The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared the Class 10 board examination results for 2026 on April 15, recording an overall pass percentage of 93.70%. The figure marks a marginal increase from last year’s 93.66%, reflecting steady academic performance across India and CBSE-affiliated schools abroad.
The examinations were conducted on a massive scale, covering 27,339 schools across India and 27 countries. A total of 24,71,777 students appeared, with over 1.63 crore answer sheets evaluated. The results were declared earlier than usual—nearly a month ahead of the typical mid-May timeline—enabled by digitised processes and the involvement of nearly 7 lakh evaluators.
Gender Performance Remains Stable
Girls once again outperformed boys, continuing a consistent trend. In 2026, girls recorded a pass percentage of 94.99%, while boys stood at 92.69%, showing slight improvement. The transgender category registered 87.50%, marking a noticeable decline compared to the previous year. Overall, gender-wise performance remained largely stable with only minor variations.
Large-Scale Examination Exercise
CBSE reaffirmed its position as one of the world’s largest examination bodies. The board conducted exams across 8,074 centres, utilising over 1,04,495 classrooms and deploying more than 2.08 lakh invigilators. On February 21, 2026, nearly 24.95 lakh students appeared for exams in a single day—described as the largest such exercise in CBSE’s history.
Southern Regions Continue to Excel
Regional data showed southern zones maintaining their dominance.
Trivandrum and Vijayawada emerged as top performers with a pass percentage of 99.79%, followed by Chennai at 99.58%. These regions have consistently surpassed national averages, supported by strong academic infrastructure and performance standards.
Institutional Performance Highlights
Among different school categories, centrally run institutions led the performance charts. Kendriya Vidyalayas recorded the highest pass percentage at 99.57%, followed by Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas at 99.42%.
Other institutions also performed well, with STSS schools achieving 97.42% and independent schools recording 93.77%, both above the national average. Government schools reported a pass percentage of 91.43%, while government-aided schools stood at 91.01%, placing them at the lower end of the performance spectrum.
With over 84 subjects offered at the secondary level, CBSE continues to manage one of the most extensive examination systems globally. Officials noted that the 2026 results represent a key phase in ongoing education reforms, as the board gradually transitions towards a more flexible two-exam system aimed at reducing student stress while maintaining academic standards.
