CBSE Cancels Class 12 Board Exams in Middle East Amid War

• Central Board of Secondary Education cancels Class 12 board examinations in Middle East due to regional security concerns.
• Decision affects students in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.
• Board will announce alternative evaluation method soon to determine results for affected Class 12 students.

Due to growing tensions stemming from the continuing military conflict in Iraq, including various aspects of conflict between the U.S. and other nations such as Iran, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially canceled Class 12 Board Examinations for most of its students in many countries of the Middle East.

An official statement was issued by CBSE after a review of the security risks in several areas revealed that it will not be possible to conduct exams in a safe and secure manner for students. The exams were scheduled to take place between March 16 and April 10, 2026, in all CBSE approved schools within these regions.

The cancellation affects thousands of Indian students studying in CBSE-affiliated schools which are located across seven Middle Eastern countries.

These students were scheduled to appear for their final board examinations during the ongoing academic session. The CBSE testing board had to delay multiple exam papers through its November scheduling because of continuing regional instability.

The board decided to cancel all upcoming tests after it had received feedback from educational institutions and government officials about recent developments.

Also read: GCC School Opens NFET Applications for 2026–27

The officials explained that they made their decision because student safety and student well-being needed to come first. The security problems and regional instability brought about new difficulties for conducting examinations throughout multiple countries.

The CBSE also noted that it had issued several circulars earlier regarding postponements before finally announcing the complete cancellation of the remaining Class 12 exams in the affected region.

The Central Board of Secondary Education will announce the evaluation process together with the results of affected students at a later time.

The board will use a different assessment method that relies on internal school records combined with previous tests and practical work and other academic performance indicators. The upcoming days will bring schools and students separate announcements about detailed guidelines that will explain the evaluation process.

The current situation demonstrates that geopolitical conflicts will disrupt education systems which provide services to international students who study in areas with ongoing security threats.