CBSE announces final datesheet for class 10, 12 board exams; to begin from February 17
New Delhi (PTI): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct class 10 and 12 board exams from February 17, 2026, officials announced on Thursday.
While the class 10 exams will conclude on March 10, class 12 exams will end on April 9, 2026, according to the final datesheet.
This is the first time that the CBSE released the final datesheet nearly 110 days in advance.
The board had announced a tentative datesheet last month. The final datesheet has certain changes including adding an extra day for class 10 exams.
This is the first time that board exams for class 10 will be conducted twice in an academic session. The second edition of class 10 board exam is scheduled from May 15 to June 1, 2026.
"A sufficient gap has been given between two subjects generally offered by a student in both classes. The dates of conduct of entrance examinations meant for the students of Class 12 have been taken into consideration and efforts have been made to complete the examination much before entrance exams.
"This will help the students in better time management for both the Board and entrance examinations," said Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.
While in class 10, dates for subjects like Data science, French, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Retail, Security and Automotive have been altered, in class 12 subjects including Business Studies, Business administration, Psychology and Accountancy have also been changed from the schedule listed in tentative datesheet.
Bhardwaj explained that the date sheet has been prepared by avoiding more than 40,000 subject combinations to ensure that no two subjects' examinations offered by a student fall on the same date.
"To ensure that JEE (Main) and CBSE examinations of the subjects do not coincide, NTA will require the registration number of students of class 11 to be filled in JEE-Main application. Accordingly, all teh schools have been requested to provide registration number of lass 11 to their students applying for the engineering entrance exam," he said.
For class 10, the second phase of Board exams in May will be optional for students who wish to improve their performance. In case a student appears for both phases, the best score of the two will be retained.
Both the examinations will be conducted on the full syllabus meant for the year and the scheme of studies and scheme of examinations will remain the same.
The CBSE has clarified that no separate supplementary exams will be conducted under this system. Instead, the second session of the board exam will serve as the supplementary exam for those who wish to improve their scores.
At present, students have an opportunity to improve their scores in supplementary exams.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trekking without nature guide won't be allowed; Karnataka forest minister releases SOP
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Friday said that trekking will no longer be permitted on any approved trekking routes under the forest department, without a certified nature guide equipped with GPS-enabled walkie-talkies.
Speaking after releasing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) formulated for the safety of trekkers, he said that there will be one local nature guide for every 10 trekkers. A maximum of 150 trekkers will be allowed per batch on any trekking route.
According to him, online registration for trekking is mandatory. Even if a single individual registers for a particular day, a guide will still be provided, and trekking without a guide will not be allowed.
He said the SOP was introduced following recent incidents, including a woman from Kerala who went missing for three days in the forests during a trek at Tadiandamol hill in Kodagu, and a minor girl who went missing and was later found dead near Manikyadhara in Chikkamagaluru, which is outside forest jurisdiction.
In a statement, the Khandre's office said that nature guides will be mandatorily equipped with GPS-enabled walkie-talkies on all trekking routes. "Additionally, a mobile app containing trekking route maps will be installed on trekkers' phones. This will help locate trekkers if they lose their way", it said.
As per the SOP, before the trek begins, trekkers will be briefed about the distance, duration, and local conditions.
"Instructions on how to respond if wildlife is encountered will also be provided. Loud devices, sharp metal objects, weapons, and campfires are strictly prohibited on trekking routes," it said.
The SOP further stated that separate toilets for men and women and drinking water facilities will be provided at base camps.
Directional arrow markings will guide trekkers along the route, and rest points will be created along the way, it said.
Citing the SOP, the statement said that nature guides must ensure that no trekker moves ahead of them or is left behind. Headcounts must be conducted at base camps and rest points.
"Guides must communicate with the base camp via walkie-talkie every 30 minutes. If there is no communication within an hour of the trek starting, base camp staff will contact the guide to confirm safety," it said.
The SOP states that minors must carry a consent letter from their parents or guardians, and senior citizens must provide a fitness certificate confirming their physical capability to undertake trekking. To be able to respond to unexpected health issues, trekkers and guides must carry a first aid kit.
However, flash photography, single-use plastics, and carry bags are prohibited and trekkers must bring back their waste and dispose of it only at base camps, as per SOP.
It further said that all trekking routes under the forest department will be integrated into the official website (https://aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in/) to enable advance booking of tickets.
