The official date sheet for the Class 10 CBSE Board Exams 2026 has been released. For the first time, CBSE has released the schedule significantly earlier (in late October 2025) to give students ample preparation time.

Key Highlights

• Start Date: February 17, 2026

• End Date (Phase 1): March 10, 2026

• Exam Timing: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (3 Hours)

• New System: This year introduces a Two-Phase Exam System. Phase 1 (Feb-March) is mandatory for all. Phase 2 (May) is optional if you wish to improve your scores.

Official Class 10 Date Sheet (Phase 1 – Mandatory)

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Phase 2 (Optional Improvement Exams)

• Tentative Dates: May 15, 2026 – June 1, 2026

• Who is this for? Students who are unhappy with their Phase 1 scores can re-take specific subjects in this phase. The best of the two scores will be final.

Practical Exam Dates

• Winter-Bound Schools: Already conducted (Nov–Dec 2025).

• Regular Schools: January 1, 2026 – February 15, 2026.

Create A Specific Study Plan

This study plan is tailored to the official CBSE Class 10 Date Sheet 2026. It is broken down into three phases to ensure you peak exactly when the exams start.

Phase 1: The Foundation (Now – January 15, 2026)

Goal: Finish the syllabus and cover high-weightage topics.

• Daily Routine: 3–4 hours of self-study (excluding school/coaching).

• Focus:

  • Maths (Daily 1.5 hrs): Master Algebra (20 marks) and Geometry (15 marks). These two units cover nearly 50% of the paper.

  • Science (Daily 1 hr): Alternate between Physics numerals and Biology diagrams. Focus on Life Processes and Light chapters.

  • Social Science (45 mins): Read one chapter every 3 days. Focus on History (Nationalism in India) and Geography maps (5 marks free).

  • Languages (Weekends): Dedicate Saturdays to English Grammar and Sundays to Hindi/Sanskrit literature.

Phase 2: The Simulator (January 16 – February 10, 2026)

Goal: Get used to the exam format and manage time.

• Strategy:

  • Sample Papers: Solve 1 sample paper every alternate day strictly between 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (official exam time) to align your biological clock.

  • Pre-Board Error Log: Note down every mistake from your pre-boards and fix the concept immediately.

  • Hindi Alert: Since you only have 1 day gap for Hindi (March 1), you MUST finish full Hindi revision by Feb 10th. Do not leave it for the exam gap.

Phase 3: The “Gap Days” Strategy (Exam Time)

This is the most critical part. Based on the date sheet, here is exactly how you should use the holidays between exams.

Exam 1: Mathematics (Feb 17)

• Prep Time: Feb 10 – Feb 16 (7 Days)

• Strategy:

  • Feb 10-12: Solve difficult chapters (Triangles, Surface Areas, Trigonometry).

  • Feb 13-14: Standard/Basic Maths sample papers (at least 3).

  • Feb 15: Formula sheet memorization & NCERT Examples.

  • Feb 16: Light revision only. Don’t solve new difficult problems. Sleep early.

Exam 2: English (Feb 21)

• Gap: 3 Days (Feb 18, 19, 20)

• Plan:

  • Feb 18 (Post-Maths): Relax for 2 hours, then read the Literature summary of all chapters.

  • Feb 19: Focus on Writing Skills (Formats of Letters, Paragraphs) and Grammar rules.

  • Feb 20: Solve 1 full sample paper to check writing speed. Revise poetic devices.

Exam 3: Science (Feb 25)

• Gap: 3 Days (Feb 22, 23, 24)

• Plan:

  • Feb 22: Physics numericals (Light, Electricity) + Chemistry equations (Carbon, Acids & Bases).

  • Feb 23: Biology full revision (Diagrams, Heredity, Reproduction).

  • Feb 24: Review “Activity-based” questions from NCERT (these are high priority in 2026 pattern) + 1 Sample Paper.

Exam 4: Sanskrit / IT / Regional Lang (Feb 27/28)

• Gap: 2 Days

• Plan: Focus entirely on grammar and vocabulary. Solve previous year questions (PYQs) as language patterns rarely change.

Exam 5: Hindi (Mar 2)

• Gap: 1 Day Only (Sunday, Mar 1)

• Warning: This is your tightest schedule.

• Plan:

  • Feb 28 (Evening): Read all poems (Kavya Khand) and summaries.

  • Mar 1 (Morning): Grammar rules (Padbandh, Muhavare, Samas).

  • Mar 1 (Afternoon): Review formats for Writing Section (Patra, Vigyapan).

  • Mar 1 (Evening): Go through your pre-prepared notes. Do not try to read the whole textbook now.

Exam 6: Social Science (Mar 7)

• Gap: 4 Days (Mar 3, 4, 5, 6) – Luxury Gap!

• Plan:

  • Mar 3: History (The most time-consuming part).

  • Mar 4: Civics (Political Science) + Economics.

  • Mar 5: Geography + Map Work (Practice locating dams, airports, soil types).

  • Mar 6: Full syllabus revision + 1 Sample Paper to check writing speed.

Pro-Tips for 2026 Pattern

1. Competency Questions: 50% of your paper will be competency-based (Case studies, MCQs, Assertion-Reasoning). Don’t just memorize; understand the why.

2. Step-Marking: In Maths and Science, even if your final answer is wrong, you get marks for the steps. Write the formula and substitution clearly.

3. Handwriting: In languages and SST, presentation matters. Use bullet points and underline keywords.