Finance
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations in various Middle Eastern countries, which were scheduled for March 5 and 6, 2026. In an official email to principals of CBSE-affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, the Board stated that the decision was made following a critical examination of the current situation in the region.
The tests, which were initially scheduled for Thursday, March 5, and Friday, March 6, will now take place on updated dates that will be announced later. CBSE added that it will assess the issue again on March 5 and make a suitable judgment on tests scheduled beginning March 7.
The official notice reads:
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.
Students have been advised by CBSE to remain in contact with their respective schools and closely follow official updates for further announcements.
Earlier, on March 1, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for March 2 and 3 in its affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, citing the region’s current security situation. The Board had stated that it would assess the situation on March 3 and make a decision on subsequent papers, which has led to the latest postponement of exams scheduled for March 5 and 6.
According to the amended notice, the Board will publish a new notice on March 7 after assessing the current situation.
In an earlier communication, CBSE stressed that the decision only pertained to the Middle East region, and it also noted a phony circular circulating on social media that falsely claimed that exams had been completely cancelled owing to “extraordinary global circumstances.” The Board called the message fake and advised students and institutions to rely solely on official updates. The circular was addressed to Indian ambassadors in the seven impacted nations, the Consul General of India in Dubai, and the CBSE regional office in the UAE.
Source: IE
