New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— In a major disruption for thousands of Indian expatriate students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2026, across the Middle East. The decision comes as the region grapples with severe instability following the recent escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict and the subsequent closure of regional airspaces.
CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj confirmed on Sunday that the postponement affects exam centres in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “Due to the current situation in parts of the Middle East, the board has decided to postpone Class 10 and 12 exams on March 2,” Bhardwaj stated. He added that revised dates for these papers will be announced in due course once the security environment stabilizes.
The board has adopted a cautious “watch-and-wait” approach, prioritizing student safety amid reports of military strikes and retaliatory actions across the Gulf. Officials noted that a comprehensive review of the ground situation will be conducted on Tuesday, March 3. This review will determine the fate of subsequent examinations scheduled from March 5 onwards.
The development adds to the growing list of disruptions caused by the regional conflict, which has already seen hundreds of flight cancellations and high-level travel advisories. Students and parents in the affected countries are advised to stay in close contact with their respective school administrations and monitor official CBSE portals for the latest updates on revised schedules and security protocols.
