CBSE postpones Class 10 and 12 board exams in seven Middle East countries

The Central Board of Secondary Education has rescheduled additional Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations in parts of the Middle East following a fresh assessment of the regional security situation.

In a communication sent to principals of CBSE-affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, the Board said examinations planned for March 5 and March 6, 2026, will not be conducted as originally scheduled. Revised dates will be announced later.

“This is continuation to the circular dated March 1. After a critical review of the current situation in parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), the Board has decided to postpone the examinations scheduled for Thursday, 05 March 2026 and Friday, 06 March 2026, for both Class X and Class XII. The new dates shall be announced later,” reads the official notice.

CBSE said that it will once again assess conditions on March 5 and then take a decision regarding examinations scheduled from March 7 onward.

Students have been advised to stay in touch with their respective schools and monitor official CBSE communications for updates.

The latest decision follows an earlier announcement on March 1, when the Board postponed examinations slated for March 2 and March 3 in the same countries, citing prevailing security concerns.

At that time, CBSE had said it would review the situation on March 3 before deciding on subsequent papers, a process that has now resulted in the postponement of the March 5 and 6 exams.

An updated notice is expected after the Board evaluates developments on March 7.

In its earlier circular, CBSE clarified that the postponement applied only to schools in the Middle East and did not affect examinations elsewhere.

The Board had also warned about a fake circular circulating on social media that falsely claimed complete cancellation of exams due to “extraordinary global circumstances.”

Calling the notice fabricated, CBSE urged students and institutions to rely solely on official announcements.

The communication was marked to Indian ambassadors in the seven affected countries, the Consul General of India in Dubai, and CBSE’s regional office in the UAE.