Aug 14, 2025: A proposal to allow students with certain types of disabilities to take their board exams at their own schools rather than outside centers has been approved by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The decision, cleared at a recent meeting of the board’s governing body, will be followed by detailed guidelines.

At the moment, children with special needs (CWSN) are placed in the same examination centers as other school students. The move, according to officials, aims to alleviate stress for students with particular disabilities, who may have trouble adjusting to unfamiliar environments during exams. “This year, nearly 40 lakh students appeared for the board examinations, including 135 Class XII students and 246 Class X students under the autism spectrum category,” the minutes of the meeting noted. It continued, "Being sensitive to the needs of such candidates, the board is of the opinion that adjusting to a new environment can be challenging and could affect their performance." The CBSE clarified that there will be no financial effects from the change. The examination committee endorsed the proposal but decided that a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) must be prepared to ensure the benefit reaches only eligible students and that examination security is maintained.

The governing body also approved a performance analysis of Class X mathematics to compare results between the basic and standard levels introduced in 2019-20, with the aim of reducing academic stress. Future teaching and assessment strategies will be informed by the findings of the study, which will track performance trends, regional and demographic variations, common errors, and learning gaps. A five-member expert panel, supported by CBSE’s research staff and data analysts, will conduct the review.