New Delhi: CBSE postpones Class 10, 12 exams in W Asia
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday announced the postponement of Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for March 2 in several West Asian countries amid escalating tensions in the region following US and Israel strikes on Iran and Tehran’s military response.
In a circular, the Board informed principals of more than 150 CBSE-affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that the examinations slated for Monday “for both Class X and Class XII, are postponed”. The new dates, it said, “shall be announced later.”
The Board further stated that it would review the situation on Tuesday, March 3, and take appropriate decisions regarding examinations scheduled from March 5 onwards.
“All students are advised to stay in touch with their schools for updates and follow official announcements carefully,” the circular issued by CBSE Controller of Examinations Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj said.
The decision affects thousands of Indian students studying in CBSE-affiliated schools across the Gulf region. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, in particular, host a large number of Indian expatriate families, and CBSE schools there account for a significant share of overseas candidates appearing for the board examinations each year.
CBSE conducts the Class 10 and 12 board exams annually in India and in select foreign centres where its affiliated schools operate. The Gulf region constitutes the largest overseas cluster of CBSE schools, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Riyadh among key examination hubs.
The postponement marked a rare mid-session disruption to overseas board examinations. In recent years, the CBSE altered schedules mainly during extraordinary circumstances — most notably in 2020 and 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, when several Class 10 and 12 examinations in India and abroad were postponed or cancelled. In isolated cases, the Board has also deferred exams in specific centres due to extreme weather, local emergencies or security-related concerns, while maintaining the broader national timetable.
The latest circular lists the Indian ambassadors to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iran, as well as the Consul General of India in Dubai, among those copied for information and necessary action.
Class 10 and 12 board examinations of CBSE began on February 18. Over 4.37 million students including 2.51 million class 10 students and 1.86 million class 12 students are appearing for CBSE board examinations 2026.
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