The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Bihar has officially released the Annual Examination Schedule 2026 for Classes 1 to 8 in government and government-aided schools across the state. The exams will be conducted from March 12 to March 19, 2026, with several new reforms introduced to ensure a more systematic, transparent, and structured evaluation process.
This update is crucial for students, parents, and teachers in Bihar, as over lakhs of students from primary and upper primary levels will appear for these examinations under the revised system.
Bihar Annual Exam 2026: Shift Timings
The examinations will be conducted in two shifts daily:
- First Shift: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Second Shift: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Classes 1 & 2: Viva Voce (Oral Exams)
- Classes 3 to 8: Written Exams
Question papers will be made available through the e-Shiksha Kosh Portal, ensuring streamlined distribution.
New Answer Sheet System Introduced
A major reform has been implemented this year. Earlier, students wrote answers directly on question papers. Now:
- Classes 3 to 8 will receive separate answer sheets.
- Students must write responses only on designated answer sheets.
The Bihar State Textbook Publishing Corporation Limited will dispatch answer sheets to district education offices by March 5 and 6.
- Block Education Officers will distribute them to schools.
- Final distribution to all schools will be completed by March 9 and 10.
This change aims to improve transparency and streamline the evaluation process.
Evaluation & Result Timeline
- Answer Sheet Evaluation: March 19–24, 2026
- Evaluation to be completed within four working days (excluding Eid and Bihar Day).
- Progress Reports Prepared By: March 25, 2026
- Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs): March 30, 2026
During PTMs, evaluated answer sheets will be shown to parents for better understanding of students’ performance.
New Evaluation Process: Co-Curricular Grading
In addition to written exams, students will be assessed on 12 co-curricular activities, including:
- Regular attendance
- Creativity
- Sports participation
- Cleanliness
- Behaviour and discipline
A separate assessment format will be provided to schools for this purpose.
Special Academic Support Strategy
Special improvement plans will be created not only for students securing Grade E, but also for those with Grades C and D. The goal is to provide targeted support so that students can achieve Grades A and B in the future.
CLASS 1 TO 8 ANNUAL EXAM 2026 SCHEDULE
March 12
- 1st Shift: Environmental Studies / Social Science (Classes 3–8)
- 2nd Shift: Language – Hindi / Urdu (Classes 1 & 2 – Viva Voce)
March 14
- 1st Shift: Hindi / Urdu (Classes 3–8)
- 2nd Shift: Hindi for Non-Hindi Speaking Students (Classes 3–8)
March 16
- 1st Shift: Maths (Classes 3–5)
- 2nd Shift: Maths (Classes 6–8)
March 17
- 1st Shift: English (Classes 3–5)
- 2nd Shift: English (Classes 6–8)
March 18
- 1st Shift: Science (Classes 6–8)
- 2nd Shift: Sanskrit (Classes 6–8)
March 19
- 1st Shift: Maths (Classes 1 & 2 – Viva Voce)
- 2nd Shift: English (Classes 1 & 2 – Viva Voce)
Quick Reference Summary
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Dates | March 12 – March 19, 2026 |
| Classes Covered | 1 to 8 |
| Mode | Written (3–8), Viva (1–2) |
| Shifts | 10 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–3 PM |
| Evaluation Period | March 19–24, 2026 |
| Progress Report | March 25, 2026 |
| PTM Date | March 30, 2026 |
| Question Paper Portal | e-Shiksha Kosh |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
| When will Bihar Class 1–8 annual exams 2026 begin? |
| The exams will begin on March 12, 2026. |
| What is the last exam date? |
| The exams will conclude on March 19, 2026. |
| Are Classes 1 and 2 having written exams? |
| No, Classes 1 and 2 will have Viva Voce (oral) exams. |
| What is the new answer sheet system? |
| Classes 3–8 will write answers on separate answer sheets instead of question papers. |
| When will evaluation be completed? |
| Evaluation will take place from March 19 to March 24, 2026. |
| When will progress reports be prepared? |
| By March 25, 2026. |
| What is the PTM date? |
| Parent-Teacher Meetings will be held on March 30, 2026. |
| Will co-curricular activities be graded? |
| Yes, students will be evaluated on 12 co-curricular activities. |
The Bihar Class 1–8 Annual Examination 2026 introduces a more transparent and structured evaluation system, including separate answer sheets, co-curricular grading, and focused academic support plans. With exams scheduled from March 12 to March 19, students and parents should prepare accordingly. For further updates, refer to official SCERT Bihar notifications and bookmark this page for timely exam-related information, for more details CLICK HERE
