CBSE Class 10 Second Board Exam 2026: How Private Candidates Can Apply

CBSE updates confirm the Class 10 Second Board Exam 2026 LOC window for private candidates is open from April 16 to April 20, with late fee submission on April 21–22.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially activated its new two-board examination system for Class 10 from the 2026 academic cycle. Under this updated policy, students who appear in the main board exam will receive a second opportunity in May 2026 to improve their scores in up to three subjects. Along with regular students, CBSE has also released important instructions for private candidates eligible to appear in the second board examination.

According to the board’s latest notice, private candidates from the 2024–25 batch who were placed in the compartment category are eligible to apply under the third-chance compartment provision. This also includes candidates who were eligible to appear earlier but missed their previous compartment attempt. Such students can now use this second board exam window as another opportunity to clear or improve their Class 10 results.

CBSE has made the entire application process fully online, and no offline forms will be accepted. Eligible private candidates must submit their List of Candidates (LOC) forms through the official CBSE private candidate portal. The form submission with regular fees is available from April 16 to April 20, 2026, while a late fee option will remain open for April 21 and 22.

The board has also clarified that students can use the second examination to improve marks in up to three core subjects, and the better score between the first and second attempts will be considered in the final result. However, candidates who fall under the Essential Repeat category or those who missed three or more subjects in the first exam may not be eligible under the improvement route.

Students and parents are advised to carefully read the eligibility rules before submitting the online form and ensure the fee payment is completed within the deadline, as no applications will be accepted after the final date. The new two-exam system is expected to reduce academic pressure and provide Class 10 students with greater flexibility in improving their performance.