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CBSE Cancels Class 12 Board Exams in Gulf Nations Amid Regional Crisis

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled all Class 12 board examinations for affiliated schools in seven West Asian countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The decision, covering exams scheduled from March 16 to April 10, 2026, also nullifies all previously postponed papers. CBSE Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj stated the move was made after reviewing the feasibility of conducting exams amid the ongoing regional crisis. The board will announce a separate procedure for declaring results for the affected students at a later date.

Key Points: CBSE Cancels Class 12 Board Exams in West Asian Countries

  • Exams cancelled in 7 countries
  • Earlier postponed exams also cancelled
  • Results mode to be notified later
  • Decision follows CISCE move in UAE
  • Impacts thousands of Indian students
2 min read

CBSE cancels Class 12 board exams in several West Asian countries

CBSE cancels Class 12 exams in 7 Gulf nations for 2026. Decision impacts thousands of students. Results procedure to be announced later.

"Examinations which were earlier postponed... shall also stand cancelled. - Sanyam Bhardwaj, CBSE Controller of Examinations"

New Delhi/Muscat, March 15 The Central Board of Secondary Education has cancelled the Class 12 board examinations for students studying in several West Asian countries in view of the ongoing regional crisis.

In its sixth circular issued since March 1, the board clarified that even the examination papers that had earlier been postponed will now stand cancelled.

According to the circular released on March 15, 2026, the examinations scheduled from March 16 to April 10, 2026, for CBSE-affiliated schools located in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been cancelled.

The board further stated that examinations which had been postponed earlier will also remain cancelled as part of the latest decision. CBSE added that the procedure for declaring results for the affected students will be announced separately at a later stage.

"Examinations which were earlier postponed vide circular dated 01.03.2026, 03.03.2026, 05.03.2026, 07.03.2026 and 09.03.2026 shall also stand cancelled. The mode of declaration of results for Class XII candidates in these countries will be notified separately in due course," the circular issued by Sanyam Bhardwaj, Controller of Examinations at CBSE, stated.

Bhardwaj said the decision was taken after reviewing the feasibility of conducting examinations under the prevailing conditions and taking into account feedback received from schools and authorities in the affected countries.

Indian diplomatic missions in the region have also been informed about the decision to ensure coordination and communication with schools and students.

According to CBSE, Indian ambassadors posted in the Gulf nations, as well as the Consul General of India in Dubai, have been notified about the development.

The announcement comes shortly after the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) cancelled the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and Indian School Certificate (ISC) board examinations scheduled at all centres in the United Arab Emirates.

The decision is expected to impact thousands of Indian students enrolled in CBSE-affiliated schools across the Gulf region, including major education hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Riyadh.

Overall, more than 4.37 million students have registered for CBSE board examinations this year. Of these, around 2.51 million students are appearing for Class 10 examinations, while approximately 1.86 million candidates are enrolled for the Class 12 board exams.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good decision by CBSE. Student safety comes first. But I hope they have a solid plan for assessment. Internal marks and project-based evaluation must be done very carefully to maintain the credibility of the board exams. All the best to the students!
A
Aditya G
While the cancellation is understandable, it puts Gulf students at a disadvantage for competitive exams in India like JEE and NEET. How will colleges evaluate them fairly against students who wrote exams? CBSE needs to coordinate with NTA and universities immediately.
S
Sarah B
My cousin is in Doha and their whole family was anxious. This news has brought peace. Appreciate CBSE for acting swiftly and coordinating with our embassies. It shows good crisis management.
V
Vikram M
A respectful criticism: The circulars since March 1 created confusion. First postponement, now cancellation. Better, clearer communication from the start would have reduced anxiety. However, the final decision is correct given the regional situation.
N
Nisha Z
Feel for the students who studied so hard. Board exams are a rite of passage. But health and security are paramount. Inshallah, everything will work out. The important thing is that our children are safe.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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