The Department of Elementary Education shifted the exams earlier this year to allow the 2026-27 academic session to start on April 1. Class 8 papers are tentatively scheduled for late February or early March, followed by Class 5 in March, with the official timetable due soon.
School principals must submit forms via the Shala Darpan portal for regular students in government schools, Sanskrit institutions, special-needs schools, private recognised schools, and madrasas. The process requires logging in, verifying pre-filled student data against school records, completing individual forms, and finalising with a generated application number before printing.
Director Sitaram Jat issued the directive emphasising online-only submissions. Roughly equal numbers appear for each class, with Class 5 slightly higher.
CBSE-affiliated schools remain exempt from these state board exams, a factor often cited by parents opting out of the Rajasthan system to spare younger children exam pressure.
The move aligns with broader efforts to streamline the academic calendar, though educators note the compressed timeline could intensify preparation demands. Results are expected by late April, enabling timely promotions and new admissions.
