen Marking (OSM) process for Class 12 answer sheets from 2026, thereby shifting from the current physical marking process to a digital one. According to the Controller of Examinations, Sanyam Bhardwaj, the reason for this is to reduce errors, speed up the marking process, and ensure transparency. For Class 12 alone, there are expected to be 18,57,479 students appearing for exams in 120 subjects, with the Board evaluating over 10 crore answer books, thereby necessitating a digital marking process.

As the exams are scheduled to begin tomorrow, the focus is on discipline, preparedness, and successful execution both inside and outside the exam hall.