The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) today announced an alternative assessment scheme for Class 12 students in West Asian countries, including Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, where scheduled board examinations could not be conducted due to ongoing extraordinary circumstances. All Class 12 exams scheduled from March 16 to April 10, including previously postponed exams, have been cancelled.
Emphasising its commitment to student welfare, educational security, and fair evaluation in challenging international conditions, the CBSE outlined a detailed alternate assessment mechanism to ensure valid, reliable, and impartial results.
Students who appeared in all registered subjects will have their results declared based on actual performance. For those with incomplete examinations, assessment will rely on school-provided performance data from quarterly, half-yearly, and pre-board exams. Practical and internal assessment marks, which have already been recorded, will remain unchanged.
The Board has specified subject-wise theory and practical mark distributions, ranging from 80/20 in subjects like History and Political Science to 50/50 in subjects like Yoga and Early Childhood Care & Education. Schools are required to upload students' performance to the CBSE portal between 6 and 13 April 2026. Once uploaded, marks will be considered final.
CBSE also clarified provisions for students registered in 2025 or earlier under the compartment category, students changing examination centres, and candidates not appearing in exams. Compartment examinations are scheduled for July 2026, and students dissatisfied with the assessment may be given an opportunity to appear for fresh exams, subject to feasibility.
The Board stressed that all uploaded records, including answer sheets, will be securely maintained under the principal's supervision and may be verified by CBSE to ensure accuracy and fairness. Any school failing to comply with the assessment guidelines may face cancellation of results and other actions.
This policy aims to ensure that students in affected regions are not disadvantaged in higher education admissions or future academic and career opportunities.
CBSE Controller of Examinations, Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj, said the scheme prioritises both fairness and transparency while adapting to unprecedented international challenges.