The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct Class 12 board examinations in seven West Asian countries from October 23 to 28, 2026, giving students affected by the cancellation of earlier papers a final chance to improve their results. Admit cards for the exams were released on Monday, October 12.
The exams will be held in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They are meant for candidates who were dissatisfied with the results prepared under a special assessment scheme after the original exams could not be held because of the conflict situation in the region.
Why the exams are being held
The CBSE had cancelled Class 12 board examinations in these countries for 40 subjects, including 20 academic papers. To ensure that students were not left without results, the board notified an assessment scheme on March 27. Under this scheme, results for all regular candidates from West Asian countries were declared on May 13, along with the Class 12 results in India and other centres abroad.
However, the board allowed candidates who were not satisfied with their results to appear for examinations in subjects that could not be conducted earlier. Students who wished to take these exams were required to fill out forms last month. The upcoming October exams are the result of that option.
Full exam schedule:
According to Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj, the exams will begin on October 23 and end on October 28. There will be no exam on October 25.
- October 23: Political Science, Economics, Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
- October 24: Psychology, Business Studies and Physical Activity
- October 26: Biology, Information Technology, Multimedia, Marketing and Artificial Intelligence
- October 27: Home Science, Informatics Practices and Computer Science
- October 28: English
One centre in each country
The CBSE has fixed one examination centre in each of the seven countries. The centres have been decided on the basis of the List of Candidates (LOC) filled by the candidates. Students should check with their schools or the board for the exact venue and reporting time.
Bhardwaj said the result of this examination shall be final and will replace the earlier performance. That means candidates who appear for the October exams will have their previous scores in those subjects replaced by the new results.
What students should keep in mind
With the schedule now clear, candidates should focus on the subjects they have opted for and ensure they carry their admit cards to the examination centre. They should also follow all CBSE instructions and local guidelines. Since the exams are being held in conflict-affected countries, students and parents should stay in contact with their schools for any updates regarding centres, timings or security arrangements.
The board has not announced any further changes to the schedule. Candidates are advised to check the official CBSE website and their school notices regularly for the latest information.
A second chance for affected students
The October exams are significant for students in West Asian countries who faced uncertainty after their original board exams were cancelled. While the special assessment scheme allowed results to be declared on time, the option to reappear gives candidates a chance to improve their performance and meet university admission requirements.
For now, the message from the board is clear: the exams will go ahead as scheduled, and the results will be treated as final. Students should use the remaining days to prepare carefully and ensure that all documents are in order.
