CBSE Class 10th Second Board Exam 2026 LOC Window Opens: Application Steps, Guidelines, Fees, Eligibility & More

The List of Candidates (LOC) appearing in CBSE class 10th second board exam 2026 can be submitted in three phases, starting 18th March 2026. Find complete schedule, eligibility criteria, application fee and more here.

Central Board of Secondary Education in India, on 17th March 2026, released the official notice announcing the opening of the List of Candidates (LOC) window for class 10th second board exam 2026. The LOC window will open in three phases with the first phases beginning from 18th March 2026. The window offers a second chance to class 10th students to improve their performances in up to three subjects under the Two Board Examination Policy. The 10th second round board exam date 2026 is expected to be scheduled for May. 

CBSE 10th board exams 2026 concluded on 11th March 2026. The CBSE class 10th result date 2026 has not yet been announced. Find out complete details about the LOC submission, including official dates, fees, guidelines, eligibility criteria and more. 

Here is the link to CBSE’s official notice for LOC window opening: Direct Link

How to Download the Official Class 10th LOC Window Notice 

Downloading the official CBSE notice for opening of LOC window will offer complete insights into guidelines, instructions, eligibility and more. You can either download the official PDF from the direct link given above, or follow these steps:

1. Visit CBSE’s official website at https://www.cbse.gov.in/
2. Choose the ‘Main website’ option.
3. Click on ‘Submission of List of Candidates (LOC) for Class for Class X Second Board Examination – 2026 (2.74 MB) 17/03/2026 New_img’.
4. This will open the notice in a new tab. 
5. You can either view the notice in the new tab or download the file in your computer/mobile phone.

10th Second Board LOC Window – Official Dates & Schedule

The notice for LOC window opening for CBSE class 10th second board exam 2026 was released on 17th March 2026. It informs that the window will open in three phases : First phase (18th – 31st March 2026), Second phase (Next day after the declaration of results for 5 days), Third phase (7th day from the CBSE class 10th result date for 2 days). The fee payment window, however, will only open after the CBSE 10th board result 2026 is announced. Take a look at the schedule below:

Registrations will remain open till 11:59:59 PM of the last day of each phase. Further, names will be submitted by schools on behalf of students. LOC registration will require submitting names of the students and the names of the subject they wish to re-appear for. Further, students, teachers and other stakeholders are also informed of limited availability of exam centres for CBSE 10th second board exam 2026. Any request for change of allotted centres will not be entertained by the board. The CBSE 10th second board exams 2026 are expected to be conducted in May 2026, although no official date is announced yet. 

When to Submit LOC for Second Phase?

As discussed above, the LOC submission for class 10 second board exams 2026 is scheduled in three phases. While the names will be submitted by the school on students’ behalf, here is how students should approach it:

• If you’re fully sure of reappearing, submit your name in the class 10th second board exam LOC phase 1 itself ( from 18th March to 31st March).
• It is a better idea to wait for the result, finalise the subjects you wish to re-appear for, and then fill your name in the second LOC phase (next day after the result, active for 5 days)
• If you’ve still not submitted your name, be sure to submit it by the third LOC phase (opening after 7 days of CBSE class 10th result date, active for 2 days). 

Pro Tip: Students can register in the LOC in the first phase, without paying the fee. Once the cbse 10th board result is out, view your scores, re-assess the subjects and then pay the fees. This will help avoid missing your LOC submission while still buying time to choose the right subjects. 

Guidelines for Principals 

The LOC for CBSE 10th second board exams 2026 will be submitted by schools on behalf of students, with the Principal’s authorisation. Therefore, the board has issued the following instructions for school principals to follow:

• Guide students and parents on the rules for the Second Board Examinations and emphasize that this facility should be used only in cases of dire need.

• Inform them about the eligibility criteria for submission and the schedule for submission and fee payment.

• Notify that examination centres will be limited in number, so the allotted centre may not be the nearest one.

• Advise that students wishing to appear in the Second Board Examination for any reason should submit the LOC during the 1st phase (as this aids CBSE in advance planning for result declaration), however, students can decide finally after seeing their results.

• Explain that students who decide to appear based on their results can submit both the LOC and the examination fee during the 2nd phase.

• Clarify that candidates who appeared in the main examinations and are placed in the compartment category (or whose improvement subject criteria may change) need to re-submit their LOC afresh during the 2nd phase.

Guidelines for Students

CBSE has also issued guidelines for class 10th students preparing for the second board exams. Take a look at them below:

• It is compulsory for every student to take the first (main) Board examination.

• Students who pass and meet the eligibility rules may appear to improve their marks in up to three subjects chosen from Science, Mathematics, Social Science, or any language.

• If a student was absent in three or more subjects in the first examination, they are not allowed to appear in the second chance exam. Such students can only attempt the main exam again in the following year’s February session and will not be able to submit LOC for the second phase.

• Students declared Compartment in the first exam are permitted to reappear in the second examination under the Compartment category.

• No new student names can be added to the List of Candidates (LOC) for the second examination, only the ones who were registered for the first exam.

• Changing subjects from the first exam to the second exam is not permitted, except where allowed under CBSE policy for Mathematics.

• No corrections or changes to a student’s personal or registration details are allowed between the first and second examinations.

• Students from Middle Eastern countries where exams have been cancelled can submit their LOC in the second phase after CBSE 10th result 2026. 

• Students already registered under CWSN (Children with Special Needs) category in the first exam will continue to receive the same facilities in the second exam as provided by CBSE. No new candidates will be accepted under the CWSN category for the second examination.

Eligibility Criteria for CBSE Class 10th Second Board Exam 2026

CBSE class 10 students must adhere to the following requirements to be eligible for CBSE class 10th second board exams 2026:

• The student must have appeared in at least three subjects in the first (main) Board examination.
• Students marked Passed in the CBSE 10th board result are eligible to appear for improvement in their performance.
• Students placed in the Compartment category in the CBSE 10th result 2026 can appear in the second exam.
• Students who passed Class 10 by replacing the 6th subject are eligible.
• Students placed under the UFM (Unfair Means) category 1 may appear if they are otherwise eligible.
• Eligible categories include First/Third Chance Compartment.
• Compartment combined with Improvement is permitted.
• Improvement for students who passed by replacing a subject.
• Sports students who received special permission from the Board are eligible.
• If a student did not appear in three or more subjects in the first examination (for any reason, including illness), they are not eligible for the Second Board Examinations.
• Students placed in the ER (Essential Repeat) category are not eligible for the Second Board Examinations; they can attempt the main exams next year.

What Will Be The Fee for CBSE 10th Second Board Exams 2026?

CBSE will charge fees per subject while submitting an LOC for the second phase of class 10th board exams 2026. The fees will be accepted through digital channels only, including Debit Card, Credit Card, UPI and Internet Banking. No cash or direct bank deposits will be accepted. 

Take a look at the per subject charges for India, Nepal and other countries below:

The late fee charge will be applicable if the LOC data of the student is not finalised till the last date. Data finalisation is a step separate from the uploading of student information. 

What is the CBSE Two Exam Policy for Class 10th?

The “Two Exam Policy” of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) was officially announced on 25 June 2025 as part of major examination reforms aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy allows CBSE class 10 students to appear for board examinations twice in the same year. The first attempt pertains to the regular CBSE class 10th board exam 2026 cycle. If students are not satisfied with their score, they can submit their name in the LOC and appear in the second phase without waiting for the next year. The better of the two results will be considered as a candidate’s final CBSE 10th board result. 

The Two Exam Policy is set to be implemented from the 2026 academic session. While it is not officially declared, experts expect the second board exam date 2026 to fall in the month of May. The policy aims to minimise the high-risk pressure associated with a single-exam framework by supporting different learning paces and offering multiple attempts. 

CBSE Class 10th Result Date 2026

The CBSE 10th result date 2026 has not been officially announced. However, expert expect the class 10 CBSE result to be announced in the month of May based on previous year trends. The CBSE 10th Result 2025 was announced on May 13th, 2025. This year is also likely to follow a similar pattern.  

Click on the link below to check the date sheet of class 10 2026 CBSE board:

Revised_Class_X_Date_Sheet 2026

Written by Aayush Kukreja

Aayush is a writer and content strategist who turns personal stories into brand narratives. With an experience spanning diverse industries, rely on his writing for simplifying complex subjects & get in-depth insights - always with sharp wit.

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