4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 19, 2026 07:40 PM IST
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a special assessment scheme for Class 10 students in the Middle East after cancelling the remaining board exams. Instead of conducting a new examination, the board will declare results based on a formula-based evaluation. Marks will be calculated from the papers a student has already appeared for, with averages of best-performing subjects used wherever exams were missed.
This decision follows a series of disruptions earlier this year. CBSE had first postponed exams in gradual phases for both Class 10 and 12 across multiple West Asian nations, due to the escalating Iran–US–Israel war. As the situation worsened, the board eventually cancelled the remaining Class 10 examinations across countries, including Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Why did CBSE cancel the exams in the Middle East?
The board cited ‘prevailing conditions’ and safety concerns across exam centres. With the situation remaining unstable, conducting exams uniformly became difficult. After reviewing the ground situation, CBSE decided to cancel the remaining Class 10 papers and move to an alternate assessment method.
What exams were conducted before the cancellation?
The Class 10 exams were held between February 17 and February 28, 2026. During this period, several papers were completed across categories:
–Six core academic subjects, including Mathematics, English and Science
–16 language papers
–22 skill-based subjects
However, not all students could appear for the full set of exams, creating multiple evaluation scenarios.
How will CBSE calculate results now?
As per the Board’s latest notice, CBSE has created a category-wise marking formula based on the number of exams attempted:
–Appeared in all exams: Marks will be awarded based on actual performance in all subjects.
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–Appeared in 4 exams: Average of the best three subjects will be used.
–Appeared in 3 exams: Average of the best two subjects will be considered.
–Appeared in 2 exams: Result will be based on the average marks of those two papers.
What about students who appeared in very few or no exams?
CBSE has addressed such cases as well. Students who appeared in only one or two subjects — especially those from previous batches (last year or earlier) who registered for limited papers — will have their results prepared based on available performance. If they missed any exam, they will be allowed to appear in the second board examination cycle, which the CBSE has newly introduced for this session of exams.
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Additionally, the CBSE earlier this week also notified dates and form submission deadlines for students desiring to improve their scores.
Will there be a re-exam or a second chance?
There will be no special re-examination conducted separately for these students. However, CBSE has confirmed that students can opt for the second board examination to improve their scores or appear for missed subjects.
How will internal assessment be treated?
Internal assessment, which includes periodic tests, practicals and school-based evaluation, will be fully considered. Since it is a year-long exercise already completed by schools, it will be factored into the final result without any changes.
What happens to students who shifted exam centres?
Students who moved to other countries or centres during the exam period will be evaluated based on the papers they wrote at those locations. Their results will follow the same assessment scheme.
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Will these results be considered final?
Yes. CBSE has made it clear that results prepared under this special scheme will be treated as final. No additional or special examinations will be conducted outside the second board exam cycle. Any further decision, if required, will be taken by the board during result preparation, and that decision will be binding, the notice stated.
What should students do now?
Students are advised to wait for the official result announcement and review their scores. Those who wish to improve their marks or complete missed subjects can apply for the second board examination when the window opens in three phases, as announced recently by CBSE.
