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NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified it will be mandatory for all Class X students to appear in the first board examination under the new two-board exam system to be rolled out from 2026. Students who fail to appear in at least three subjects in the first exam will be placed in the “essential repeat” category and will not be allowed to sit for the second board exam, officials said.CBSE has also urged students, parents and schools not to be misled by rumours of question paper leaks as the Class X and XII board exams begin on Tuesday.The clarification follows requests received by the board seeking permission for students who miss the first exam to directly appear in the second one.CBSE has rejected such requests, saying the policy does not allow any relaxation. CBSE examination controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said, “It is mandatory for all students to appear in the first board examination. All passed and eligible students will be allowed to improve their performance in any of the three subjects out of science, mathematics, social science and languages.””If a student has not appeared in three or more subjects in the first examination, he or she will not be allowed to appear in the second examination. Such students will be placed in the ‘Essential Repeat’ category and can take the examination only next year in the main examinations in the month of Feb next year,” he said.Students who get a compartment in the first exam will be allowed to appear in the second exam under the compartment category.The board has also made it clear additional or stand-alone subjects will not be permitted after passing Class X, and any request seeking exemption from these rules will not be entertained.Over 46 lakh students from India and abroad are set to appear for CBSE board exams. While the Class X exams will conclude on March 10, Class XII exams will end on April 9.
