US-Iran conflict: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on March 3, 2026, has again announced the postponement of Class 10 and 12 board exams in select Middle Eastern countries, citing the evolving security concerns in the region.
Notably, earlier on March 1 too, the CBSE had announced that the exams in the Middle Eastern countries have been postponed until March 3 due to Iran’s ongoing war with Israel and the USA.
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Examinations (Representative image)[/caption]
Board issues official circular again
Taking to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), the board continued its March 1, 2026 notice, stating that after ‘critically reviewing’ the developments in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, it has decided to postpone the exams, and the revised dates shall be announced later.
The Board further clarified that it will assess the situation on March 5, 2026, again, and will take an appropriate decision regarding the exams scheduled from March 7, 2026 onwards.
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A screen grab of the post uploaded by CBSE on 'X'[/caption]
Controller of Examinations advises students to follow official updates only
Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj, the Controller of Examinations at CBSE, has advised the students slated to take the exams to keep a tab on the official updates and remain in touch with their respective schools. The circular has also been shared with the Indian Ambassadors in the aforementioned nations and the Consul General of India in Dubai to ensure duly assistance and communication.
Escalating conflict prompts disruption
Notably, a sharp escalation in the tensions between Iran and US-Israel triggered the postponement of exams. Multiple sites in Iran’s capital, Tehran were hit, and Iran’s then Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei was killed in the strike. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting Tel Aviv and other Israeli locations, while US facilities and energy installations across the region were also attacked.
The postponement has left the fate of millions of CBSE board-affiliated students in Middle East hanging in balance.