The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued guidelines for conducting Practical Examinations, Project Assessments and Internal Assessments for Classes 10 and 12 in winter-bound schools for the 2026-27 academic session. According to the latest circular, practical examinations in these schools will be conducted from November 9 to December 6, 2026.The board has asked all winter-bound schools affiliated with CBSE to complete the examinations and upload the marks within the prescribed schedule. Schools have also been instructed to follow the guidelines carefully to avoid errors during the examination and marks-uploading process.The notice also includes instructions on the appointment of external examiners, preparation of student batches, uploading of photographs and maintenance of answer books.
CBSE practical exams 2026-27 : Important dates
Practical examinations, project assessments and internal assessments for Classes 10 and 12 in winter-bound schools will be held between November 9 and December 6, 2026.For other CBSE-affiliated schools in India and abroad, practical examinations for the 2026-27 session are scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027.The board has clarified that winter-bound schools should complete their practical examinations within the separate schedule announced for them. No extension will be given for uploading marks after the prescribed deadline.
CBSE practical exams 2026-27: Instructions for schools
CBSE has issued several instructions for schools to ensure that practical examinations and assessments are conducted properly.
- Schools must prepare the final list of candidates appearing for practical examinations. Students whose names have not been submitted through the online List of Candidates (LOC) will also be allowed to appear for the practical examinations or internal assessments.
- Schools must contact their respective regional offices for the appointment of external examiners and observers, wherever required.
- Practical examinations and internal assessments must be completed within the prescribed schedule.
- Schools must upload the marks immediately after the completion of the examinations.
- The marks awarded to students must be entered carefully. No correction will be allowed after finalisation and completion of the marks-uploading process.
- Schools must ensure that all answer books are properly maintained and dispatched to the concerned regional offices.
Class 10 practical examination guidelines
For regular students of winter-bound schools, practical examinations and internal assessments will be conducted by the schools themselves.CBSE will not appoint external examiners for Class 10 practical examinations. Schools will also have to make their own arrangements for answer books and other examination requirements.The board has instructed schools to upload the marks through the link provided for this purpose. There is no requirement to send hard copies of the award lists to the concerned regional office.
Class 12 practical examination guidelines
For Class 12, practical examinations and project assessments for regular students will be conducted in schools under the supervision of external examiners appointed by CBSE.The board will appoint external examiners for each school. Schools are not allowed to make alternate arrangements for practical examinations or project assessments at the local level.CBSE has also directed schools to ensure the presence of external examiners and observers, wherever appointed, during the examinations.
Batch formation and photograph upload
According to the guidelines, schools can create batches of 30 students for each subject. If the number of students is higher, schools must divide them into appropriate batches.The board has also instructed schools to upload photographs of the practical examinations through the designated link. For each batch, schools must upload photographs showing the presence of students, the external examiner, the internal examiner and the observer, wherever applicable.The photographs must clearly show the laboratory or examination area. Schools must also ensure that the photographs are properly geotagged and time-tagged.
Marks uploading and attendance requirements
CBSE has directed schools and examiners to upload marks immediately after the completion of practical examinations and assessments. Schools must check the entries carefully before finalising them.For Class 12, external examiners will have to create batches, upload marks, generate award lists and complete the required procedures through the Pariksha Sangam portal.For Class 10, schools will upload internal assessment and practical examination marks through the designated portal.The board has also instructed schools to maintain proper attendance sheets for students appearing in practical examinations. These sheets must be downloaded from the website and preserved by the schools.CBSE has warned that no changes in marks will be allowed after the finalisation of the marks-uploading process. Schools and examiners have therefore been asked to check all entries before submitting them.The board has also stated that failure to follow the prescribed instructions may lead to action against the concerned school or examiner as per applicable rules.
