Class 12 students in seven West Asian countries affected by the cancellation of their CBSE board examinations earlier this year will get another opportunity to sit for the papers that could not be conducted. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced fresh examinations for eligible candidates in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, covering 40 subjects — 20 academic and 20 skill subjects.
The original examinations were cancelled amid the prevailing conflict situation in the region, following which CBSE introduced a special assessment scheme to prepare students’ results. Regular candidates from the affected countries received their results on May 13, while private candidates were subsequently assessed under the same framework. Students whose results were prepared under this scheme can now choose the subjects they wish to appear for from among the 40 affected subjects, without paying an examination fee.
Applications for the special examinations are being accepted from September 22 to September 26, 2026, while the examination dates and detailed date sheet will be announced after the form-submission process is completed. CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said the fresh examination will provide eligible candidates an opportunity to be assessed through written examinations in subjects that could not previously be held.
Students Get Subject Choice
The special examinations are intended for eligible Class 12 candidates whose results were declared under the assessment scheme introduced after the cancellation of their original papers. CBSE has said candidates can appear in subjects of their choice among the 40 papers for which examinations were not conducted. The list includes subjects such as Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Biology, Economics, Business Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, English Core, Hindi Core, Computer Science, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, alongside several skill-based subjects.
The 40 subjects comprise 20 academic and 20 skill subjects. Importantly, students will not have to pay an examination fee for appearing in these papers. Their existing examination centres will also remain unchanged, meaning candidates will not be required to travel to a different country or location for the special examination. CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj explained that the board’s March 27 assessment scheme had been created specifically to prepare results for candidates affected by the cancellation.
“The results of all regular candidates from West Asian countries were declared on May 13 along with other Class 12 candidates in India and abroad,” he said. He added that the scheme had provided for an opportunity for students dissatisfied with their assessed results to appear in subjects where examinations could not be conducted.
Conflict Disrupted Exams
The decision follows months of disruption for students whose academic year was affected by the situation in West Asia. In March 2026, CBSE reviewed the prevailing circumstances in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and postponed scheduled Class 12 examinations in these regions. The board subsequently cancelled examinations in the affected countries for 40 subjects and notified a special assessment scheme on March 27 to enable results to be prepared without requiring students to sit for papers that could not safely be conducted. CBSE’s official examination circulars record both the cancellation of Class 12 examinations in the affected Middle Eastern regions and the later assessment scheme for declaring results.
The special examination process now gives eligible students an opportunity to demonstrate their performance directly in the subjects that were affected. However, CBSE has also laid down important conditions. Students who were absent from the 2026 Main Examinations for any reason are not eligible, and new regular or private candidates who did not appear in the Main Examinations cannot apply. Candidates cannot change their subjects, and examinations will only be conducted in the seven affected countries. CBSE has further clarified that the result of the special examination will be treated as final and will replace the earlier performance.
No post-result declaration facility will be available. Candidates must submit their examination forms directly within the prescribed window, with the board stating that the examination schedule will be announced after the forms are submitted.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
For students, board examinations are already a significant milestone, often shaping college admissions, career plans and the next stage of their lives. Having an examination disrupted by circumstances beyond their control can add uncertainty to an already stressful period.
The CBSE’s decision to provide an additional opportunity recognises the importance of allowing affected students to demonstrate their academic performance through an examination when conditions permit. At the same time, the situation is a reminder of how deeply conflict can affect everyday life — including classrooms, examinations and the aspirations of young people who have little say in the circumstances around them.
Education should ideally remain a space where children can focus on learning, opportunity and their future rather than the consequences of conflict. As these students prepare for another round of examinations, what more can educational institutions and communities do to ensure that young people caught in crises are supported with fairness, empathy and stability?
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