The CBSE is facing a dilemma over scheduling two rounds of board examinations as recommended by the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF). The options under consideration are January-February, March-April, and June.

Another possibility the CBSE is exploring is a semester system with biannual exams. Currently, board exams for Classes 10 and 12 take place in February-March.

Officials indicate that consultations are ongoing, and no final decision has been made on when or in which format the twice-yearly board exams will be implemented.

“The discussed options include conducting exams in a semester system with the first round in January-February and the second in March-April or conducting the second set in June alongside supplementary or improvement exams,” an official said.

“The current academic calendar, competitive exam schedules, and geographical challenges make the semester system less feasible,” the official added.

The CBSE informed the Union education ministry that conducting board exams for Classes 10 and 12 involves over 150 steps and a minimum of 310 days, including 55 days for the exams alone.

The challenge for CBSE is replicating this process for a second round of exams.

“Conducting exams before February presents challenges due to harsh winters in some states. The current schedule starts around February 15, so dates must be adjusted to ensure sufficient gaps,” the official said.

“Alternatively, the second set of exams could be held in June with supplementary exams. However, none of these options are final. We are still brainstorming and consulting widely. More options may emerge during this process,” the official added.

The ministry’s initial plan was to introduce biannual board exams from the 2024-25 academic session, but it has been delayed by a year.

The new NCF, developed by a national steering committee led by former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan and aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, proposed a semester system for Classes 11 and 12 and the option for students to take board exams twice a year.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that taking board exams twice a year will be optional, allowing students to choose their best score, similar to the engineering entrance exam JEE.

Previous attempts at reforming board exams include the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) for Class 10, introduced in 2009 and revoked in 2017, and the splitting of board exams into two terms during the COVID-19 pandemic as a one-time measure, with the year-end format resuming this year.

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