CBSE Board Exams 2026: Board redesigns Class 10 marksheet, enforces stricter anti-cheating measures

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced stricter rules for the 2026 board exams for students caught using unfair means to pass. The changes aim to close loopholes that earlier allowed some students to clear the exams despite being booked for cheating.

Along with tightening anti-cheating norms, CBSE has also announced a redesign of the Class 10 marksheet to reflect its new two-board-exam system.

Stricter penalties for use of unfair means

Under the earlier system, if a student was caught cheating in a subject the result of that paper was cancelled. However, many students were still able to pass by replacing that cancelled subject with marks obtained in a sixth or seventh subject — additional subjects taken beyond the mandatory five.

According to records of the 2025 main exams, nearly 30 per cent to 40 per cent of students booked under the first category of unfair means (UFM) were still declared pass because they used this replacement policy.

From 2026 onwards, this option will no longer be available. If a student is caught cheating in any subject, the result of that subject will be cancelled and cannot be replaced with marks from any additional subject. The students will be placed under the ‘compartment’ category and must reappear in that particular subject to pass. These revised rules will apply equally to Class 10 board exams from 2026.

Class 10 marksheet redesigned

CBSE has also redesigned the Class 10 marksheet in view of the new system of conducting two board exams in an academic year. The updated marksheet will show the results of both exams separately, along with the final result calculated based on the best performance.

There will be distinct sections for the first and second board exams. The marks obtained in each attempt and the final score will be clearly displayed. The board has also proposed shifting the Internal Assessment column to the final result section instead of placing it under the main exam column.

Additionally, CBSE has introduced an on-screen marking system for Class 12 evaluations. The 2026 board exams for both Classes 10 and 12 began on February 17 and will continue till March.