CBSE Class 10 Maths: How the Two Board Exams Work (2027)

From the 2026 examinations onwards, CBSE holds two board examinations for Class 10. Many parents have heard about this but are unsure what it means in practice – especially for maths. Here is how it works, based on CBSE's official press release of 25 June 2025 and its clarification notice of 14 February 2026.

For the full Class 10 maths syllabus and marks, see our CBSE Class 10 Maths guide.

The two exams

• The first exam is compulsory. It starts in mid-February and every student takes it.
• The second exam is optional. It is held in May.
• Both exams cover the full syllabus, and the scheme of studies and examinations stays the same.
• Internal assessment is done only once in the year, before the main exam. It is not repeated for the second exam.
• Results: the first exam's results come in April and the second exam's in June.

Can maths be improved in the second exam?

Yes. Students who have passed may use the second exam to improve their performance in up to three subjects from Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages. Mathematics is one of the eligible subjects.

Two rules are worth knowing:

• A student who is absent in three or more subjects in the first exam cannot sit the second exam and is placed in the "Essential Repeat" category.
• CBSE says subject change is not allowed between the first and second examinations "except permitted as per policy". If you are thinking of changing between Mathematics Standard and Mathematics Basic for the second exam, confirm with your school, because the official notices do not address that case specifically.

What this means for planning the year

The two-exam system is a safety net, not a second chance to start preparing. Treat February as the real exam:

1. Finish the syllabus by December, with internal assessment work (tests, portfolio and lab activities) completed on time – it only happens once.
2. January to mid-February: full sample papers under timed conditions.
3. After the February exam: if maths did not go as planned, the gap before May is time to repair specific units rather than revise everything.

Deciding whether to take the May exam for maths

Questions to ask when the April results arrive:

• How far is the score from the target, and is the gap realistic to close in a few weeks?
• Which units cost marks – and are they units that respond quickly to practice (for example, mensuration or statistics) or slower ones?
• Which other subjects might also need the second attempt, given the limit of three?

Where the marks are in Class 10 maths

The Class 10 theory paper is 80 marks. In the 2026–27 curriculum, Algebra carries 20 marks and Geometry 15, so together they make up 35 of the 80. Trigonometry is 12, Statistics and Probability 11, Mensuration 10, and Number Systems and Coordinate Geometry 6 each. When planning a repair for the May exam, start with the units that carry the most marks and cost you the most.

A worked example of targeted repair

Suppose a student's February paper lost marks mainly in trigonometry word problems and in areas related to circles. A focused four-week plan before May might be:

• Week 1: trigonometric ratios and identities until they are automatic.
• Week 2: heights and distances – CBSE limits these to at most two right triangles and angles of 30°, 45° and 60°, so practise exactly that range.
• Week 3: areas of sectors and segments (the curriculum uses central angles of 60°, 90° and 120°).
• Week 4: two full timed papers, checking that the repaired units now score.

If you would like help planning Class 10 maths for your child in Gurgaon, book a free demo class, or see our Class 10 CBSE Maths home tutor page.