CBSE issues new guidelines for schools for 2025-26 board exams

New Delhi: CBSE or Central Board of Secondary Education has issued a new list of instructions for schools ahead of the 2025-26 board exams in which submission of List of Candidates (LOC) has been made compulsory. In case the name of a student is not there in the LOC, the student shall not be allowed to appear for the examinations.

According to the letter issued by the board to the school, “Submission of the List of Candidates (LOC) for Class X and XII is the most important activity towards preparation for the conduct of the Board’s Examinations every year.”

The circular explains all the action required to be taken by schools in this regard and is divided in IV Parts for convenience. Principals are requested to go through each part, understand and initiate action so that correct and timely submission of LOC for all candidates of Class
X/XII can be undertaken by them.

This LOC is for the first examinations of Class X. The First Board is mandatory for all candidates. LOC for the Second Board Examination for Class X will be filled any time after the First Examination for Class X is over.

Schools should conduct a detailed orientation of students of Class X and their parents wherein they are informed about the Second Board examination to be conducted by the Board in the month of May 2026. Further, students should be informed that the same subjects filled by the school in this LOC for candidates can be opted during the Second Board examination.

Other than this, schools across India, have been directed to fill the LOC only for candidates who have the APPAR id. APAAR or Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry ids is a centralized academic profile for every student. APAAR empowers students to accumulate and store their academic accomplishments, facilitating seamless transitions between institutions for the pursuit of further education.

The APAAR ID simplifies the processes of credit recognition and transfer right from the school level, thereby streamlining academic progression and recognition of prior learning.

It has been created to prevent duplication or fraud in exams. LOC can be filled only incase of students who have APPAR id. CBSE has added that, the submission of correct student data and the subjects of examination is of utmost importance. It is worth mentioning here that, schools situated abroad are exempted from APAAR because of various administrative reasons and laws in those countries.