India, Nov. 20 -- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) does not expect more than 40% of Class 10 students who appear in the first mandatory exam in mid-February to sit for the optional second examinations in May, board chairperson Rahul Singh said on Thursday.

CBSE will not allow students to split their attempts across the two cycles to preserve the seriousness of the first exam, he said.

A student who is absent in three or more subjects in the first exam beginning from February 17 will not be allowed to sit for the second examination to improve their marks, Singh said, addressing a webinar on the CBSE two-board exam scheme.

CBSE will start conducting the Class 10 board exams biannually from the 2026 cycle, with the first ma...