CBSE cancels Class 12 Board Exams from March 16–April 10, prioritizes student safety

2026-03-15 - 06:55

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the cancellation of Class 12 board examinations for students in several Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. According to the board, all Class 12 examinations scheduled from March 16 to April 10, 2026, have been cancelled, including papers that had previously been postponed. The decision was taken after reviewing the feasibility of conducting the exams in the affected countries and following consultations with schools and local authorities in the region, the Gulf News reports. CBSE said the step was taken with the safety and well-being of students as the top priority, while ensuring that academic standards are maintained. The board added that the method for declaring results for affected students will be announced later. The directive has been communicated to Indian embassies and consulates across the Middle East, as well as to the board’s regional offices. Sanyam Bhardwaj, Controller of Examinations at CBSE, confirmed that further details regarding evaluation procedures and result announcements will be issued in due course. Earlier, the board had also cancelled Class 10 examinations in the Middle East scheduled from March 2 to March 11, while several Class 12 papers had been postponed since early March, impacting thousands of Indian expatriate students across the Gulf region.