Two Board Exams, On-Screen Marking, Paper Split: CBSE Chairman Details 2026 Changes
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In a crucial webinar streamed on YouTube on February 13, 2026, Central Board of Secondary Education Chairman Rahul Singh outlined reforms for the 2026 board examinations. Addressing principals and teachers from nearly 31,000 affiliated schools, he described the changes as “a seminal change” in how CBSE will conduct and evaluate exams going forward.
Calling the session a “routine sort of a meeting” to set out processes, Singh quickly moved to what he described as three major reforms being introduced this year.
“We Are Introducing Two Board Exams This Year”
The Chairman confirmed, “We are introducing two board exams this year.” He explained that the first exam cycle would require an “extremely tight schedule” with all processes strictly followed.
Describing it as a major structural shift, Singh said this would define the scheme of studies for the coming years. He acknowledged that schools may initially feel the “brunt” of these initiatives but assured that changes would be phased in gradually rather than implemented “all of a sudden.”
“On-Screen Marking” and Central Scanning of Answer Books
The second major reform is digital evaluation. Singh stated clearly, “The third is what we call the on-screen marking.”
He clarified a key point to remove confusion: “All the answer books shall be scanned centrally… and will be available in the central server.”
Under this system:
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Evaluators will not receive physical bundles from specific schools.
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Once an examiner completes one evaluation, they will “fetch another” answer book digitally.
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Copies may come from any school within the assigned zone.
The aim, he emphasized, is to eliminate two common issues:
- Totalling errors
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Questions remaining unevaluated
“In the schema that we have devised, these two things will probably not be possible,” Singh said.
He also urged teachers to log in beforehand, test credentials, and practice marking sample scripts to avoid last-minute glitches.
Splitting Evaluation in Science and Social Science
The third reform concerns paper structure and evaluation. Singh said CBSE is “splitting the answers in Social Science and Science so that only the concerned subject teacher is going to evaluate that.”
This subject-wise evaluation model aims to improve accuracy and specialization in marking, though he admitted logistics could be challenging.
More evaluation centres may be created to address IT infrastructure gaps. He noted that even though 23,000 schools participated in IT-related exercises, infrastructure readiness varies.
Strict SOPs and Security of Question Papers
The Chairman also issued a strong warning on exam integrity. Referring to past incidents that led to criminal action in certain schools, he stressed:
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Strict adherence to SOPs
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Secure handling of question papers
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Frisking protocols
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CCTV surveillance with footage retained for three months
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Timely submission of answer books
He cautioned schools not to indulge in unfair practices, stating such actions ultimately harm students.