CBSE

The Central Board of Secondary Education commenced the CBSE Board Exams 2025 on 15 February 2025. Class 10 and 12 papers ran across the country from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. On 15 February, Class 10 students sat for English (Communicative) and English (Language and Literature), while Class 12 students took the Entrepreneurship paper. Candidates were allowed entry to exam centres before 10:00 a.m. Only the CBSE-issued admit card and permitted stationery were allowed inside. Students were expected to arrive in their school uniform and follow centre instructions.

This year, CBSE anticipated roughly 4.4 million candidates from about 8,000 schools in India and overseas for the Class 10 and 12 examinations. The Class 10 examinations will run until 18 March 2025 and the Class 12 exams are scheduled to finish by 4 April 2025. Following NEP 2020, the board increased competency-based questions by 50% and included 20% MCQs in many papers. Theory papers for Class 10 are set for 80 marks with 20 marks reserved for internal assessments; a minimum of 33% is required to pass. Alongside dates, the board released updated syllabi, the exam format, tentative result timelines, and other key details. Read on for a clearer breakdown.

Note: From the 2025–2026 academic session onward, students registered for Class 10 and 12 will have the option to sit for board exams twice a year. The final certificate will reflect the higher of the two scores.

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CBSE has published a notice listing items that are strictly prohibited inside exam halls. Non-compliance may lead to cancellation of the current exam and could affect eligibility for the subsequent year. Below is a summary of items that are not permitted:

The CBSE Class 10 examinations for 2025 opened with English (Communicative) and English (Language and Literature), while Class 12 candidates began with the Entrepreneurship paper.

Ministry of Education representatives have discussed introducing two annual CBSE board exam windows starting in the 2025–2026 session. For students of the 2024–2025 session, only one board cycle applies. The shift to two sittings was postponed for logistical reasons this year. The dual-exam approach aligns with MoE goals and NEP 2020 objectives and is intended to lessen pressure by giving students an extra chance to improve.

From the 2025–2026 academic year, CBSE exams will be offered in two windows: November–December and February–March. Participation in the second window is optional. According to the MoE, if a student is dissatisfied with their first attempt, they may retake the exam and the higher of the two scores will be counted for final results and merit lists.

Based on past announcement patterns up to 2024, CBSE results for 2025 are expected around May 2025, with the 2025–2026 academic year likely to begin in June 2025. The final marksheet will reflect the best score obtained across a student’s two attempts.

CBSE’s revised exam pattern emphasises critical thinking and practical application. Analysis of recent papers (2023–2024) highlights a move toward competency-based and reasoning questions, aiming to assess analytical and problem-solving skills rather than rote recall.

The subject-wise syllabi for Class 10 and Class 12 are listed in the tables below for quick reference:

CBSE typically opens registrations for Class 10 and 12 board exams well in advance. For 2025, the registration window was expected to begin in August 2024, open to both regular and private candidates via the official portal. The standard registration fee for general category candidates was Rs 1,500 for up to five subjects, with an additional Rs 300 per extra subject. Candidates could edit their LOC entries via the CAMC portal (anticipated to activate in the first week of January 2025); correction charges were set at Rs 1,000.

Note: Private candidates for CBSE 2025 were slated to begin registration from the second week of September 2024.

The CBSE admit card contains a unique ID made up of six characters (letters and digits) assigned to each candidate. The admit card is mandatory for entry and should be retained for future reference. CBSE customarily releases admit cards about two weeks before exams and they can be downloaded directly from the official website using the provided instructions.

Ques. How will the CBSE 2025 revised exam pattern benefit students?

Ans. The revised pattern shifts emphasis from traditional long-form recall to competency-based, analytical and reasoning questions. This format evaluates students’ problem-solving approaches and critical thinking, aligning with NEP 2020’s aim to build real-world skills. It also reduces lengthy descriptive answers to create a more balanced assessment model.

Ques. Can I sit for an improvement exam in 2025 if I completed my board in 2022?

Ans. It is unlikely. CBSE and many other boards generally allow improvement attempts within a one-year window following the original passing year. If you passed in 2022, the usual opportunity to reappear for improvements would have been in 2023.

Ques. I passed Class 12 this year with 70% and am preparing for JEE at a local coaching centre. I want to take the CBSE private candidate exam in 2025. When does registration open?

Ans. The CBSE private candidate registration for 2025 was scheduled for mid-September 2024. Practical marks from your earlier mark sheet are typically carried forward; your new written exam marks from this attempt will be reflected in the final marksheet, which will be sent to the address entered during registration.