CBSE 2027 boards: private candidates must apply by 23 October — after that it costs ₹2,000 more
CBSE is taking exam forms from private candidates for the February–April 2027 Class 10 and Class 12 board exams. Students who failed, got a compartment or want to improve their 2026 marks can apply online at the normal fee until 23 October, and with a ₹2,000 late fee until 30 October. Schools must also file regular students’ details by 21 October.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) opened online exam forms for private candidates on 8 October 2026, through two notices dated 7 October — one for Class 10 and one for Class 12. These students will sit the board's main examinations in February, March and April 2027, alongside regular students.
Who applies as a private candidate
- Students of 2025-26 declared Essential Repeat in the 2026 result.
- Students placed in compartment in the 2026 main and supplementary exams (second-chance compartment).
- Students declared Fail / Essential Repeat in any year from 2021 to 2026.
- Students who passed in 2026 and want to improve one or more subjects. Only those declared pass can apply for improvement, and only in subjects they took in 2026.
Everyone sits the exam on the 2027 syllabus posted on the CBSE academic website, not the syllabus they studied earlier.
Deadlines and fees
| Window | Dates | Fee (candidates in India) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal fee | 8 to 23 October 2026 | ₹320 per subject |
| With late fee | 24 to 30 October 2026 | ₹320 per subject + ₹2,000 |
- Class 12 practical subjects cost a further ₹160 each in India.
- Candidates in Nepal pay ₹1,100 per subject, and those in other countries ₹2,200.
- Fees are online only — net banking, debit or credit card. No drafts, no cheques, no offline forms.
Five things the notices warn about
- An unpaid form is rejected without notice. Many applicants fill in the details and never pay. Finish the payment.
- Choose your exam city carefully. The centre is allotted by the city you pick, and it will not be changed later.
- You can correct anything, including subjects and centre, until the last date — not after.
- Students from 2025 or earlier must type in their old roll number and year exactly. Wrong details get the form rejected.
- Fill the form yourself. CBSE says it will not accept "the cyber café made the mistake" as an excuse.
Regular students: check your school's entry by 21 October
For students in school, the step that matters is the school's List of Candidates (LOC). A reminder dated 9 October tells principals that the last date for Class 10 and 12 LOCs is 21 October 2026, and asks schools to brief parents on what happens when data is wrong. Ask your school to show you your name, date of birth and subjects before it submits — those details go onto your marksheet.
CareerBox News Desk — reporting on the Central Board of Secondary Education’s notices of 7 October 2026 on private-candidate forms for 2027 and its LOC reminder of 9 October 2026. Official portal: cbse.gov.in. Dates and eligibility change; confirm them on the official portal before you act.