How 2025 Transformed Class 10 & 12 Exams: Dual Boards, Policy Changes, and a New Assessment System
For years, board examinations in India have been linked with intense pressure — one scheduled date, one common question paper, and only a single attempt. Even a minor setback like illness, a family issue, or an off day could impact a student’s academic future, college opportunities, and career direction.
As 2025 comes to an end, India’s school examination structure is witnessing one of its most impactful reforms in years. Unlike the pandemic period, which brought sudden cancellations and unpredictable changes, this year introduced long-term, systemic shifts. The traditional model of a single annual, high-pressure board exam is being gradually phased out.
Both central and state boards are now putting the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 into practice with a more flexible and student-focused evaluation approach. Most boards are moving towards two board exams a year for Class 10 and 12 students, while Karnataka is preparing for three attempts annually, and Tamil Nadu has chosen to discontinue the Class 11 public exam entirely.
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These reforms set the foundation for a new examination system starting in 2026—one where board exams are no longer a single, make-or-break event, but a structured opportunity that allows students to improve, recover from setbacks, and choose their best performance.
End of the ‘one chance only’ board exam era
For generations, board exams meant immense pressure: one schedule, one question paper, and only one opportunity to perform. Illness, personal issues, or just one bad day could influence future studies, college options, and career direction.
Now, this long-standing approach is being redefined, signalling a shift towards a fairer and more supportive exam environment.
With the launch of NEP 2020 and the updated National Curriculum Framework (NCF), the central government has urged every school board to overhaul their examination system. The goal is to make board exams more student-friendly, skill-focused, flexible, and less pressure-driven. One of the major proposals is to hold Class 10 and Class 12 board exams twice a year, giving students the option to keep their best score.
By the close of 2025, this proposal is shifting from an idea in policy documents to a practical plan ready for nationwide execution.
CBSE takes the lead
As the country’s biggest education board, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is once again leading the reform process, setting the direction for other boards to follow.
Starting from the 2025-26 academic session, the CBSE will introduce a two-term board exam structure for Class 10. Students will now appear for the first exam in February, which is compulsory for everyone. A second exam will be held in May, but this will be optional and mainly for those who want to improve their marks or retake the test if they are not satisfied with their initial performance.
The results for the first round will be published in April, while the second round scores will be released in June. The marksheet will display the highest score earned across both attempts, officially moving away from the traditional practice of one final exam deciding the overall result.
CBSE authorities have reiterated that the second examination is only an optional chance for enhancement, not a requirement for all students. Both exam cycles will follow the same syllabus, pattern, and assessment method without any variation.
Though the policy begins with Class 10, it is widely anticipated that similar changes will eventually apply to Class 12 as well, bringing higher secondary assessments under the same flexible, two-stage system.
State boards begin implementing similar changes
Following CBSE’s shift, several state boards in 2025 have also started updating their systems, releasing circulars, and modifying guidelines to match the National Education Policy (NEP) structure.
In Madhya Pradesh, the board has introduced a biannual exam system for Classes 10 and 12, giving students two chances within a single academic session. The best score from the two attempts will be considered for the final mark sheet, combining the concepts of a regular exam and an improvement exam into a single streamlined model.
Gujarat’s GSEB (Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board) has approved the same two-exam approach for both secondary and senior secondary levels. Authorities have confirmed that both attempts will follow an identical syllabus and question structure, with the second exam functioning as an official improvement attempt.
Haryana has also taken steps in this direction, adopting a flexible second-exam system intended to reduce exam pressure. The additional exam is optional, allowing students to reappear only if they want to improve their first score rather than being compelled to take it.
Rajasthan is set to adopt a system similar to CBSE from the 2026-27 academic session, introducing two board exams a year for Classes 10 and 12. Students will be able to take the exams twice, and their final marksheets will reflect the better score from the two attempts.
These reforms expand on previous evaluation models that several states had already experimented with. For example, West Bengal shifted towards a semester-style structure for Class 12, dividing the board assessments into two parts. Though different in execution, this method also reduced the pressure of relying solely on one final exam.
Chhattisgarh has already rolled out the dual-exam pattern for the 2025 academic year. The first exam took place in March, followed by the second in June-July. The second attempt offered students a chance to boost their results and earn a passing certificate without waiting an entire year for the next exam cycle.
Karnataka’s three-exam approach
Karnataka has taken the most extensive step in redesigning board evaluation. Before CBSE’s shift, the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board introduced up to three examination slots in the 2023-24 academic year. Students could choose to appear for one, two, or all three rounds, with the highest score recorded as their final result on the marksheet.
The new exam structure removes the old separation between “regular” and “supplementary” board exams. Instead, every attempt now functions as part of the same continuous system. Students who achieve their target score in the first attempt can skip later exams, while those who want improvement can continue without the negative label once attached to supplementary exams.
Education authorities say this marks a shift from a system focused on failure and correction to one that prioritises opportunities, flexibility, and student choice — echoing the NEP’s core principles.
Why Multiple Exams?
The move towards more than one board exam a year is not just for convenience. Government officials describe it as an effort to support student mental health, balance academic pressure, and promote fairness. Having multiple chances helps lower exam stress, gives students backup after unexpected issues, and recognises that judging ability based on a single test day isn’t always accurate.
NEP 2020 clearly states that board exams should measure understanding instead of memorisation, be held multiple times annually, and allow students enough opportunities to perform confidently.
Higher education institutions may also benefit, as more students could meet cut-off marks after improved scores, especially in competitive courses where even a slight rise in marks can change admission chances.
What’s Different in 2025?
Unlike sudden reforms from past years, the 2025 changes show a more organised and stable system. Boards finalised schedules, released official guidelines, confirmed the second exam as optional, and standardised the syllabus and exam pattern for all attempts. Supplementary exams are being merged into this new multi-exam format and gradually removed.
Schools are now advising students to treat the first exam as their main attempt, while viewing the second as a backup option rather than a mandatory retake.
Tamil Nadu Takes a Separate Path
While most states are moving towards multiple board exams for Classes 10 and 12, Tamil Nadu has chosen a different approach for Class 11. In October 2025, the state government announced that the Class 11 (Plus One) public exam will be discontinued from 2025-26. This returns to the earlier system where schools conduct internal assessments instead of a state public exam.
Integrated Class 11-12 marksheets will also end, and only Class 12 scores will appear on official certificates. The state board will continue conducting public exams for Class 11 only for repeat students until 2030, after which it will be completely phased out.
Many teachers and school groups have long claimed that the Class 11 board exam added pressure without real academic advantage. The government’s decision reflects the idea that fewer external exams, if structured well, may actually support better learning.
