India, June 26 -- Class 10 students will have to mandatorily appear for board examinations in February but those who wish to improve their scores will have the option of taking it a second time in May, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced on Wednesday.

The new regime of two tests will kick in from 2026, the board announced. The first round of examinations will be held in mid-February with results in April; the second round in May will be optional with results in June. The final score for a student will be the best of the two attempts, the board in a press statement on Wednesday.

Students can seek a re-do only in three subjects out of science, mathematics, social science and languages, the board added.

At least 30,5...