India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed additional Class 12 board examinations for students in several Middle Eastern countries due to the ongoing regional conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
In a circular issued on Monday, the board announced that exams scheduled between March 12 and March 16, 2026, in parts of the region will be deferred following a review of the current situation.
The postponement affects students in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The board said the decision was taken after carefully assessing the prevailing uncertainties in the region and the stress being experienced by students, the Gulf News reports.
“The Board has decided to postpone the examinations scheduled from March 12 to March 16, 2026,” the statement said, adding that new dates for the exams will be announced later.
CBSE also said it will review the situation again on March 14 and take further decisions regarding exams scheduled after March 16.
Students have been advised to remain in contact with their schools for updates and follow official announcements regarding revised examination schedules.
Earlier, CBSE had already cancelled all Class 10 board examinations scheduled between March 2 and March 11 in the affected Middle Eastern countries. Several Class 12 exams that were scheduled earlier in March had also been postponed.
Dr. Ram Shankar, Professor and Director of the CBSE Regional Office and Centre of Excellence in Dubai, said the board has been closely monitoring the evolving situation before making decisions.
“The safety of students and teachers is of paramount importance,” he said, noting that the board will reassess conditions in the coming days before announcing further updates.
