CBSE dismisses reports of inability to conduct on bi-annual board exams

In April, the Ministry of Education asked the CBSE to work out logistics for conducting board exams twice a year from the 2025-26 academic session.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on July 1 said it has not sent any communication to the ministry of education (MoE), saying it won't be able to conduct bi-annual board exams.

The CBSE refuted a report in a section of media which claimed CBSE has told the education ministry that conducting board exams for classes 10 and 12 twice a year was not possible under the current academic schedule.

“This is in reference to the news article covered in Hindustan Times… A few other news media have also covered similar news story. The imputation in this news item as regards CBSE's views in the matter being raised therein is denied. It is totally incorrect and does not have any basis in any communication made between the ministry and CBSE,” the CBSE said on X, formerly Twitter.

This is in reference to the news article covered in Hindustan Times – Delhi edition dated 30/06/2024 titled- `Cannot conduct Board Exams twice a year :CBSE’ (Fareeha Iftikhar) . A few other news media have also covered similar news story.
The imputation in this news item as… pic.twitter.com/0wYO7THkE4

— CBSE HQ (@cbseindia29) July 1, 2024

In April, the education ministry asked the CBSE to work out logistics for conducting board exams twice a year from the 2025-26 academic session.

The CBSE is in the process of working out the modalities to structure the academic calendar to accommodate another set of board exams without affecting the undergraduate admission schedule.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan had in October told PTI in an interview that appearing for board exams twice a year won’t be mandatory for students.

"The students will have the option of appearing for the (class 10 and 12 board) exams twice a year, just like the engineering entrance exam JEE. They can choose the best score but it will be completely optional, no compulsion," he said.

This is not the first attempt at reforming board exams. The Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) was introduced for Class 10 in 2009 but was revoked in 2017 and the board reverted to the old model of year-end examination. The boards for classes 10 and 12 were also split into two terms during the Covid pandemic as a one-time measure, but the old format of year-end exams resumed this year.