Chennai: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday clarified that appearing for the first Class 10 public examination is mandatory, while the second examination scheduled later this year is only meant for students seeking to improve their scores.

The Class 10 board examinations conducted by CBSE are set to begin on February 17, with nearly 26 lakh students expected to appear across the country.

Under the National Education Policy, CBSE has introduced a system of conducting two board examinations in a year, which has led to confusion among students and parents regarding whether the second examination could be taken independently.

Clarifying the issue, CBSE said the second board examination, scheduled to be held from May 15 to June 1, is optional and intended solely as an opportunity for score improvement. Students will be allowed to appear for a maximum of three subjects in the second examination.

“It is compulsory for all students to appear for the first board examination. Only those who wish to improve their performance may opt for the second examination,” the board said.

CBSE further stated that students cannot appear for the second examination without having taken the first. If a student appears for both examinations, the higher of the two scores obtained in a subject will be considered for the final result, it added.