The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially released the CBSE Class 10th Board 2026 Date Sheet for both Exam 1 (February–March) and Exam 2 (May–June). This year, CBSE introduced a dual-exam system for Class 10 students, giving them two opportunities within the same academic session. This article provides complete details about the exam schedule, timings, subjects, and other essential guidelines to help students prepare efficiently.
Overview of CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2026
The CBSE Class 10 Board Exams are crucial for students as they lay the foundation for higher education and future career paths. For 2026, the CBSE has implemented a dual-exam system:
- Exam 1: February 17, 2026 – March 9, 2026
- Exam 2: May 15, 2026 – June 1, 2026
This step is aimed at reducing exam pressure and providing an additional chance for students who may not perform as expected in the first exam session. Over 45 lakh students are expected to appear for Classes 10 and 12 exams across India, covering a wide range of subjects.
CBSE has also ensured that the detailed timetable is published well in advance – almost 146 days before the exams – allowing students enough time to prepare and strategize.
Key Highlights of the CBSE Class 10th Board 2026 Date Sheet
- Dual Exam System: Students can appear for Exam 1 in February–March or Exam 2 in May–June, depending on their preparation.
- Exam Duration: Most exams are scheduled from 10:30 am to 01:30 pm, with some vocational and skill subjects from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
- Subject Coverage: The exams cover mainstream academic subjects (Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Languages) as well as vocational courses, including Data Science, Retail, Banking & Insurance, and more.
- Advance Publication: Publishing the date sheet nearly five months in advance helps students plan their study schedule effectively.
- Evaluation: Answer scripts are evaluated approximately 10 days after each subject, and results are expected within 12 days of evaluation.
CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026 – Exam 1 (February–March) Date Sheet
Below is the complete timetable for Exam 1:
Day & Date | Time | Subject Code | Subject Name |
---|---|---|---|
Tuesday, 17th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 041 | Mathematics Standard |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 241 | Mathematics Basic | |
Wednesday, 18th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 401 | Retail |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 403 | Security | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 404 | Automotive | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 405 | Introduction to Financial Markets | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 406 | Introduction to Tourism | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 408 | Agriculture | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 409 | Food Production | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 410 | Front Office Operations | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 411 | Banking & Insurance | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 413 | Health Care | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 414 | Apparel | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 415 | Multi-Media | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 419 | Data Science | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 420 | Electronics & Hardware | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 421 | Foundation Skill for Sciences | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 422 | Design Thinking & Innovation | |
Friday, 20th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 407 | Beauty & Wellness |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 412 | Marketing & Sales | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 416 | Multi Skill Foundation Course | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 418 | Physical Activity Trainer | |
Saturday, 21st February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 101 | English (Communicative) |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 184 | English (Language & Literature) | |
Monday, 23rd February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 018 | French |
Tuesday, 24th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 003 | Urdu Course-A |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 004 | Punjabi | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 005 | Bengali | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 600 | Tamil | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | — | Marathi | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 010 | Gujarati | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 011 | Manipuri | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 089 | Telugu – Telangana | |
Wednesday, 25th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 086 | Science |
Thursday, 26th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 064 | Home Science |
Friday, 27th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 165 | Computer Applications |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 402 | Information Technology | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 417 | Artificial Intelligence | |
Saturday, 28th February 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 119 | Sanskrit (Communicative) |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 122 | Sanskrit | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 131 | Rai | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 132 | Gurung | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 133 | Tamang | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 134 | Sherpa | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 303 | Urdu Course-B | |
Monday, 2nd March 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 002 | Hindi Course-A |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 085 | Hindi Course-B | |
Tuesday, 3rd March 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 017 | Tibetan |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 020 | German | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 076 | National Cadet Corps | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 088 | Bhoti | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 092 | Bodo | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 093 | Tangkhul | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 094 | Japanese | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 095 | Bhutia | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 096 | Spanish | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 097 | Kashmiri | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 098 | Mizo | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 099 | Bahasa Melayu | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 154 | Elements of Business | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 254 | Elements of Book Keeping & Accountancy | |
Thursday, 5th March 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 049 | Painting |
Friday, 6th March 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 008 | Sindhi |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 012 | Malayalam | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 013 | Odia | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 014 | Assamese | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 015 | Kannada | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 091 | Kokborok | |
Saturday, 7th March 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 087 | Social Science |
Monday, 9th March 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 007 | Telugu |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 016 | Arabic | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 021 | Russian | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 023 | Persian | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 024 | Nepali | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 025 | Limbo | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 026 | Lepcha | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 031 | Carnatic Music (Vocal) | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 032 | Carnatic Music (Mel. Ins.) | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 033 | Carnatic Music (Per. Ins.) | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 034 | Hindustani Music (Vocal) | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 035 | Hindustani Music (Mel. Ins.) | |
10:30 am – 12:30 pm | 036 | Hindustani Music (Per. Ins.) | |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 136 | Thai | |
CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026 – Exam 2 (May–June) Date Sheet
Day & Date | Time | Subject Code | Subject Name |
---|---|---|---|
Friday, 15th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 041 | Mathematics Standard |
10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 241 | Mathematics Basic | |
Saturday, 16th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Monday, 18th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Tuesday, 19th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 086 | Science |
Wednesday, 20th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Thursday, 21st May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Friday, 22nd May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | 087 | Social Science |
Saturday, 23rd May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Monday, 25th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Tuesday, 26th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Language |
Thursday, 28th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Friday, 29th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Saturday, 30th May 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Language |
Monday, 1st June 2026 | 10:30 am – 01:30 pm | – | Compartment Subjects |
Tips for Students Preparing for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2026
- Plan Your Study Schedule: With the complete date sheet available, students should plan their study timetable based on exam dates and subject difficulty.
- Prioritize Core Subjects: Focus on Mathematics, Science, and Social Science first, as these carry more weight in overall grading.
- Revise Regularly: Short daily revisions help in retaining concepts, formulas, and definitions.
- Practice Previous Year Papers: Solving past years’ papers helps understand exam patterns and manage time effectively.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Proper sleep, diet, and light exercise improve concentration and memory.
- Language Subjects: Pay attention to grammar, comprehension, and writing skills.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. When will the CBSE Class 10th Board 2026 Exams start?
A: Exam 1 starts on 17th February 2026, and Exam 2 starts on 15th May 2026.
Q2. What is the duration of the exams?
A: Most exams are 3 hours long (10:30 am to 01:30 pm), while some vocational subjects are 2 hours (10:30 am to 12:30 pm).
Q3. Can a student appear in both Exam 1 and Exam 2?
A: Yes, but it is recommended to take Exam 1. Exam 2 acts as an additional opportunity or compartment exam.
Q4. Where can I download the official CBSE Class 10th Board 2026 Date Sheet?
A: The official date sheet is available on the CBSE official website: cbse.nic.in.
Q5. How many subjects are there in Class 10 CBSE 2026?
A: Students can appear for mainstream academic subjects and vocational courses, as per their curriculum selection.
Conclusion
The CBSE Class 10th Board 2026 Date Sheet provides students a clear roadmap for both Exam 1 and Exam 2. With proper planning, dedicated preparation, and time management, students can perform their best and secure good marks. By following the official date sheet, maintaining a balanced study schedule, and practicing previous years’ papers, every student can approach their board exams with confidence.
The dual-exam system introduced by CBSE for 2026 allows students two opportunities to prove themselves, ensuring reduced stress and increased preparation flexibility.