Schools following Indian curricula had already announced a temporary shift to distance learning from Monday, March 2, to Wednesday, March 4
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed board examinations scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2026, affecting students in the UAE as schools navigate uncertainty amid ongoing Class 10 and 12 board exams.
Schools following Indian curricula had already announced a temporary shift to distance learning from Monday, March 2, to Wednesday, March 4, following nationwide directives issued by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Concerns had been growing among schools and parents over how these critical exams would be conducted amid the current situation.
In view of the current circumstances, CBSE stated in a circular released on Sunday. “Students and schools are informed that due to the current situation in parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) the Board has decided:
The examination schedule for Monday, March 2, for both Class X and XII, are postponed. The new date shall be announced later.
The Board will review the situation on Tuesday, March 3, and take appropriate decisions with regard to examinations scheduled from March 5 onwards.
All students are advised to stay in touch with their schools for updates and follow official announcements carefully.”
The CBSE Class 10 board exams are underway from February 17 and are expected to conclude around March 10-11, while Class 12 examinations are scheduled from February 17 to April 10, 2026.
Key papers such as Hindi (Course A & B) for Class 10 will take place on March 2. Class 12 students will be taking Mathematics / Applied Mathematics on March 9.
Meanwhile, the ICSE Class 10 Board Exams 2026, which began on February 17 and the ISC Class 12 Board Exams 2026, which started on February 12, are both currently underway. The Class 10 exams are scheduled to continue until March 30 and the Class 12 exams until April 6.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on Sunday, Dr Ram Shankar, Director of the Regional Office and Centre of Excellence (RO & CoE), CBSE Dubai, reassured parents and students that relevant authorities are taking cognizance of the matter.
He said, “We are closely engaging with all stakeholders, including regulators and officials from the ministry. At the same time, I am in constant touch with the CBSE headquarters, regularly sharing updates about the situation in the UAE and other GCC countries. I have apprised the headquarters of the developments.”
He added, “Parents, students, principals, and teachers should remain calm and not panic. Do not rely on social media, as many posts circulating are false. Always refer to official sources and websites for accurate information.”
In Abu Dhabi, schools are shifting internal exams and moving the remaining exams online
Shining Star International School, Principal Abhilasha Singh said, “Everything will be done remotely, similar to what we did during Covid times. Today, we are training new teachers to navigate the system and upload the question papers on the MLS (Managed Learning System). We are in constant touch with the CBSE Regional Office. Regular reassurances are being shared with staff and parents.”
Other schools in Dubai are also adjusting academic operations in response.
Sheela Menon, Principal of Ambassador School, said,
“We will move ahead with distance learning from March 2 to 4, in line with KHDA guidelines, for students from kindergarten to Grades 9 and 11. Grades 10 and 12 are currently appearing for their board examinations. We are conducting a series of meetings with teachers and senior leadership team members to ensure everyone clearly understands the plan for the next three days. Detailed communication will then be shared in line with the Ministry’s directives.”
Menon also highlighted coordination with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) officials: “I have spoken to them, and all ISC-affiliated schools are collectively writing to CISCE to request rescheduling of papers scheduled in the coming week, keeping in mind that everyone’s safety is the top priority right now.”
Explaining the academic implications, she said, “This is the year-end examination period, with Summative Assessment III currently underway for Grades 4, 9 and 11. Kindergarten to Grade 3 follow continuous assessments, so we have asked for those to be rescheduled. The last day of summative assessments was originally March 13, and students were to attend school until March 16 before the Spring break. With the rescheduling, it is possible that we may need to extend the exam period slightly beyond March 16 for a few papers.”
However, she stressed, “The most important priority right now is the safety of our students and restoring normalcy. We are also taking special care to ensure that students appearing for board exams are not adversely impacted or face any academic loss.”
Like the others, GEMS Our Own Indian School also moved to distance learning for three days, notifying parents that “school transport services, after-school activities, clubs and external programmes will be suspended during this time”.
The school also added that it has coordinated with CBSE and ICSE council leadership, who confirmed that UAE government directives take precedence. “Any examinations impacted during the period will be rescheduled, with revised dates to be communicated once confirmed.”
© Khaleej Times
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