CBSE Class 10 Second Board Exams 2026: LOC Window Opens Today, Key Rules, Dates & Fees

<p><span data-contrast="auto">The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rolled out detailed guidelines for the Class 10 Second Board Examinations 2026, shortly after declaring the main results. Schools are now set to begin&nbsp;submitting&nbsp;the List of Candidates (LOC) from April 16 onwards, marking the start of the next crucial phase for students seeking improvement.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">From key dates to eligibility rules and fee deadlines,&nbsp;here&rsquo;s&nbsp;everything you need to know before applying.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-contrast="auto">LOC Submission Timeline and Fee Structure</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to CBSE&rsquo;s official notification, schools can&nbsp;submit&nbsp;the LOC between April 16 and April 20, 2026. During this period, both the first and second phase examination fees must be paid.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For those who miss this&nbsp;initial&nbsp;window, CBSE has&nbsp;provided&nbsp;a late submission option. Schools can complete the process on April 21 and April 22, but with an&nbsp;additional&nbsp;late fee.&nbsp;It is important to note that no submissions will be accepted after the deadline, and all applications must be completed online.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Who Can Apply and What Changes Are Allowed</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The board has clarified eligibility and flexibility for students appearing in the second exam.&nbsp;Students who missed the first phase still have the opportunity to apply by paying the required fee.&nbsp;Those who had already registered earlier are only&nbsp;required&nbsp;to complete the&nbsp;fee&nbsp;payment.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Candidates are also allowed to withdraw from the exam if they decide not to appear.&nbsp;A key highlight is the flexibility in Mathematics&nbsp;students&nbsp;can switch between Standard and Basic levels. However, no changes in other subjects will be&nbsp;permitted&nbsp;after submission.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Students can opt to improve their performance in up to three subjects. However, those placed under the Essential Repeat (ER) category are not eligible for this examination cycle. Compartment students, on the other hand, can appear as per existing rules, but only through their respective schools.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Important Instructions and Exam Conditions</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">CBSE has&nbsp;maintained&nbsp;that the syllabus for the second board exam will remain identical to the Main Examination 2026. Students under the CWSN category will continue to receive existing benefits, but no new registrations will be accepted under this category.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">If a student&nbsp;fails to&nbsp;appear in the second examination, their main exam result will be considered final. Additionally, once the LOC is&nbsp;submitted, no further changes will be entertained under any circumstances.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">"It is expected that the schools will read the guidelines carefully, collect the correct data of the students and submit the same correctly and strictly as per schedule," CBSE said in a statement.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Special Provision for Private and Compartment Candidates</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In a separate notice, CBSE has also invited applications from private candidates for the second board examinations. Students from the 2024&ndash;25 academic session who were placed in the compartment category, including those who did not appear&nbsp;previously,&nbsp;are eligible to apply under the third-chance compartment category.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The application process for these candidates will also be conducted online via the official CBSE portal. The fee payment schedule&nbsp;remains&nbsp;the same: April 16&ndash;20 without late fee and April 21&ndash;22 with late fee. The board has&nbsp;emphasised&nbsp;that no offline forms will be accepted under any circumstances.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>