The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is one of the largest education boards of India with many students appearing for its class 10th and 12th exams every year. The CBSE 2026 board exams timetable has been announced and it has created buzz song students. This time it has new exam schemes and tentative subject-wise schedules. It also has important changes that will impact student preparation for the exam.
In this blog, you will explore CBSE 2026 exam schedule, CBSE 2026 class 10 exam dates, CBSE 12th 2026 date sheet, CBSE 2026 exam pattern changes, CBSE 2026 new exam scheme and many more important things that you need to know.
CBSE 2026 Exam Dates:
Following are the tentative CBSE 2026 board exam timings
| Class/ Phase | Start Date | End Date | Important Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Class 10 Phase 1 | Feb 17,2026 | Mar 9 2026 | It is mandatory for every student |
| Class 12 (all streams) | Feb 17, 2026 | April 7 2026 | For class 12 it is a 1 time comprehensive exam |
| Class 10 Phase 2 | May 15 2026 | Jun1 2026 | It is optional and for improvement and is considered supplementary |
| CBSE 2026 supplementary exam dates (for 12th) | June 2026 | July 15 2026 | If anyone has missed the paper before then they can give in between these days |
| CBSE 2026 admit card release date | Early Feb 2026 | — | Download from [cbse.gov.in](http://cbse.gov.in) |
For detailed information about CBSE 10th 2026 date sheet, CBSE 2026 class 12 exam dates, CBSE 2026 subjectwise dates, check out CBSE 2026 date sheet pdf
CBSE 2026 tentative schedule and exam timings:
1. Most of the papers are in the morning.
2. The reporting time will be 10:00 am
3. The exam duration for core subjects will be from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and for shorter papers like painting or vocational subjects, the timings will be from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Check this out for details: CBSE 2026 time table download (These are just tentative dates and timings. CBSE 2026 revised date sheet will be out soon.
New Changes and Exam Schemes:
One change that everyone is talking about is CBSE's twice board exams 2026. It is for class 10, and the exams will be held in 2 phases.
Phase 1: It is mandatory for every student to give an exam in this phase.
Phase 2: It is optional but students can give an exam to improve their score in up to 3 subjects, or if they have missed or failed a paper in Phase 1.
The best part is that, among the two phases, the best score will be selected.
Preparation Strategy for Students:
For Class 10th students:
1. Try to focus mainly for Phase 1 and do not just depend upon Phase 2
2. Use NCERT textbooks for primary referencing
3. Search for sample papers and previous year papers and practice them as if you are giving the final exam. So you need to practice in a timed condition.
4. Balance studying your core subjects and language both.
For Class 12th students:
1. Focus more on the clarity of concepts especially for Science and Commerce Subjects.
2. Have a written practice for long answers for subjects like History, Economics, English
3. For subjects like Math, Accounts, Physics, Chemistry, etc. practice at least 3-4 problems from each chapter daily.
4. Make sure that you revise consistently and give a practice paper every week
Role of Parents in CBSE 2026:
Parents play a very important role in a student’s life when it comes to their exams. Here is what they can do:
1. Make sure that their child is practicing daily balancing academics with their personal life. This will avoid last minute cramming and stress
2. Ensure that their child is eating nutritious meals and staying hydrated. This will keep them energised and focused
3. Monitor for how time they are on their phones or electronic gadgets. This will reduce distractions in the exam months and will help them stay focused.
4. Make sure that when they are studying and revising, you are providing them with a calm environment at home, especially during exam weeks.
Digital Resources for CBSE 2026 preparation:
1. CBSE Academic Website where you can access official sample papers and guidelines
2. NCERT Online Pdf’s: Here you can freely access textbooks for your study reference and preparing notes.
3. If you want a last-minute revision, then Youtube learning channels can be a great option for you.
4. You can also use Mock test apps
5. There are also online time table generators where you can create personalized revision time tables.
FAQ’s:
1. Is the CBSE date sheet final?
Ans: No. The dates provided are tentative and there might be changes in timings and dates.
2. What is the CBSE 2026 paper schedule?
Ans: You can check out the exam schedule from here. These are tentative dates.
3. What if I fail in Class 10 Phase 1?
Ans: If you fail in Phase 1 then you don’t have to worry. You can give the Phase 2 exam to score well.
4. When will CBSE release admit cards for 2026?
Ans: It is likely to be released in the first week of February 2026.