CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2027: The Two-Exam System and a Month-by-Month Study Plan

From 2026, CBSE moved Class 10 to a system of two board exams in a year. For Kharghar families with a child in Class 10 this year, or in Class 9 now, it is worth understanding exactly what changed, and what did not. The short version: the first exam still matters most, and the way to do well in it has not changed.

Dates and rules below are based on CBSE’s published scheme as applied in 2026. Always check the latest circulars on cbse.gov.in and from your child’s school for 2027 dates.

How the two-exam system works

• First exam (February–March): the main board exam, taken by all Class 10 students.
• Second exam (May): optional. It is meant for students who want to improve their score, or who need to clear a subject.
• Up to three subjects: under the 2026 rules, students could appear in up to three subjects in the second exam.
• Best of two: where a student takes both, the better score counts.
• Internal assessment once: internal assessment and practical marks are counted from the first exam only.
• Through the school: students register for the second exam through their school, not individually.

What this means in practice

The second exam is a safety net, not a second chance to prepare. A student who treats February as a trial run will reach May tired, behind on Class 11 preparation, and sitting the same paper again. Plan to give the February exam your child’s best effort, and treat May as a backup you hope not to need.

It also means internal assessment deserves attention. Because those marks are counted once, projects, practicals and periodic tests during the year cannot be fixed later.

A month-by-month study plan: October to February

October: finish new chapters, start the error log

• Keep pace with school, and aim to complete the remaining chapters in Mathematics and Science.
• Start an error log: a notebook where your child writes every mistake from homework and tests, why it happened, and the correct method. This becomes their most useful revision tool.
• Read every NCERT chapter fully, including the examples and in-text questions. CBSE papers draw heavily on NCERT.

November: complete the syllabus and the first full revision

• Finish the syllabus by the end of the month if at all possible.
• Do one quick revision of each subject, chapter by chapter, focusing on formulas, diagrams, definitions and maps.
• In Social Science, make one-page summaries for each chapter: key dates, terms and causes.

December: sample papers under time

• Solve CBSE’s official sample question papers for each subject, timed, in one sitting.
• Mark them honestly against the marking scheme, and add every lost mark to the error log.
• Most schools hold pre-board or prelim exams around now. Treat them as practice for the real thing.

January: previous years’ papers and weak areas

• Work through previous years’ papers, especially for Mathematics and Science.
• Spend more time on the chapters the error log shows are weakest, less on the ones already strong.
• Practise writing answers to the word limit in Social Science and English. Long answers do not always earn more marks.

February: light revision, sleep and the exam itself

• Revise from the error log and summaries, not from the full textbook.
• Keep a regular sleep routine. A tired student loses easy marks.
• Between papers, revise the next subject’s summary and solve one paper, no more.

What a good study day looks like

For most Class 10 students, two to three focused hours after school are more useful than six distracted ones. A simple pattern that works:

• 45–50 minutes of focused work, then a 10-minute break away from the screen.
• One “hard” subject (often Mathematics or Science) and one “lighter” subject each day.
• Ten minutes at the end of the day writing tomorrow’s plan.

For parents: how to help without adding pressure

• Ask what your child learnt today, not what marks they got.
• Protect their sleep and their study time from distractions, including family events where possible.
• Keep in touch with their teachers, at school and at coaching, so problems are spotted early.

Our page on the parent’s role covers this in more detail.

How TBTLC supports CBSE Class 10 students in Kharghar

At The Banyan Tree Learning Center, CBSE students study in their own batches of up to 20. Our Board Mastery and High Performance Accelerator programmes include weekly reviews, board-style tests and writing practice, and every topic ends with a short review so nothing waits for the night before the exam. From December to February we also run a focused crash course.

Frequently asked questions

Is the second CBSE Class 10 board exam compulsory?

No. The main exam in February–March is the one every student takes. The second exam in May is optional, for students who want to improve their marks or who need to clear a subject.

In how many subjects can a student improve marks in the second exam?

Under the rules in force for 2026, a student could appear in up to three subjects in the second exam, and the better of the two scores counts. Check the latest CBSE circular, as rules can change from year to year.

Are internal assessment and practical marks given again in the second exam?

No. Internal assessment and practical marks are counted once, from the first exam. Only the theory paper is taken again.

When should a Class 10 student start revising for the CBSE board exam?

Ideally, the syllabus should be finished by November, so that December and January are for revision, sample papers and previous years’ papers.