The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the Class 12 board examinations scheduled between March 9 and March 11, 2026, for its affiliated schools across several Middle Eastern countries, citing growing security concerns linked to the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

In an official circular issued on March 7, the board said the decision followed a “critical review of the current situation” in the region, with student safety being the primary concern. The revised examination dates will be announced later after assessing developments on the ground.

CBSE said it will review the security situation again on March 10 before deciding whether the examinations scheduled from March 12 onwards can proceed as planned or require further postponement.

Exams deferred due to regional security concerns

According to the board, the postponement was necessary to ensure that students are not forced to travel or appear for examinations under uncertain or potentially unsafe conditions amid rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

The move is expected to bring relief to thousands of Indian students studying in Gulf-based schools who appear for CBSE board exams through overseas examination centres each year.

In a related step, the board has also cancelled Class 10 board examinations scheduled between March 7 and March 11, 2026, for students enrolled in CBSE-affiliated schools across the Middle East.

Countries where exams have been postponed

The postponement applies to CBSE-affiliated schools in several West Asian nations with large Indian expatriate populations. These include:

·        Bahrain

·        Iran

·        Kuwait

·        Oman

·        Qatar

·        Saudi Arabia

·        United Arab Emirates

Thousands of Indian students in these countries sit for CBSE board examinations annually through schools affiliated with the Indian education board.

Decision on exams after March 11 pending

CBSE clarified that the fate of examinations scheduled from March 12 onwards will depend on the outcome of the review scheduled for March 10. Students have been advised to remain in constant touch with their schools and follow official updates closely.

Over 43 lakh students appearing for CBSE boards

The CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations began on February 18 and will continue until April 10. This year, over 43.7 lakh students are appearing for the exams, including 25.1 lakh Class 10 candidates and 18.6 lakh Class 12 candidates.

A significant number of these candidates are enrolled in CBSE-affiliated schools outside India, particularly across the Gulf region.

Coordination with Indian diplomatic missions

The CBSE circular was also shared with Indian diplomatic authorities across the region to ensure smooth communication and coordination with schools and students.

These included Indian ambassadors posted in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iran, along with the Consul General of India in Dubai.

The notification was also sent to the CBSE Regional Office and the Centre of Excellence in Dubai so that affiliated schools could be informed promptly and make necessary arrangements for the postponed examinations.

Students asked to await further updates

CBSE has urged students to stay in touch with their schools and monitor official announcements regarding revised exam dates.

The postponement highlights the board’s effort to balance academic schedules with student safety during a period of heightened geopolitical tension in the Middle East. For now, thousands of Indian students across the Gulf await clarity as authorities continue to track developments in the region.