The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a special assessment plan for Class 12 students studying in several West Asian countries where board examinations could not be conducted due to exceptional circumstances. The decision affects students in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. All examinations scheduled between March 16 and April 10, including those that had earlier been postponed, have now been cancelled.
To ensure that students are not academically disadvantaged, CBSE has introduced an alternative evaluation method that aims to maintain fairness, reliability, and transparency. According to the board, students who successfully appeared for all their registered subjects before the disruption will receive results based on their actual examination performance.
For students whose examinations remained incomplete, the evaluation will be based on academic records submitted by their respective schools. These records will include performance in quarterly tests, half-yearly examinations, and pre-board assessments. Marks already awarded for practical examinations and internal assessments will remain unchanged and will be included in the final calculation.
The board has also outlined the distribution of theory and practical marks across different subjects. For instance, subjects such as History and Political Science follow an 80:20 ratio between theory and practical components, while courses like Yoga and Early Childhood Care and Education carry an equal 50:50 weightage.
Schools in the affected regions have been directed to upload the relevant student performance data to the CBSE portal between April 6 and April 13, 2026. Once submitted, these marks will be treated as final for the purpose of result preparation.
CBSE has further clarified provisions for students in the compartment category from earlier academic sessions, candidates who changed their examination centres, and those who were unable to appear in the exams. Compartment examinations are expected to be conducted in July 2026. Additionally, students dissatisfied with their assessed results may be provided an opportunity to appear for fresh examinations, depending on feasibility.
To ensure transparency, all academic records and answer sheets used in the evaluation process must be securely maintained under the supervision of school principals and may be subject to verification by the board. Schools failing to follow the prescribed guidelines may face strict action, including cancellation of results.
According to the Controller of Examinations, the special assessment framework has been designed to protect students’ academic interests while ensuring a fair evaluation process under challenging international circumstances.