CBSE Offers Three Attempts for Class 10 Compartment Students
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a significant policy update for Class 10 students who received compartment results. Under the new framework, these students will now have three distinct opportunities to clear their pending examinations, eliminating the need to lose an entire academic year. This marks a shift from the previous single-attempt system, providing much-needed flexibility and relief.
According to the latest CBSE Class 10 results, a total of 1,47,172 students across the country have been placed in the compartment category. With the board’s dual-examination structure now in place, these students can appear for improvement exams at three different intervals. The first opportunity arrives in May 2026 as a dedicated improvement examination. Should a student not succeed in this initial attempt, a second chance will be offered in February 2027, followed by a third and final opportunity in May 2027. If a student remains unsuccessful after all three attempts, they will be required to retake examinations in all subjects from scratch.
Additional Subject Policy Revised
In a related development, the board has discontinued the practice of allowing students to appear for additional subjects after successfully passing the Class 10 examinations. This means that once a student clears the tenth grade, they will no longer be permitted to register for supplementary subjects in subsequent exam cycles.
Re-evaluation and Verification Window
Students who participate in either the first or second board examination will gain access to online facilities for photocopy requests, answer script verification, and re-evaluation. These services will become available only after the results of the second examination are officially declared. The outcomes from these processes can be utilized for admission purposes into Class 11.
Separate LOC Process for Second Examination
To appear for the second examination, students were required to have taken the first main examination. For those seeking to improve their performance or who received compartment results, a separate List of Candidates (LOC) will now be filed. Importantly, no new names can be added to this second LOC. The registration window for this process opens on April 16 and closes on April 20. From April 21 to April 22, LOCs can be prepared with a late fee applied. The examination fee stands at ₹320 per subject, meaning students opting for three subjects will pay ₹960. Additionally, a late fee of ₹2,000 will be charged for submissions during the extended period.
Key Guidelines for Students
Several important rules accompany this new examination structure:
- Students who wish to appear for the second board examination but whose names were not included in the initial LOC can now submit their names and pay the applicable examination fees.
- Those whose names were already submitted in the first phase can proceed to deposit their examination fees without further action.
- Students who previously submitted their names but have decided against appearing for the second examination have the option to withdraw their candidature.
- A subject switch is permitted only for Mathematics. Students who opted for Mathematics Standard in the main examination (February-March) can choose Mathematics Basic for the second examination. No other subject changes are allowed.
- All students who have passed can attempt to improve their scores in up to three subjects chosen from Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and language papers.
- Students categorized under the Essential Repeat (ER) category are not eligible to sit for the second examination.
- If a student’s name appears on the LOC and the fee has been paid, but they fail to appear for the second examination, their performance in the 2026 main examination will be considered final.
- The second examination will be based entirely on the syllabus prescribed for the 2026 main examination.
This revised policy reflects the board’s commitment to student welfare, offering multiple pathways to academic success without unnecessary delays. The staggered timeline ensures that students have ample preparation time between attempts while maintaining the academic rigor expected of board examinations.
