The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled several Class 10 board examinations in the Middle East and postponed a Class 12 exam scheduled for March 7, citing the prevailing situation in parts of the region.

In a circular dated March 5, the board informed school principals across the region, including UAE that all Class 10 board exams scheduled between March 7 and March 11 have been cancelled.

Earlier postponed exams also cancelled

The board also confirmed that Class 10 exams originally scheduled for March 2, March 5 and March 6, which had earlier been postponed, have now been officially cancelled.

CBSE said the method for declaring Class 10 results for students in the region will be announced later.

The decision comes amid ongoing regional escalations.

Class 12 exam postponed

Meanwhile, the Class 12 examination scheduled for Saturday, March 7, has been postponed, with revised dates to be announced later.

CBSE said it will review the situation on March 7 before issuing further instructions regarding Class 12 exams scheduled from March 9 onward.

Students have been advised to stay in close contact with their schools and follow official announcements carefully.

Exams began in February

The CBSE board examinations began on February 17 and were taken by thousands of students worldwide.

This year’s exam cycle marks the first time CBSE introduced a dual-exam system, allowing students to take the board exam twice in the same academic year to improve their scores.

• First attempt (February): Mandatory
• Second attempt (May): Optional for score improvement

Previously, students had only one chance to take board exams in March each year.

New evaluation system

The board has also introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) for evaluating Class 12 answer sheets, a digital assessment method aimed at making the marking process faster, more transparent and more consistent.

Further updates on exam schedules and evaluation procedures will be announced after the board reviews the evolving situation in the region.

The Ministry of Education, along with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on Wednesday, March 4, announced that the commencement of spring break for all academic institutions has been pushed forward to March 9, with the last working day to be March 6. Normal classes are scheduled to resume from March 30. 

The academic calendar placed the spring break dates originally from March 16 and ending on March 29 which has now moved from March 9 to March 22. The change comes in light of the ongoing regional conflict, with the safety of students and staff at schools and universities as the highest priority. 

Classes had transitioned to online learning at the beginning of this week as a precautionary measure for all students and staff, which was further extended up to the end of this week. Exams for students have also been shifted to a remote format, allowing them to complete their assessments safely from home. 

Students, parents, and staff are advised to stay updated via official channels only, as the measures aim to protect the safety of all in the education sector.

(By Shura Kola)

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has confirmed that distance learning will continue for all private educational institutions in Dubai until Friday, March 6, as a precautionary measure amid ongoing regional developments.

In a statement shared on X, the regulator said the safety and well-being of students, parents, teachers and school staff remain its top priority.

KHDA also urged the education community to rely only on official government sources for updates and avoid sharing unverified information.

Nationwide remote learning extended

The decision follows a nationwide announcement by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, confirming that remote learning will continue across the UAE until the same date.

The extension applies to:

• Public and private schools
• Universities and higher education institutions
• All students
• Academic and administrative staff

In a joint statement, the two ministries said teaching and learning will proceed remotely under established assessment frameworks.

Authorities added that the situation will continue to be closely monitored, with further measures introduced if necessary to ensure the safety of students and the wider education community.