Parl panel flags concerns over CBSE's dual board exam plan for Class 10

The Parliamentary Standing Committee of Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports has expressed concerns over the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE’s) new draft proposal for conducting Class 10 board examinations for non-core and non-language subjects over multiple days and enhancing exam fees.

 

In its draft policy released last month, the CBSE had proposed conducting Class 10 board exams twice in an academic year from 2026. The draft was open to public suggestions till March 9, after which the responses were to be scrutinised for policy finalisation.

 

According to the draft scheme, while core subjects such as science, mathematics, social science, Hindi, and English would have fixed examination dates in both sessions, exams for other subjects, except regional and foreign languages, would be conducted two-to-three times based on student preferences.

 

The committee in its report said that the draft notification offers potential for question paper leaks and other irregularities due to overlooking of non-core subjects, whose examination could be conducted over two-to-three days.

 

The draft scheme, however, states that students would be allotted the day of the examination based on the formula devised by the CBSE and the subject combination offered by the student.

 

“Students will not be given a choice to select the dates of examinations and question papers of these subjects will be taken back from the students after the examination is over,” the draft scheme states.

 

The committee, however, has recommended that thought be given to this system to make it more foolproof.

 

The parliamentary panel, headed by Congress member Digvijaya Singh, also termed the two-exam scheme as a planned enhancement of “examination fees”.

 

According to the draft policy, examination fee will be enhanced and collected for both examinations at the time of filling of the list of candidates (LOC) for the first time. The fees would be non-refundable, once paid.

 

The committee suggested that the examination fees must not be hiked for all students, but only for those who are making an additional attempt in the board examinations.

 

The panel also flagged concerns about some private schools compelling students and parents to purchase books, uniforms, and other items from specific vendors, operating as commercial enterprises rather than educational institutions.