HPBOSE Class 10, 12 Exams to Begin March 3; Question Paper Series Abolished

Dharamshala, January 24, 2026: The Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE) will conduct the annual examinations for Class 10 and Class 12 students—including regular and Himachal Pradesh State Open School (HPSOS) candidates—from March 3, 2026, simultaneously across the state. In a significant reform aimed at enhancing transparency and fairness, the Board has scrapped the long-standing A, B, and C series system of question papers.

Announcing the examination schedule at a press conference on Friday, HPBOSE Chairman Dr. Rajesh Sharma said that while all students will now receive identical question papers, the sequence of questions will be shuffled to prevent malpractice. He stated that this move would ensure uniform evaluation standards and enhance the credibility of the merit list.

In line with the National Education Policy (NEP), Dr. Sharma said the Board has modernized the examination pattern to better align school education with national-level competitive examinations such as JEE and NEET. Under the revised scheme, 20 percent of the total marks in each subject will be based on Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

To ease examination anxiety among students, HPBOSE has uploaded model question papers and a comprehensive question bank on its official website, allowing candidates to familiarize themselves with the new pattern well in advance.

The Board has also set an ambitious target to declare results in record time. “Special evaluation centres will be established, and assessment work will be carried out on a war footing,” Dr. Sharma said, adding that HPBOSE aims to announce the results by April 30, 2026.

For ensuring strict vigilance, all examination centres will be monitored through CCTV cameras from the Board’s headquarters in Dharamshala. Special flying squads have been constituted for sensitive and highly sensitive centres. The Chairman cautioned that any instance of mass copying or indiscipline would result in cancellation of the examination at the concerned centre, along with stringent action against the responsible staff.

He further informed that practical examinations will be conducted between February 20 and February 28, and roll numbers along with admit cards will soon be made available to schools through the online portal.

Dr. Rajesh Sharma appealed to students, parents, and teachers to extend full cooperation in conducting fair, transparent, and malpractice-free examinations across Himachal Pradesh.