The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for 5 and 6 March in select West Asian countries, citing the ongoing conflict in the region.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, the board said exams due to be held on Thursday, 5 March, and Friday, 6 March 2026, in parts of the Middle East would be deferred. The affected countries include Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
“The new dates shall be announced later,” the board said, adding that it would review the situation on 5 March before taking a decision on examinations scheduled from 7 March onwards. Students have been advised to remain in contact with their schools and rely only on official announcements.
The Indian Embassy in Oman also shared the update, urging students to avoid rumours and follow CBSE notifications for accurate information.
The postponement follows escalating tensions in the region after the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on 28 February. The strikes reportedly targeted military command centres, air-defence systems and missile sites, and resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior military officials.
Iran responded with ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting US assets and allied locations across the region, including Israel and several Gulf states, widening the conflict and raising safety concerns for civilians and expatriates.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah claimed it launched a dawn drone attack on Israel’s Ramat David Air Base, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The group said it targeted radar sites and control rooms at the base.
CBSE had earlier postponed examinations scheduled for 2 March as tensions intensified across the region.
