The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced several changes for the 2025 board exams, with more updates planned for 2026.
According to Vikas Kumar Agrawal, the CBSE Bhopal regional officer, these changes include a reduced syllabus, increased weightage for internal assessments, and a transition to two-term exams by 2026.
Syllabus Reduced by 15%
CBSE plans to reduce the syllabus by about 15% for all subjects in 2025. This reduction is intended to lessen academic pressure and allow students to focus more on understanding concepts rather than memorization.
Increased Weightage for Internal Assessments
For Classes 10 and 12, the internal assessment weightage will be raised to 40%, while the final exams will count for 60% of the grade. This adjustment encourages continuous learning throughout the year and provides students with more opportunities to demonstrate their progress.
Digital Assessment and Open-Book Format
CBSE will continue using digital assessments for answer sheets, a system already in place for certain subjects. Additionally, select subjects like English Literature and Social Science will experiment with an open-book format to promote critical thinking and practical application.
Transition to Two-Term Exams in 2026
For 2025, the exams will follow the current one-term format. However, starting in 2026, CBSE plans to shift to a two-term exam structure. This decision has been confirmed, with additional arrangements to be made before implementation.
These changes aim to modernize the CBSE exam system, supporting students’ growth and preparing them for higher education.