As per the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), the plan entails conducting board examinations biannually. This approach aims to provide students with ample time and opportunities to showcase their academic capabilities effectively. Moreover, it offers them the flexibility to strive for their best performance and the chance to retain their highest score.
The Ministry of Education has tasked the CBSE with devising plans for conducting board exams twice annually starting from the 2025-26 academic session, as per a report by PTI citing undisclosed sources. Both the ministry and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are set to engage in discussions with school principals next month to explore the logistics of implementing this biannual examination system.
The initiative to introduce a semester system has been dismissed, according to the anonymous sources in the PTI report. The Education Ministry and CBSE are slated to convene with school principals to delve into the practicalities of executing board exams twice a year. Currently, the CBSE is in the process of determining how to structure its academic calendar to accommodate these additional board exams without disrupting the undergraduate admission timeline.
A source quoted by PTI explained, “The ministry has tasked the CBSE with figuring out how to conduct board exams twice annually. The board is in the process of devising the necessary details, and consultations with school principals will be organized next month.”
According to the New Curriculum Framework (NCF) introduced by the Ministry of Education, the rationale behind conducting board examinations twice a year is to ensure that students have sufficient time and opportunities to excel academically and have the option to retain their best scores.
“The proposal being considered is to hold two editions of the board exams annually starting from the 2025-26 academic session, but the specifics are yet to be finalized. However, there are no plans to implement a semester system,” the source informed PTI.