CBSE postpones board exams 2026 for Classes 10th, 12th in the Middle East

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The circular has been marked for action to Indian ambassadors across all seven affected countries, the Consul General of India in Dubai, and CBSE’s regional office in the UAE. No specific timeline has been given for when the postponed examinations will be rescheduled.

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Earlier in a separate notice, the CBSE had warned against a fake circular circulating online that falsely claimed the cancellation of Class 10 and Class 12 board exams in the Middle East region. The bogus notice, which cited ‘extraordinary global circumstances and warlike conditions’ as the reason for alleged cancellations, prompted concern among students and other stakeholders.

What’s new in CBSE Board Exams 2026?

The Board has announced changes for both Classes 10 and 12 this year. Last year, the CBSE announced a dual-board exam structure for Class 10 students. The dual-exam system is aimed at allowing candidates to re-appear in certain papers where they might have scored less; allowing for an ‘improvement’ option.

Meanwhile, for Class 12, the CBSE will introduce ‘On-Screen Marking’ (OSM) for Class 12 board examinations from 2026. This, according to the Board, will be a “much-needed shift” from physical evaluation of answer sheets to a fully digital assessment system.

The Board has estimated, for Class 12 Board Exams 2026, as many as 18,57,479 (18 lakh) students are expected to appear across 120 subjects. The Board will handle an estimated 1,00,44,295 (10.4 crore) answer books. The scale of exams, which also includes several centres abroad, Bhardwaj said, is precisely why CBSE is moving to digital evaluation.