Private candidates who want to sit the Class 12 board exams next year now have a clear window to apply. CBSE has thrown open online submission of examination forms for Senior Secondary (Class XII) private candidates for the 2026-2027 session, and the portal starts taking applications from 8 October 2026 (Thursday). These exams will be held alongside the Board’s main examinations in February, March and April 2027.
Here’s the part that trips up most applicants: everything is online, start to finish. No offline form, no offline fee, no hard copy to post to CBSE.
Who can apply as a CBSE private candidate for Class 12 2026-27
Four categories of students are covered:
- Candidates declared Essential Repeat in the 2026 Class XII result.
- Candidates placed in Compartment in the 2026 Main and Supplementary exams (Second Chance Compartment candidates).
- Candidates declared Fail/Essential Repeat in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026.
- Candidates who passed in 2025-2026 and want to improve their performance in one or more subjects.
Only students declared PASS in 2026 can apply under Improvement of Performance, and only for subjects they appeared in during the 2026 exam.
Where to apply and the fee schedule
Students apply through the “व्यक्तिगत परीक्षार्थी” (private candidate) link on the CBSE website: https://www.cbse.gov.in/newsite/private/index.html. The exam follows the syllabus posted at https://cbseacademic.nic.in/curriculum_2027.html.
| Fee type | Amount (India) | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Normal fee | 320/- per subject per candidate | 8 October 2026 to 23 October 2026 |
| With late fee | 2000/- extra, over the normal fee | 24 October 2026 to 30 October 2026 |
| Practical fee | 160/- per practical subject | — |
For Nepal, the fee is 1100/- per subject; for other countries, 2200/-. Practical fee is 175/- in Nepal and 375/- in other countries. Fees go only through online payment: Internet Banking, UPI, Debit Card or Credit Card in India. The last date for form submission and fee payment is the same, so don’t fill the form and leave the fee unpaid. If the fee isn’t remitted by the last date, the application is rejected without any notice.
Points candidates should watch
A valid, working email ID is a must for OTP verification. Photo and signature go up as jpg files within 40 KB. For students of 2026, name and other details auto-generate in the system; those from 2025 and earlier must enter their roll number and year of passing correctly, since wrong entries lead to rejection.
The exam centre city is allotted on the choice filled in the form, and once allotted it won’t be changed. An undertaking to that effect is part of the form. After paying, candidates can download their form and correct any detail, including subject and centre, up to the last submission date. A fresh roll number will be issued for the 2027 exams.
For eligibility, late fee and other queries, CBSE lists its helpline 1800-11-8002, open 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM on working days.