CBSE 2026 Practical Exams Nov 6, NEET PG Counselling, ISRO Recruitment & SSC CGL Answer Key

Published: Friday, October 17, 2025

CBSE Announces Practical Examination Schedule for 2026 Board Exams

The Central Board of Secondary Education has announced the Class 10 and Class 12 practical examination dates for the 2026 board exams, according to an official statement released today. The practical exams, project works, and internal assessments for the 2025-26 academic session will be conducted from November 6 to December 6, 2025, for winter-bound schools, and from January 1, 2026, for all CBSE-affiliated schools in India and abroad.

Staggered Schedule Accommodates Regional Variations

The staggered practical examination schedule reflects CBSE's recognition of regional climatic challenges, particularly in areas experiencing severe winter conditions that may disrupt normal academic activities. Winter-bound schools, primarily located in regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, will commence practical examinations earlier to ensure completion before harsh winter conditions set in.

For the remaining CBSE-affiliated schools across India and international locations, practical examinations will begin on January 1, 2026, providing adequate preparation time following the completion of the theoretical curriculum. The CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 theory examinations are scheduled to commence on February 12, 2026, allowing a minimum one-month gap between practical and theory examinations.

This scheduling ensures students have sufficient time to focus on theoretical preparation after completing practical components, while schools can systematically conduct internal assessments and project evaluations without overlapping academic pressures.

NEET PG Counselling 2025 Registration Opens at MCC Portal

The Medical Counselling Committee has launched the registration process for NEET PG 2025 counselling today, October 17, according to the official announcement on mcc.nic.in. Eligible candidates seeking admission to MD, MS, and DNB programs under the 50% All India Quota in government and private medical colleges can now apply through the official portal.

Comprehensive Counselling Process Framework

The NEET PG 2025 counselling process will include several key stages: registration, document verification, choice-filling and choice-locking, processing of seat allotment, declaration of allotment results, reporting to allotted institutes, and upgradation where applicable. MCC has advised candidates to carefully review the Information Bulletin for PG Counselling 2025 before proceeding with the registration process.

The counselling follows a tumultuous NEET PG examination cycle that faced significant disruptions, including repeated delays, rescheduling, and legal challenges. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences recently invalidated the results of 22 candidates due to unfair means, with 13 individuals disqualified for engaging in cheating and other malpractices.

Examination Controversies and Reforms

A major controversy erupted when personal data of approximately 1.38 lakh NEET PG aspirants was reportedly leaked and sold online, triggering widespread concern and anger among candidates and the medical fraternity. NEET PG 2025 was conducted in a single shift on August 3, following decisive Supreme Court intervention in response to widespread protests from aspirants opposing the proposed two-shift format.

The examination saw participation from approximately 2.4 lakh candidates across the country, with the counselling process now proceeding to allocate seats across medical specialisations in government and private institutions nationwide.

ISRO SDSC SHAR Announces Comprehensive Recruitment Drive

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, a spaceport under the Indian Space Research Organisation, has released Advertisement No. SDSC SHAR/RMT/01/2025, dated October 16, inviting online applications for various scientists, engineers, and support staff positions. The recruitment spans multiple engineering disciplines and administrative roles.

Extensive Vacancy Distribution Across Disciplines

Scientific Assistant positions include significant openings across chemical, mechanical, automobile, electrical, civil, computer science, and electronics & communication engineering. Chemical engineering offers 3 posts at Sriharikota and 1 at Rasayani, while mechanical engineering provides 10 posts at Sriharikota and 1 at Rasayani. Additional openings exist in automobile, electrical, civil, computer science, and ECE disciplines, with several posts identified for persons with benchmark disabilities.

Technical Assistant roles are available in Chemistry (1 post) and Computer Science (1 backlog post) at Sriharikota, Fine Arts/Visual Arts (1 post) at Sriharikota, and Chemistry (1 post) at Rasayani. Library Assistant 'A' and Radiographer 'A' each have 1 post at Sriharikota, both identified for PwBD-HH backlog vacancies.

Salary Structure and Selection Process

The Scientific Assistant positions fall under Level 7 of the Pay Matrix, with a salary range of ₹44,900 to ₹1,42,400. Eligible candidates must hold a first-class B.Sc. degree from a recognised university or institution in a discipline relevant to the post's nature. For Technical Assistant roles, candidates must hold a graduate degree along with a first-class Master's in Library Science, Library and Information Science, or equivalent qualification.

Applicants from the unreserved category must be under 35 years of age. The selection process includes a written test followed by a skill test, with final selection based solely on written test marks, as the skill test is qualifying in nature, according to the official website.

Technician and Support Staff Opportunities

A significant number of Technician roles are available in trades including Chemical (6 posts at Sriharikota, 7 at Rasayani), Fitter (19 posts at Sriharikota, 2 at Rasayani), Electrician, Civil Engineering Assistant, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Pump Operator, Photography, Electronic Mechanic, Boiler Attendant, Diesel Mechanic, and Instrument Mechanic, with several identified for PwBD categories.

Additional support positions include Civil Draughtsman (1 post each at Sriharikota and Secunderabad), Cook (3 posts), Fireman 'A' (6 posts), Light Vehicle Driver 'A' (3 posts), and Nurse 'B' (1 post at Mahendragiri). These positions are filled through the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board, which regularly updates current openings for eligible candidates.

SSC Releases CGL Tier 1 Answer Key with Objection Window

The Staff Selection Commission has released the Combined Graduate Level Tier 1 Answer Key and response sheet for the 2025 examination, according to today's announcement on ssc.gov.in. Candidates who appeared for the exam can now check and download the answer key from the official website.

Examination Scale and Timeline

The Tier 1 exam was conducted from September 12 to September 26, 2025, and again on October 14, 2025, for affected candidates whose original tests were disrupted. The examination was held over 15 days across 255 centres in 126 cities, with around 13.5 lakh candidates appearing out of the 28 lakh registered.

Those wishing to challenge the answer key can raise objections by paying ₹50 per question before the October 19, 2025 (9 PM) deadline. SSC has clarified that no objections will be entertained after the specified deadline, and the answer key or response sheet will not be available thereafter.

Objection Process and Documentation

Candidates must submit their objections with specific details, including the type of complaint, a description of the issue, and scanned image uploads to support their grievance. After submitting the complaint, the fee must be paid online. The response sheet contains crucial details such as the candidate's roll number, name, examination name and post, exam date, test time, centre name, and list of questions attempted.

To raise objections, candidates must visit the official website, log in, navigate to 'My Applications,' click on 'Answer Key Challenge' under the CGL Tier 1 section, select 'Click Here,' fill in required details, including the type of complaint, upload scanned images, and pay ₹50 per question. Submitted grievances can be viewed under 'View Grievance Question'.