New Delhi: The CBSE board examinations scheduled to be held in seven Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates, have once again been postponed due to the conflict.
Examinations scheduled on 5 and 6 March for Class 10 and 12 students in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have been postponed, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said in a statement on 3 March.
Citing the current security situation in the region, the Board said in the official notice that the new dates will be announced soon.
CBSE stated that it will further review the situation on 5 March and take an appropriate decision regarding the examinations scheduled from 7 March onward. Earlier on Sunday, the education board had also postponed the examination scheduled for 2 March in the region.
“This is in continuation of the circular dated March 1. After reviewing the current situation in parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), the Board has decided to postpone the examinations scheduled for Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6, 2026, for Classes 10 and 12. The new dates will be announced later,” the circular read.
The circular has been marked for action to Indian ambassadors in the seven affected countries, the Consul General of India in Dubai, and CBSE’s regional office in the UAE. CBSE has advised students to stay in touch with their respective schools for updates and to follow official announcements carefully.
“It is extremely disturbing for children to even sit down and prepare for exams when they are hearing noises of missiles and airstrikes,” said Nandkishore, a Doha resident whose son is preparing for his Class 12 board examination.
He added that fear has disrupted students’ exam preparation.
“More than marks, safety is the need of this situation. Whatever the officials are doing is necessary, and we are ready to follow their decisions to ensure everyone’s safety,” Nandkishore said.
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Fake news
Earlier, a fake notice dated 28 February regarding the postponement of exams was making the rounds on social media. It cited “extraordinary global circumstances and warlike conditions” as reasons for the alleged cancellations, which created confusion and concern among students and stakeholders.
However, in an official X post on 1 March, CBSE clarified that the notice was fake and stated that any official update would be shared only through its verified channels.
The situation in the region has deteriorated after Israel and the United States carried out attacks on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family. Following Saturday’s strikes, Iran responded by targeting American military bases in Gulf countries with missiles.
Missile debris reportedly fell in residential areas in Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, and other locations. Iran has also carried out drone attacks at multiple sites, creating war-like conditions in these countries.
The attacks have reportedly targeted energy infrastructure, diplomatic offices, and other civic infrastructure.
CBSE’s Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj said that the Board will continue to monitor the situation and announce revised examination dates at the earliest.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)