Failing one or two subjects in the CBSE Class 10 board exam does not mean you have failed the year entirely. CBSE has a structured compartment exam system that gives students a second chance. This guide explains everything — who can appear, how to apply, what the exam covers, how to pass it, and what happens to your result and marksheet once you do.
What Is the CBSE Class 10 Compartment Exam?
The CBSE compartment exam is a supplementary board examination held approximately 6–8 weeks after the main Class 10 results are announced. It is designed for students who failed in one or two subjects — giving them a chance to clear those subjects without repeating the entire academic year.
A student who receives an E grade (below 33 out of 100) in a subject is placed in compartment for that subject. The compartment exam is the same format and difficulty level as the main board exam. If a student passes the compartment exam, their result is updated from "Compartment" to "Pass" and they receive a pass certificate.
Key point: Compartment is not a permanent failure. It is a structured second attempt. Many students clear compartment and go on to Class 11 without any long-term impact on their academic path.
Who Is Eligible for the Compartment Exam?
| Situation | Eligible for Compartment? |
|---|---|
| Failed in 1 subject (E grade in 1 subject only) | ✅ Yes — appear for compartment in that subject |
| Failed in 2 subjects (E grade in 2 subjects) | ✅ Yes — appear for compartment in both subjects |
| Failed in 3 or more subjects | ❌ No — must repeat the full year |
| Passed all subjects but wants to improve marks | ❌ No — use the Improvement Exam instead (next year) |
| Absent in a subject during main exam | ❌ No — absence is treated differently, not as compartment |
E grade means below 33 out of 100 combined (theory + internal assessment together). It is not just theory marks. If your theory marks are low but internal assessment was strong and the combined total is 33 or above, you have passed — no compartment.
See our Passing Criteria 2026 guide for exactly how the 33-mark threshold is calculated.
Compartment Exam Timeline 2026
CBSE has not yet announced the exact 2026 compartment exam dates. Based on the standard pattern from previous years, here is when each stage typically happens:
Always verify dates on cbse.gov.in. Exact dates change year to year. CBSE announces the official schedule on their website when results are declared. Your school will also inform you directly if you are in compartment.
How to Apply for the Compartment Exam
You do not apply for the compartment exam directly as a student. The application process goes through your school. Here is how it works:
Your school receives your compartment notification
After results are declared, CBSE notifies schools about which students are in compartment. Your school will call you or your parents to inform you.
Visit your school immediately
Go to school as soon as possible after results. Do not wait. The application window is short — typically 7–14 days — and missing it has serious consequences.
School fills the online form on your behalf
Your school logs into the CBSE portal and submits your compartment application, specifying which subjects you are appearing for. You will need to pay the exam fee at this step.
Collect your admit card
CBSE issues admit cards approximately 2 weeks before the exam. Collect it from your school and verify all details — name, roll number, exam centre, and subjects.
Appear for the exam
Appear at the designated exam centre on the specified date. Bring your admit card and a valid school ID. The exam format is identical to the main board exam.
Compartment Exam Fees
CBSE charges a fee per subject for the compartment exam. The fees below are based on the 2025 schedule — exact 2026 fees will be announced by CBSE when the application window opens.
| Category | Fee Per Subject (approx.) |
|---|---|
| General / OBC students | ₹300 per subject |
| SC / ST students | ₹50 per subject |
| Students with disabilities (PwD) | ₹50 per subject |
Late fee: If the application is submitted after the regular deadline (during the grace period CBSE sometimes allows), a late fee of ₹2000 is added on top of the regular fee. This is another reason to visit your school immediately after results.
Syllabus and Exam Pattern
The compartment exam covers the full syllabus of the subject — exactly the same as the main board exam. There is no reduced syllabus or special paper for compartment students.
Theory Paper
80 marks, 3 hours duration. Same question paper pattern, same marking scheme, same difficulty level as the main board exam held in February–March.
Internal Assessment
The 20 marks from internal assessment (periodic tests, notebooks, enrichment) are carried forward from the main exam. You do not redo internal assessment for the compartment exam.
Good news about internal assessment: If your school gave you strong IA marks (say 17 or 18 out of 20), those marks are already in your favour going into the compartment exam. You only need to score enough on the 80-mark theory paper to make the combined total reach 33.
For example: if your IA was 16/20, you only need 17/80 on the theory paper to pass (16 + 17 = 33). That is just 21% on the theory paper.
Passing the Compartment Exam
The passing threshold is the same as the main exam — 33 out of 100 combined (theory + internal assessment). Since your IA marks carry forward, the actual theory marks you need depends on your IA score.
| Your IA Marks (out of 20) | Minimum Theory Marks Needed (out of 80) | Combined Total |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 13 | 33 |
| 18 | 15 | 33 |
| 16 | 17 | 33 |
| 14 | 19 | 33 |
| 12 | 21 | 33 |
| 10 | 23 | 33 |
What Happens If You Fail the Compartment Exam Too?
If a student fails the compartment exam (combined total still below 33), they are given one more opportunity the following year through the regular board exam or improvement exam process. They do not automatically pass — they must appear again. This situation typically delays Class 11 admission by a full year, which is why preparing seriously for the compartment exam matters.
Do not take compartment lightly. The exam is in July, which gives you roughly 6–8 weeks after main results. That is enough time to prepare properly for one or two subjects if you start immediately. Students who underestimate it and fail again face a significant delay.
How Compartment Results Appear on Your Marksheet
This is one of the most commonly asked questions and the answer is reassuring for most students.
When you pass the compartment exam, CBSE issues a fresh Pass Certificate and an updated marksheet. The new marksheet shows your compartment exam marks for the failed subject — the fact that you appeared in compartment is not explicitly written on the pass certificate itself.
However, the marksheet does show the year and session in which marks were obtained. A school that looks closely will notice that one subject shows marks from the July session rather than the March session, which indicates a compartment appearance. In practice, most schools and colleges do not scrutinise this for Class 11 admission — they look at your final marks and CGPA, not at which session you cleared the subject.
DigiLocker: Your updated pass marksheet and pass certificate become available on DigiLocker once compartment results are declared. See our DigiLocker guide for how to access and download them.
Does Compartment Affect Class 11 Admission?
This depends on two things — your final marks after clearing compartment, and the school you are applying to.
- Stream eligibility: Calculated on your final updated marks after compartment. If you pass the failed subject and your overall percentage now meets a school's cutoff, you are eligible for that stream. Compartment does not permanently bar any stream.
- Timing: Since compartment results come out in August, you will miss the first round of Class 11 admissions which typically happens in June–July. Most schools hold a second admission round in August–September specifically for compartment students. You will need to apply in that round.
- Competitive schools: Schools with very high cutoffs (like Delhi government schools or popular private schools) may have already filled all seats by August. In this case you may need to look at schools with a second round or slightly lower cutoffs.
Bottom line: Clearing compartment means you are fully eligible for Class 11 admission. The only practical impact is a slight delay in the admission timeline — you apply in August instead of June. Your stream options depend entirely on your final marks, not on the fact that you appeared in compartment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you have an E grade in exactly 2 subjects, you can appear for both in the same compartment exam session. Both exams are held in July and you apply for both through your school in a single application.
No. The compartment exam follows the same syllabus, pattern, and marking scheme as the main board exam. The difficulty level is comparable. In some years students report the compartment paper being slightly easier, in others slightly harder — there is no consistent pattern.
The word "compartment" does not appear on your pass certificate. However, your marksheet will show that the subject was cleared in the July supplementary session rather than the March main session, which a careful reader can notice. For most practical purposes — Class 11 admission, college applications — this does not create problems.
Yes. The minimum passing mark is 33 out of 100 combined (theory + internal assessment). A combined total of 32 is a fail and you will receive an E grade and a compartment in that subject. There is no grace mark system in CBSE Class 10.
You must appear in compartment for every subject in which you received an E grade. You cannot skip one of the failed subjects — all subjects with E grades must be cleared, either in the current compartment session or in subsequent attempts.
Yes. After clearing compartment, your marks for that subject are updated. Your CGPA is recalculated using the new marks. If the subject is one of your Best of 5, the new marks directly improve your CGPA and percentage. Use our Percentage Calculator to estimate your updated percentage.
No age limit applies to the CBSE compartment exam. Any student who received an E grade in the main board exam and is eligible (failed in 1 or 2 subjects) can appear regardless of age.
Check if you actually need compartment
Use our Passing Criteria checker — enter your theory and internal assessment marks to see your exact pass or compartment verdict for each subject.
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