CBSE Class 12 Eligibility Criteria: Educational Requirements, Attendance Criteria, Age Limit, Nationality

CBSE Class 12 board exam will commence on February 15, 2025, and end on April 4, 2025. All the papers will be held in a single shift for a duration of 3 hours, between 10.30 am and 1.30 pm. It is expected that more than 16 lakh students will write the CBSE Class 12 exams this year. 

Candidates appearing for the CBSE Class 12 exam 2025 should fulfil all the eligibility criteria set by the authority. They should also follow the exam day guidelines, which will be provided on the admit cards issued by CBSE. According to the guidelines, candidates must carry their admit card and school ID card to the examination centre for each exam. 

The board has also stated that students must report to the exam centres at least half an hour before the exam time. The invigilators will distribute the question papers and answer sheets at 10:15 AM.

CBSE Class 12 Eligibility Criteria

The Central Board of Secondary Education has set some criteria for candidates appearing for the CBSE class 12 exams 2025. Only those candidates who fulfil the CBSE class 12 eligibility criteria listed below can appear for the exam:

• Students need to complete the exam registration in Class 11 and must keep the registration card safely with them.
• Students also need to register in class 12 again. The details provided during class 12 registration should match the details on the class 11 registration card.
• Candidates should have passed the class 11 exam from CBSE or any CBSE-recognized board.
• Students must have obtained at least 75% attendance in class 12 till January 2025.
• CBSE sets no specific age limit for class 12 examination. However, the minimum age of the candidate should be 17 years.

CBSE Eligibility Criteria for Private Candidates

Private students can also appear for the CBSE class 12 exams 2025 if they fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Candidates who did not pass class 12 in the previous year and wish to reappear for the exams can appear as private candidates.
• Female candidates who are citizens of NCT of Delhi and have passed class 10 at least 2 years before can also appear for the exam.
• Physically disabled students who have passed the class 10 exam at least 2 years before.

CBSE Eligibility Criteria 2025: Attendance Rules for Class 12

CBSE has stated that candidates appearing for the class 12 board exams should have attained at least 75% attendance in class 12. Candidates with less than 75% attendance will not be eligible to appear for the CBSE Class 12 exams 2025. In some cases, CBSE may allow students with less than the minimum required attendance to appear for the examination. The lack of attendance will be considered if the student has any of the valid reasons given below:

• In case of a long illness, the candidate's attendance may be considered if they provide a valid medical certificate.
• Any profound tragedy, such as the loss of a parent or any such mishappening leading to a candidate's absence from school for a long period of time.
• The candidate's participation in sports at the national or international level is organized or recognized by CBSE/SGFI.

If a candidate does not achieve the minimum attendance required for any of the reasons listed above, they will still be eligible to appear for the class 12 board exam.

CBSE Class 12 Eligibility Criteria: Other Requirements

Below is a list of some other important requirements that the candidates need to fulfil as per the CBSE class 12 eligibility criteria. 

• The candidates must be citizens of India or Foreign residents of India (OCIs).
• The candidates must be physically and logically fit to appear for the exams.
• The candidates must not have been suspended from attending the CBSE exams or exams of any other board.
• Candidates must also note that the eligibility criteria of the CBSE board exam may change from time to time. That is why candidates must check the most recent updates regarding the eligibility criteria on the CBSE website before applying for the examination.

CBSE Class 12 Eligibility Criteria FAQs