Postponing the tenth and twelfth grade exams in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf countries / Photo: File
Following an urgent security review on March 3, 2026, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) extended the postponement of board exams for grades 10 and 12 across the Middle East, citing the “current situation” and student safety concerns.
CBSE has been postponed Middle East Board exams
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, confirmed that it has extended the postponement of several board exams in the Middle East, underscoring ongoing concerns about student safety amid turbulent regional conditions. The decision follows the initial postponement on March 1, when exams scheduled to be held on Monday, March 2 in seven countries were postponed due to the unpredictable environment that disrupted normal life and raised safety questions for families and school staff.
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Controller of Examinations Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj emphasized in official correspondence that the Board’s priority is the well-being of students and teachers, especially in areas where daily routines, including travel to examination centres, have been affected by regional tensions. The postponements now extend beyond 2 March, with exams originally scheduled for 5 March and 6 March also postponed “until further notice”, pending a fresh review of logistical conditions and feasibility.
Which Gulf countries are affected?
The deferrals apply to students in seven major Middle Eastern countries with large Indian expatriate populations: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Iran. Students attending CBSE-affiliated schools in these states were scheduled to appear for board exams in early March, a critical period for final assessments that can shape future academic opportunities and higher education prospects.The official notice issued by the Board states that the “current situation” in parts of this region, widely linked to escalating tensions related to Iran and its neighbours, has hampered the smooth conduct of the examinations, prompting the Board to take the decision to temporarily suspend upcoming papers. Schools and parents have been asked to stay in touch with local authorities and wait for updates from the CBSE headquarters.
Misinformation and official clarifications
Ahead of the board’s official announcements, confusion spread across social media and messaging platforms, with fake circulars wrongly claiming that CBSE had completely canceled exams for Gulf students. These misleading notices suggested radical changes to examination formats and the cancellation of many papers, information that was quickly debunked by the board. CBSE issued an ‘important alert’ through its official channels, stressing that these circulars were not authentic and urging students and parents to rely only on verified updates from official CBSE platforms.The Council’s clarification confirmed that no exams have been canceled and that any changes are limited to postponement decisions taken in direct response to the reality on the ground.
This clarification was crucial in allaying panic among thousands of families who feared wider disruptions to this year’s board examination cycle.
What should students expect?
With exams now postponed beyond March 2 papers and additional exams originally scheduled for March 5 and March 6 also postponed, CBSE has promised to further review the situation. The board’s next assessment is expected to focus on conditions for exams planned from 7 March onwards, with new dates published once authorities are confident it is safe and practical to proceed.For many students, postponements are a double-edged sword, providing extra preparation time, but also prolonging the period of uncertainty in a period already filled with anxiety and study pressure. Parents and guardians are advised to closely monitor official channels and maintain daily communication with school administrators to ensure they have the latest information as developments develop.
