CBSE Announces New Guidelines for Practical Exams and Assessments

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced new guidelines for practical examinations and assessments for Classes 10 and 12. Key changes include updated standard operating procedures, specific exam dates, and rules for both regular and private students. Schools are required to follow these guidelines strictly to ensure uniformity and accuracy in assessments. Practical exams for regular schools are scheduled from January 1 to February 14, 2026, while winter-bound schools will conduct theirs earlier, from November 6 to December 6, 2025. This article outlines all the essential details and changes that schools and students need to be aware of.

By Ambika Singh Dec 3, 2025, 15:30 IST

New SOPs for Practical Exams

CBSE Update: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released updated guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for conducting practical examinations, projects, and internal assessments for students in Class 10 and Class 12. These assessments are held annually in accordance with the Board's examination regulations and study schemes, but this year, several important modifications have been introduced to ensure consistency in instructions and procedures.

Schools are mandated to adhere strictly to the new SOPs and to complete all assessments within the designated timeframes. The Board has specified that four examinations will take place this year, making effective time management essential.

It is crucial for schools to ensure that the marks submitted to the online portal are precise, as no corrections will be permitted afterward.

New Features in Practical Answer Books

Enhancements to Practical Answer Books:

CBSE has introduced a new requirement for practical answer books, which mandates that both internal and external examiners provide a declaration confirming that all data has been accurately uploaded.

Practical Exam Schedule

Scheduled Dates:

CBSE has announced the dates for practical examinations, projects, and internal assessments for Classes 10 and 12. For schools following regular sessions, practical exams will take place from January 1, 2026, to February 14, 2026.

In contrast, schools situated in winter-prone regions will conduct their practical exams earlier, from November 6, 2025 (Thursday) to December 6, 2025 (Saturday).

Type of School	Exam Dates
Regular Session Schools	January 1, 2026 - February 14, 2026
Winter-Bound Schools	November 6, 2025 - December 6, 2025

CBSE has instructed all schools to organize practical examinations according to these specified dates and to complete the entire process within the given timeframe.

Guidelines for Regular Students

Assessment for Regular Students:

Practical, project, and internal assessments will only be conducted for regular students whose names have been submitted by the school through the List of Candidates (LOC).

If a student's name is absent from this list, the school must promptly reach out to the Regional Office.

Schools are responsible for ensuring that only the enrolled students participate in the examinations.

Rules for Private Students

Assessment for Private Candidates:

Marks for practical, project, and internal assessments for private candidates will be assigned according to CBSE's established policies and examination regulations.

Should there be a need to reschedule practical exams, this will also follow the Board's guidelines.

Schools are required to clearly communicate the complete policy of the Board to all private candidates.