The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is making a significant change in 2026 by holding two board exams for Class 10 pupils. The first part of exams was held from February 17 to March 10, with the results announced on April 15. The second board examinations will begin on May 15, 2026.
According to official figures, more than 6.68 lakh students have enrolled for the second attempt. There are 402,643 male candidates, 266,209 female candidates, and two in the ‘Other’ category.
CBSE 10th 2nd Board Exams 2026: Exam Pattern and Subject Choices
The second board exams are primarily focused on basic topics such as mathematics and English, with language papers and electives following. This technique is intended to assist students improve their grades in courses where they previously struggled.
n terms of subject selection, most students are appearing in multiple subjects:
- Around 2.79 lakh students have chosen two subjects
- Nearly 1.97 lakh students opted for three subjects
- About 1.92 lakh students are appearing in one subject only
Improvement vs Compartment Candidates
A large number of students are taking this opportunity to boost their scores rather than just pass:
- 5.25 lakh students registered for improvement exams
- 85,285 students are appearing for compartment exams
- 57,914 students fall under both categories
Most Popular Subjects in CBSE 10th 2nd Board Exams 2026
The data shows that Science is the most opted subject, with over 4.74 lakh students reappearing for it. This is followed by Mathematics (Standard and Basic), Social Science, and English Language & Literature







Finance






