The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a provision for Class 12 students unable to attend their Hindi examination on 15 March 2025 due to Holi celebrations. In such cases, these students will be given the opportunity to take the exam at a later date. This special examination will be conducted in accordance with the Board’s existing policy, which provides a similar arrangement for students who miss exams due to participation in national or international-level sports events.

According to the official notice released by CBSE, “It has been informed to CBSE that, although the festival of Holi will be celebrated on 14 March 2025 in most parts of the country, in some regions, either the celebrations will take place on 15 March or may extend into that day.” Acknowledging these circumstances, the Board has affirmed that the Hindi examination will proceed as planned on 15 March. However, students who find it challenging to attend the exam due to ongoing local festivities will be allowed to opt out on that date. Such students will be permitted to sit for a special exam held at a later time.

A Class 12 student preparing for this year’s board examinations welcomed the decision, stating, “The move will make it convenient for the students celebrating Holi on either of the days.” 

The board examinations for Class 10 and Class 12 commenced on 15 February 2025. The Class 10 exams are set to conclude on 18 March, while the Class 12 exams will end on 4 April 2025. These dates remain unchanged despite the provision for the special Hindi examination.

In an earlier development, the CBSE had also proposed significant changes to the examination format for Class 10 students, starting from the academic year 2026. The proposal introduces the possibility of two board examinations, allowing students an additional chance to improve their scores. Under this system, students will have the flexibility to retake the examination in any number of subjects they wish to improve, without changing the current exam structure. This initiative aims to reduce exam-related stress and provide students with a better chance to enhance their academic performance.