CBSE board exam update: APAAR IDs mandatory for students from 2026-27; here’s what it means

CBSE Update: APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) IDs will soon become compulsory for the students to register for the board exams.

Published: February 20, 2026 6:20 PM IST

CBSE Update: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced major updates for the upcoming board exams. The 2026-27 academic session of the board will not allow the students to register for the examination without an APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID. In addition, from the year 2028, the board exams for subjects like maths, science, and social science will be conducted on two levels.

APAAR ID for board examination registration

The Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID will act as the digital identity for students’ academics. It will also store the full-fledged academic records with security. The CBSE board has mentioned that from the 2026-27 session, the students of classes 9 to 12 must ensure that they provide their APAAR ID while registering and filling out the list of candidates. The registration of the students without the APAAR ID will not be accepted. The latest review also highlights that by the session 2025-26, not even 50 per cent of the students had an APAAR ID.

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APAAR ID data in different states

The data issued by the board reveals that in West Bengal, not even 10 per cent of Class 9 students and 18 per cent of Class 11 students have the APAAR IDs. On the other hand, the figures in Haryana were such that almost 54 per cent of Class 9 and Class 11 students have their IDs registered. The board has directed the affiliated schools to work closely and improve the registration numbers before the rules are put into effect.

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CBSE Class 10 exams update

From the year 2028, the board will conduct the Class 10 board exams for subjects like maths, science, and social science at two levels. From the academic session 2026-27, the students belonging to Class 9 will study subjects at two levels, i.e., Standard and Advanced.

The board aims to create an organised, digital, and student-friendly education system for the students and affiliated schools in the upcoming years.

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