Following a “critical review of the prevailing situation in parts of the Middle East,” the board announced in an official notification on Thursday that all Class 10 exams scheduled in West Asia between March 7 and March 11 have been cancelled. The board further stated that these children’s results would be declared in a separate manner “in due time.”
While Class 10 examinations have been cancelled, CBSE has deferred the Class 12 board exam scheduled for March 7. It will “review the situation” before setting new deadlines for the delayed papers, the board stated.
“The mode of declaration of results for Class 10 students in the Middle East will be notified in due course,” CBSE exam controller Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj stated in the latest circular.
The exams, originally planned for March 2, March 5, and March 6, have also been cancelled. These exams were previously postponed via circulars sent out on March 1 and March 3.
Important Update on
CBSE Class X and Class XII Exams in the Middle East Regions pic.twitter.com/6rVteajQFV
— CBSE HQ (@cbseindia29) March 1, 2026
Students have been advised to follow official notifications about the updated exam schedule and evaluation procedure and to maintain constant communication with their respective institutions.
The CBSE reaffirmed in the latest circular that students should only rely on official notifications and “remain in close contact” with their schools.
Some Class 10 students fortunately completed up to four tests, including Maths, Science, Data Science and English, before the cancellation was announced.
Meanwhile, some Class 12 students were able to complete two or more exams, depending on their stream, according to The Khaleej Times.
A significant number of Indian expatriate students attend more than 150 CBSE-affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Many Indian expatriate families reside in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and a sizable portion of international students who take the board exams each year attend CBSE schools in these countries.
Every year, CBSE administers the Class 10 and 12 board exams across India and in a few overseas locations where its associated schools are located. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh are important examination hubs in the Gulf area, which makes up the largest foreign cluster of CBSE schools.
