Last Day Today: CBSE Schools Have Until October 21 to File the Class 10, 12 Candidate List
Today is the last chance for schools to submit the CBSE candidate list without paying extra. The Central Board of Secondary Education closes the List of Candidates (LOC) submission for the 2027 Class 10 and 12 board examinations today, October 21, 2026, without a late fee. Any submission after this goes into the late-fee window.
The LOC process opened on September 24 for students appearing in the 2026-27 academic session. On Monday, CBSE sent a reminder to all affiliated schools to finish the job on time. This list matters more than it sounds: CBSE has made it clear that only students named in it will be allowed to sit for the board exams. For those following CBSE Class 10 and 12 board exams this year, this is the first big milestone on the road to the exams.
What the LOC is, and why students should care
The LOC is simply the list of students a school registers for the board examinations. The school enters each student’s personal details, chosen subjects, and other information through the official CBSE portal at cbse.gov.in. Parents and students do not submit anything themselves, but they must stay alert. Schools need to ensure every detail is accurate, because CBSE has said no changes will be entertained later.
Once the school shares the data verification slip, students and parents must check it at once. A wrong spelling in a name, a wrong date of birth, or a missing subject can cause real trouble later. These details flow into admit cards, results, and certificates.
Mistakes that can cost a student the board exam
CBSE has listed five points that school heads must follow:
- Submit correct data of students
- Submit correct subjects chosen by the students
- Submit the LOC within the given schedule
- Submit the LOC of all eligible students
- Pay the fee on time
School officials have been told to take special care while entering names. The spelling must match the admission records of the school. Parent and guardian names must be verified too. Schools that skip this step risk the disqualification of their students at a later stage.
“School heads must keep these points in mind to avoid disqualification of their students at a later stage.”
The board will use this data for several examination-related activities through the year. That is why it wants all eligible students included and every detail accurate.
The late-fee window: 2,000 rupees per candidate
Schools that fail to submit the LOC by today can complete the process from October 22 to October 30, 2026, but they must pay an additional late fee of 2,000 rupees per candidate on top of the regular examination fees. A separate schedule applied to schools paying through challan: their no-late-fee deadline was October 17, with a late window running until October 26.
Schools must complete the submission online and pay the applicable examination charges within the prescribed deadline. Students should contact their school authorities today itself to confirm their information has been entered correctly. Do not wait for the school to call you.
The datesheet is the next step to watch CBSE is expected to release the 2027 datesheet soon on its official website. Media reports suggest the Class 10 and 12 exams will likely be held between February 16 and April 8, 2027, but students should wait for the official announcement before planning around those dates.
Until then, the advice stays simple: finish the syllabus, work through sample papers, and solve previous years’ question papers. For students tracking this season’s exam calendar, CBSE’s process runs alongside other big updates this month, like the UGC NET December 2026 revised bulletin with new exam dates.
What students and parents should do today
- Ask the school to confirm your name, date of birth, and subject list in the LOC.
- Check the spelling of names against school admission records.
- Report any error to the school immediately so it can be corrected in the permitted window.
- Keep a copy of the data verification slip once the school shares it.
One careful check today is worth far more than a correction request later, because later there is no correction at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CBSE LOC?
The List of Candidates is the list of students a CBSE-affiliated school registers for the board examinations. CBSE has said only candidates named in it will be allowed to sit for the exams.
What happens if a school misses the October 21 deadline?
Schools can still submit from October 22 to October 30, 2026, but they must pay a late fee of 2,000 rupees per candidate in addition to the regular examination fee.
Do students need to submit the LOC themselves?
No. Schools submit the LOC. But students and parents should confirm with the school that their name, date of birth, and subjects are entered correctly, because CBSE does not entertain changes later.
When will the CBSE 2027 board exams be held?
The datesheet has not been released yet. Media reports suggest the exams will likely be held between February 16 and April 8, 2027. Watch the official CBSE portal for the announcement.
