Hyderabad: The Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) has officially released the examination dates for the 2026 academic year, alongside a series of significant reforms aimed at modernizing curriculum and assessment methods. Intermediate Board Secretary S Krishna Aditya announced the updates during a media briefing held on Saturday.

According to the schedule, the Intermediate Public Examinations (IPE) 2026 will begin on February 25 for first year students and February 26 for second year students, concluding on March 18. Practical examinations will be conducted from the last week of January to the first week of February, allowing students ample time to prepare for both practical and theory components.

For the first time, first year students will also undergo external practical examinations, a shift from the previous practice where only second year students participated. This change reflects the Board’s commitment to enhancing hands-on learning and skill development across both years.

Aditya also announced a comprehensive syllabus revision, the first in over a decade, affecting key science subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, botany, and zoology. The revision will be guided by subject-wise expert committees headed by university professors and aligned with the NCERT framework. The process is set to begin in the first week of November.

The Board plans to introduce QR codes in textbooks to facilitate digital learning, and all textbooks will be printed on non-tearable paper. Printing will be completed by April 2026 to ensure timely distribution.

Starting from the 2026–27 academic year, activity-based internal assessments will be implemented across all subjects. External exams will carry 80 marks, while 20 marks will be reserved for internal evaluation. Additionally, a new stream combining accountancy, commerce, and economics will be launched to broaden academic options for students.

Students can begin paying examination fees to their respective colleges from November 1, with a detailed timetable and fee notification to be issued shortly.