CBSE Class 12 Exams Postponed Amid Middle East Tensions

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed Class 12 exams originally set for March 12-16 due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. New dates will be announced later. The decision affects students in several Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, a recent controversy arose from the Class 12 Maths paper, where a QR code led to a prank video, prompting CBSE to confirm the authenticity of the exam materials. Stay tuned for further updates on the rescheduled exams.

By Sourabh Singh Mar 10, 2026, 16:21 IST

CBSE Class 12 Exam Rescheduling

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the postponement of Class 12 examinations that were set to take place from March 12 to 16 due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The new schedule will be communicated at a later date. The exams originally included English Elective and English Core on March 12, Tourism, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration on March 13, Home Science on March 14, and Hindi Core and Elective on March 16. This information was shared through a post on the social media platform X from CBSE's official account.

Affected Countries

According to the CBSE announcement, the Class 12 exams have been postponed in the following Middle Eastern countries:

Bahrain

Iran

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Official Update from CBSE

Previously, CBSE had already postponed Class 12 exams scheduled until March 11 and canceled Class 10 exams. This decision follows escalating tensions in the region due to military confrontations involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

Controversy Surrounding Class 12 Maths Paper

CBSE Class 12 Maths Paper Incident

In another development, the Class 12 Maths exam conducted on March 9 has sparked discussions on social media. A QR code included in the exam led to a 'Rickroll' prank, linking to Rick Astley's famous 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up." In response, CBSE has issued a statement clarifying that the question papers are authentic and that there has been no breach of security.

CBSE's press release emphasized that various security measures are in place for the question papers, including QR codes to verify authenticity in case of any security issues. The Maths exam for Class 12 took place on March 9, 2026, and some question paper sets contained QR codes that directed to a YouTube video, raising concerns among students and parents regarding the integrity of the exam materials.