Bhubaneswar/ New Delhi, February 16: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for all students to appear in the first Class 10 Board exam. The board also announced that students who miss three or more subjects in the first exam will not be eligible to take the second attempt.

In a letter issued on Saturday, CBSE clarified that attendance for the first examination is compulsory. This decision follows numerous requests from students who cited various reasons for being unable to attend the first Board exam, seeking permission to appear in the second exam instead.

CBSE's letter stated that all students must appear for the first Board exam, and those who pass will have the opportunity to improve their performance in up to three subjects, including Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and Languages.

The letter further explained that if a student misses three or more subjects in the first examination, they will be disqualified from the second exam and placed in the "Essential Repeat" category. These students will only be able to sit for the exam in the following year’s main exam, scheduled for February.

Additionally, students who receive a 'Compartment' result in the first exam will be allowed to appear for the second exam under the 'Compartment' category. However, no additional subjects will be allowed after passing Class X, and students will not be eligible for stand-alone subjects.

The eligibility criteria for the second examination, according to CBSE, include: