3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 4, 2026 12:14 PM IST
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for March 5 and 6, 2026, in select Middle East countries. In an official communication to principals of CBSE-affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Board said the decision was taken after a critical review of the prevailing situation in the region.
The exams, originally set for Thursday, March 5, and Friday, March 6, will now be held on revised dates, which will be announced later. CBSE further stated that it will review the situation again on March 5 and take an appropriate decision regarding examinations scheduled from March 7 onwards.
The official notice reads:
This is continuation to the circular dated March 1. After a critical review of the current situation in parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), the Board has decided to postpone the examinations scheduled for Thursday, 05 March 2026 and Friday, 06 March 2026, for both Class X and Class XII. The new dates shall be announced later.
Students have been advised by CBSE to remain in contact with their respective schools and closely follow official updates for further announcements.
Read Earlier Notice | CBSE postpones board exams 2026 for March 2 and 3
Earlier, on March 1, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for March 2 and 3 across its affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, citing the prevailing security situation in the region. The Board had said it would review the situation on March 3 and take a call on subsequent papers — a review that has now led to the latest postponement of exams slated for March 5 and 6.
The Board, as per the updated notice is now expected to issue a fresh notice after evaluating ongoing circumstances on March 7.
Important Update on Class X/XII Exams – Middle East Regions
CBSE has issued Circular-2 today regarding the Class X & XII Board Exams in the Middle East regions.
Details are in attached Circular pic.twitter.com/JAHPj3SBjW— CBSE HQ (@cbseindia29) March 3, 2026
In its earlier communication, CBSE had clarified that the decision applied only to the Middle East region and had also flagged a fake circular circulating on social media that falsely claimed complete cancellation of exams due to “extraordinary global circumstances.” The Board had termed the notice fabricated and urged students and schools to rely only on official updates. The circular was marked to Indian ambassadors in the seven affected countries, the Consul General of India in Dubai, and CBSE’s regional office in the UAE.
