CBSE issues revised guidelines, introduces data verification slip for LOC 2025-26

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced measures to streamline the process of board examinations.

Schools need to submit the List of Candidates (LOC) for the 2025-26 examination and generate a candidate-wise data verification slip, which is a first.

This is to allow corrections to in names, dates of birth, and subject codes between October 13 and 27. Once the window closes, CBSE has warned that no further changes will be allowed, putting a stop to last-minute requests that often delay preparations.

Another reform is the including children with Special Needs (CWSN) data with the LOC portal. Schools have been directed to upload details of CWSN candidates before the deadline to ensure automated relaxations during exams.

The educational body clarified that after the cut-off date, no student can be added under the CWSN category, and requests from schools or parents will not be considered.

For student identification, CBSE has made the APAAR ID mandatory for all Class 10 and 12 candidates in India. The initiative was announced earlier, but this is the first time where LOC submission itself will be blocked without APAAR linkage. Schools in other countries remain exempt due to local regulations.

CBSE has also laid down the responsibilities of schools, including uploading photographs of all candidates (especially those from earlier batches without Class 9 and 11 photos), maintaining accurate subject codes, and ensuring proper teacher-student ratios for evaluation duties. Further, only teachers handling Classes 9–10 or 11–12 may be listed to ensure eligible evaluators.

The examination for Classes 10 and 12 will be held in the summer of 2026, with a procedural changes to align with the new system.

For Class 10, schools will file the LOC only for the first exam in February, which is mandatory. A second LOC window will open after the February exam for students opting to appear again in May.