Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

Tamil Nadu State Board (DGE) Exams for 2026 commenced in Tamil Nadu on Monday, with students appearing for their first board exam across various centres in the city.

The Plus Two (Class 12) public examinations will continue until the 26th of this month. On the first day, examinations for language papers, including Tamil, are being conducted. A total of 8,27,475 students are appearing for the exam at 3,412 examination centres set up across the state.

At the Government Higher Secondary School in the Arumbakkam area of Chennai, students arrived early in the morning, accompanied by their parents and teachers. School authorities made necessary arrangements to ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the examinations.

Officials stated that all required facilities, including adequate seating, drinking water, and security arrangements, have been put in place at the examination centres.

School authorities were present at the centres to oversee the examination process and ensure that all guidelines were properly followed.

Students were seen entering the examination hall with confidence and determination as they began this crucial phase of their academic journey.

Meanwhile, in a significant shift in evaluation methodology, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to reintroduce On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12 Board examinations beginning 2026, aiming to enhance efficiency, transparency and accuracy in the assessment process.OSM is a digital system in which scanned answer sheets are evaluated by teachers on computers, with marks calculated automatically by software.

In a circular dated February 9 addressed to principals and heads of all CBSE-affiliated schools, the Board said that while Class 12 answer books will be evaluated through the digital system from 2026, Class 10 answer books will continue to be evaluated in physical mode for now.

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CBSE is conducting the Secondary and Senior Secondary Board Examinations 2026 for the students of more than 31,000 schools affiliated to it in India and 26 countries abroad from February 17 to April 10.

About 46 lakh students are appearing for these examinations at more than 8074 centres across the country and abroad. (