Kamal Ghorui
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has published a comprehensive schedule for the submission of the List of Candidates (LOC) for the Class 10 Second Board Exam 2026. The CBSE has linked the LOC process with the declaration of results, providing only limited time to complete formalities. The first phase for fee deposit and submission of the LOC is from April 16 (noon) to April 20, 2026.A second phase overlaps the same dates, while a final window, with late fee penalties, has been scheduled from April 21 to April 22, 2026.
Who can apply, and who cannot
The circular widens access while drawing firm eligibility lines. Students who missed registration during the first LOC phase can now submit their names, while those already registered must complete fee payment within the stipulated timeline.Candidates who had earlier opted in but no longer wish to appear are allowed to withdraw. However, students placed in the ‘Essential Repeat’ (ER) category have been barred from appearing in the second examination.For compartment candidates, the rules remain nuanced. These options are available either under the same head or performance improvement, but the LOC process of these candidates shall be processed only by their individual institutions.
Mathematics options flexibility provided
The Central Board of Secondary Education has allowed students to change from Mathematics (Standard) to Mathematics (Basic) in the second attempt.However, the board has drawn a hard line on other subjects, no changes will be allowed beyond Mathematics. This reinforces the examination’s focus on structured improvement rather than wholesale subject reshuffling.
Improvement opportunity in three core subjects
Candidates who have appeared and cleared the major examination would be provided an opportunity to better their scores in up to three subjects, which include Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and Languages.The second test will be based entirely on the syllabus of the main board examination 2026, thus leaving no room for any ambiguity regarding the content.
CBSE LOC 2026: Fee structure
The fee framework reflects a clear penalty for delay. For candidates in India, the normal fee stands at Rs. 320 per subject, amounting to Rs. 960 for three subjects. This rises steeply to Rs. 3,300 under late fee conditions.For international candidates, the cost escalates further, with fees reaching Rs. 6,600 for three subjects. An additional late fee of Rs. 2,000 per candidate will be imposed if deadlines are missed.The CBSE has made it compulsory for all dues to be paid via digital means only, i.e., by using either debit/credit cards, UPI, NEFT, RTGS, or net banking.No offline transactions, including direct bank transfers, will be entertained in any case. It is advised that no offline transaction will be accounted for, and the corresponding LOC applications will also be disallowed.
