Ongoing geopolitical tensions during the Iran-U.S.-Israel war prompted major academic shifts, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a revised assessment plan for Year 10 students across the school middle Eastfundamentally changing the way thousands of students are assessed this year. The move comes in the wake of the unprecedented cancellation of board exams in major Gulf states, leaving students, parents and schools facing uncertainty, but now, with clarity on the situation, the focus has shifted from exams to assessment, and the implications are significant.
Why CBSE changed these rules United Arab Emirates , Saudi Arabia , Qatar Oman, Kuwait , Bahrain and iran
Countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iran have completely canceled their remaining Class 10 exams due to the worsening security situation in the region amid the war between Iran and the US-Israel. What started as a temporary postponement in early March quickly escalated into a full cancellation as tensions over Iran and the U.S.-Israeli conflict made the exam unsafe.The decision affects more than 50,000 students in over 150 CBSE-affiliated schools in the region, making it one of the biggest disruptions to overseas CBSE exams in recent years. With exams no longer an option, CBSE must act quickly to ensure that the academic future of students is not derailed.
How the new CBSE assessment scheme works
CBSE’s revised assessment model aims to fairly evaluate students based on their actual performance in the examinations conducted and on the calculated average of the missed papers.Here’s how it works:
- Students taking all exams – Their results will be based solely on their performance in these papers.
- Students taking 4 subjects – Scores for the remaining subjects will be calculated using the average of the best three subjects.
- Students taking 3 subjects – The remaining subjects will be graded based on the average of the best two subjects.
- Students taking only 2 subjects – Their remaining marks will be based on the average of the two papers.
This structured formula is designed to maintain fairness while accommodating incomplete exam data. In addition to exam results, internal assessment scores submitted by schools also play a key role in the final grade. This includes regular tests, preparatory exams and project and coursework. These components that are often overlooked in normal years are now even more important and actually become key determinants of the final score.
Middle East exams canceled: How CBSE will now calculate scores
One of the most noteworthy aspects of the new plan is that there will not be any special re-examination outside CBSE’s existing framework. However, students still have the opportunity to appear for the Board II exams and improve their scores as per the standard CBSE policy. This ensures that while current results will be considered final, students are not prevented from improving their performance.
CBSE results to be announced along with global cohort
CBSE has confirmed that students in the Middle East will receive their results along with all other candidates globally, ensuring equality and avoiding delays in higher education applications. This is especially important for:
- college admissions in india
- Apply to international universities
- Competitive Examinations and Admission Process
In a year filled with chaos, keeping timelines consistent is a major relief.
Iran’s crisis with the US and Israel reshapes education in the Middle East
This policy shift cannot be viewed in isolation. It’s part of a broader crisis that has disrupted education across the Bay Area. In recent weeks:
- Exams repeatedly postponed
- Schools shift to remote learning
- The entire exam cycle is canceled
The rapid escalation of conflict in the region has forced authorities to prioritize student safety over academic arrangements, a decision echoed by multiple education boards. What is unique about this situation is that it is not a pandemic or a natural disaster, but a geopolitical conflict that directly affects the academic system. For students, the sudden shift from exam rooms to algorithm-based assessments is emotionally complex. Many have been preparing for months, having emerged from a number of key subjects and expecting a traditional grading system. Their results now depend in part on averaging formulas and internal assessments, raising concerns about fairness and transparency.At the same time, exam stress is relieved, with less stress in an already stressful environment and a greater focus on safety. This dual reality of relief and uncertainty has defined the student experience this year. The revised assessment plan is more than just a temporary solution, it represents a structural shift in the way the academic system responds to the crisis. For decades, board exams were seen as non-negotiable. This decision proves that they can be replaced if needed. School-based assessment has moved from secondary importance to central importance. Education systems are forced to quickly adapt to unpredictable global events. The current plan is similar to the Covid-19 assessment model where CBSE relies on internal assessments and past performance to calculate the results.
Impact of Iran, US-Israel war: CBSE cancels exams, introduces new assessments in Gulf
However, the context was very different, then a global health crisis and now a regional geopolitical conflict. This makes the current situation even more unpredictable, with safety concerns rather than health driving decisions.
What CBSE students in the Middle East should do now
In cases where assessment is clear, students are advised to stay in contact with the school to ensure that internal assessment records are accurate, prepare for improvement exams as needed, and focus on the next academic steps (admissions, entrance exams). The focus now is on moving forward and not dwelling on what has been lost.CBSE’s revised assessment plan for Grade 10 students in the Middle East marks a defining moment in modern education policy, with exams scrapped, assessments realigned and academic timetables retained. In a district facing unprecedented instability, the board is trying to strike a balance between equity, flexibility and student welfare. The bigger takeaway, however, is that education systems no longer operate in isolation. They are deeply affected by global events and must evolve as quickly as the world around them.
HD Dev Gundam, 
The expanded visa bond program, which takes effect on April 2, requires foreign nationals to pay $15,000 for a business and tourist B1 or B2 visa. The official said the move was aimed at preventing tourists from overstaying their visas. New countries included in the visa bond program include Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Tunisia.The official said the deposit will be refunded to visa recipients who return home in compliance with the terms of their visa and deposit or who did not travel in the first place. State Department officials said the program reduced the number of people who overstayed their visas. 
The Central Electoral Commission is said to have told officials involved in polling operations in four states and one federal territory that “the Commission has zero tolerance for any form of violence, intimidation or inducement against any elector”. A EC official said the series of transfers in the West Bank, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam were aimed at weeding out elements in the administration and police that had become weak. “Violence and intimidation have always been a hallmark of polling in a state like Western Australia. This cycle must stop,” the official said, adding that the deployment of 1,111 observers was a step in that direction.
Meta’s senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that unlike Amazon and Flipkart, Facebook is not an e-commerce platform but just a “bulletin board” and the CCPA has no “jurisdiction” over it. He believes that Facebook neither provides a buying and selling mechanism nor charges any commission from users. Facebook Marketplace is a free service designed for natural persons to sell or exchange goods in their personal capacity; he added that businesses and commercial sellers are not allowed to create listings. Justice Purushindra Kumar Kaurav on Wednesday listed Meta’s petition for hearing on March 25, asking it to explain how the order could be termed “without jurisdiction”. In January this year, the CCPA ruled that Meta violated the Consumer Protection Act and the Information Technology Rules by allowing walkie-talkies to be listed on Facebook Marketplace without mandatory disclosure.