NEW DELHI: To protect students’ academic interests, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced an alternative assessment scheme for Class 12 students in West Asian countries after scheduled board examinations were cancelled due to prevailing geopolitical tensions. The Board clarified that examinations scheduled between March 16 and April 10, 2026, across several countries, including Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, were cancelled due to safety concerns arising from the ongoing international situation. Thus, CBSE stated that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the well-being of students, teachers, and examination staff.
The cancellation has affected 27 subjects, spanning both academic and skill-based disciplines. However, examinations conducted up to February 28, 2026, will remain valid and will be taken into account while preparing final results. CBSE emphasised that the alternative assessment framework has been carefully designed to maintain fairness and academic credibility. The policy draws from multiple evaluation parameters already available with schools, thereby reducing uncertainty for students whose exams could not be conducted.
Under the newly announced scheme, students who have successfully appeared for all their registered subjects before the cancellation will get their results declared solely on the basis of their actual examination performance. For students whose examinations were left incomplete, the Board has adopted a multi-criteria evaluation approach. This includes internal assessments, practical examinations, and school-based evaluations that have already been conducted during the academic session.
A structured method has been laid out for theory papers based on their weightage:
- For subjects carrying 80 or 70 marks in theory, CBSE will consider the best performance among quarterly exams, half-yearly exams, and final pre-board examinations.
- For subjects with 60, 50, or 30 marks theory components, the final pre-board examination marks will be used as the primary basis for evaluation.
This differentiated approach ensures that students are assessed using the most reliable indicators of their academic performance throughout the year.
The Board has also addressed cases where students shifted their examination centres to another country, including India. Such students will have their results calculated based on the examinations they were able to appear for. Additionally, CBSE confirmed that internal assessment and practical marks already uploaded by schools will remain unchanged.
To facilitate the timely declaration of results, CBSE has directed all affiliated schools in the affected regions to upload the required marks between April 6 and April 13, 2026. The Board has issued a strict advisory stating that once submitted, the data will be treated as final. No requests for corrections or modifications will be entertained afterwards.
This step is taken to streamline the CBSE result preparation process and avoid any delays, especially considering the extraordinary circumstances under which the assessment scheme has been implemented.
Students who did not appear for any of the examinations conducted up to March 28, 2026, will be marked as absent. Their results will be processed in accordance with CBSE’s existing examination bye-laws. For those who fail to meet the qualifying criteria under the alternative assessment scheme, the Board will conduct compartment examinations after the results are declared. This will provide students with an opportunity to improve their performance and secure a pass status.
In a student-friendly provision, CBSE has also stated that candidates who are dissatisfied with their results under the alternative scheme may be given an opportunity to appear for fresh examinations. However, this will be subject to feasibility, depending on the prevailing conditions in the region. This flexibility will ensure that no student feels disadvantaged due to the extraordinary circumstances and has a fair chance to demonstrate their academic abilities.
