CBSE Board Exams 2026 Begin: 'Nervous Yet Excited' Students Take First Step Towards Big Day

New Delhi: The much-awaited CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 Board Exams 2026 began on Tuesday, bringing lakhs of students to examination centres across the country. With admit cards, stationery and months of preparation in hand, students appeared for their first papers as the board examination season officially got underway.

The opening day saw a combination of nervousness, excitement, and confidence among students. At several examination centres, parents accompanied their children and offered encouragement before they entered the exam halls.

At Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Moti Bagh, parents were seen dropping off students and giving them last-minute advice before the first examination. For many families, the day marked the culmination of months of preparation, coaching, and regular revision.

The first day brought a range of emotions for students, with some feeling anxious about the question paper while others remained confident about their preparation. Speaking to ANI, student Jamuna Thapa described the experience as both exciting and nerve-racking.

"I am feeling nervous, yet excited to try something new. Preparation is going quite well. We'll know when we see the exam paper. I've also taken coaching for this and have extra classes. It feels good that we've been given the opportunity to have two board exams.

Today, the first exam is math." For students who have spent the academic year preparing for the board examinations, the first paper also provided an opportunity to put their preparation to the test. Parents have also remained closely involved in their children's preparation in the run-up to the examinations.

At the Moti Bagh centre, parents were seen accompanying students and ensuring they reached the venue on time. A student's parent, Dilip Kumar, spoke about the preparation his daughter had undertaken, and the support provided at home.

"Today is my daughter's first exam. We had prepared her well. I used to ask her in the morning and evening, and as soon as she returned from duty, about how her preparation was going. I used to tell her my exam-related experience.

I had also arranged online coaching for her. Now let's see what happens and how she will give her exam. Only after giving the exam, will we know how much preparation has been done and how much more needs to be." His comments reflected the role families often play during board exam preparation, from monitoring revision to arranging additional academic support.

Students arriving at centres were not only focused on the pressure associated with board exams but were also looking ahead with confidence. Siddharth, a student from Bengaluru, Karnataka, said he was confident about his performance after studying consistently throughout the year.

"It's very nice. I'm very confident about my exam. I've done all the hard work. We'll see what happens. It's all in God's hands now... Today is our maths paper... I have a tuition teacher. I've been studying a lot throughout the whole year.

I'm very confident about it." His comments underline confidence among students who believe their sustained preparation will help them tackle the first paper.