Kerala’s General Education Minister, V. Sivankutty, has officially announced the schedule for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and Higher Secondary Examinations (HSE) for the 2025–26 academic year. The announcement provides clarity for lakhs of students preparing for one of the state’s most significant academic assessments.

SSLC Examination Schedule 2026

The SSLC examinations will be held from March 5 to March 30, 2026, across 3,000 examination centres, including seven centres in Gulf countries and nine in Lakshadweep.

  • Evaluation Period: April 7 to April 25, 2026
  • Result Declaration (Tentative): May 8, 2026

This year, over 4.25 lakh students are expected to appear for the Kerala SSLC 2026 exams.

In the previous session (2025), the Kerala Board of Public Examination (KBPE) reported an outstanding 99.5% pass percentage, with Kannur district topping the list at 99.87% and Thiruvananthapuram recording 98.59%. Out of 4,27,021 students, 4,24,583 cleared the exam successfully, while 61,449 students secured A+ grades in all subjects. Additionally, 2,331 schools achieved a 100% pass rate, reflecting the state’s strong academic standards.

Higher Secondary and Vocational Exams 2026

The Higher Secondary (Plus One and Plus Two) and Vocational Higher Secondary examinations will also commence in March 2026.

  • Plus One (First Year): March 5 – March 27, 2026
  • Plus Two (Second Year): March 6 – March 28, 2026
  • Evaluation Period: Starting April 6, 2026

Nearly nine lakh students across Kerala will participate in these higher secondary examinations.

Pass Criteria

To qualify in the Kerala Class 10, 11, and 12 board examinations, students must secure a minimum of 33% marks in each subject as well as in the overall aggregate.

Preparation and Expectations

With the examination schedule announced well in advance, students now have ample time to prepare systematically. Kerala continues to maintain its reputation for academic excellence, consistently achieving high pass percentages and strong performance across districts.

The upcoming 2026 board exams are expected to uphold the state’s tradition of educational success, further strengthening Kerala’s standing as a leader in public education quality and student achievement.