CBSE's Second Board Exam Boosts Pass Percentage; Relief for Students
According to a report, the overall Class 10 pass percentage for the 2025-26 academic session rose to 96.78% after combining the results of the main board exam and the second board exam. Following the main exam alone, this figure stood at approximately 93.70%.
CBSE Second Board Exam: The positive impact of the second board exam for Class 10—conducted for the first time by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)—is evident in the results. A report indicates that the implementation of the "Best of Two" system not only increased the overall pass percentage but also alleviated the pressure associated with a single board exam. Experts believe this new system provided students with an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and improve their performance.
Overall Pass Percentage Reaches 96.78%
According to the report, the overall Class 10 pass percentage for 2025-26 increased to 96.78% after merging the results of the main exam and the second exam. Prior to the second exam, the figure was around 93.70%. Experts attribute this rise to the inclusion of students who succeeded in the second exam in the final results and the fact that a large number of students improved their scores.
60% of Students Improved Their Scores
The report states that approximately 60% of the students who appeared for the second board exam succeeded in improving their marks. This group included students who were dissatisfied with their performance in the first exam, as well as those who retook the exam due to personal reasons or upon the advice of teachers and parents.
Reduced Pressure of a Single Exam
Education experts state that this system, introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has brought relief to students. They no longer need to rely entirely on their performance in a single exam. The second exam grants them additional preparation time, allowing them to focus on select subjects rather than all of them, thereby enabling better performance. This also reduces the mental pressure associated with the exam.
What is the 'Best of Two' system?
CBSE has implemented the 'Best of Two' system for Class 10 starting in 2026. Under this system, if a student appears for both board exams, the marks obtained in both attempts for each subject are compared, and the higher score is recorded in the final mark sheet. If the marks in the second exam are lower than those in the first, the marks from the first exam remain valid. For instance, if a student scores 74 in Mathematics in the first exam and 88 in the second, the final mark sheet will reflect the score of 88; conversely, if they score 68 in the second exam, the initial score of 74 will be retained. This rule applies on a subject-by-subject basis; meaning, an improvement in one subject does not affect the marks of other subjects.
