Saturday 07 / March / 2026
Muscat: Parents and students in Oman have expressed frustration after the Central Board of Secondary Education postponed Class XII board examinations scheduled for March 9, 10 and 11 in several Middle East countries, including Oman.
In a circular issued on March 7, the board said the decision was taken after reviewing the current situation in parts of the Middle East. The postponement applies to CBSE-affiliated schools in Oman, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The board said that new dates for the examinations will be announced later. It added that the situation will be reviewed again on March 10 before taking a decision regarding exams scheduled from March 12 onwards.
However, the move has left many parents and students anxious. “How can they just postpone without giving a new date?” asked Sobraj, a parent of a student at Indian School Muscat. “Students were mentally prepared to write the exams. Now suddenly everything has been pushed back and no one knows when it will happen.”
He added that examinations could have been conducted in Oman as normal activities continue in the country. “Schools, colleges, airports and offices are all open. So I am wondering why the exams are not happening here,” he said.
The postponement has also disrupted plans for many families who had scheduled travel and academic arrangements after the examinations.
“I am supposed to enroll for higher studies from April 1 as the exams were getting over in the last week of March. Now I don’t know what to do,” said Anusua, a student of Indian School Darsait. “Universities abroad require final marksheets and timelines are already tight. This delay will affect many students like me.”
Another parent said the uncertainty has caused stress for students who had prepared extensively for the board examinations.
“My children had prepared thoroughly and put in a lot of hard work for the subjects. Now we are not sure when the exams will happen, and the marks will be important for university admissions,” he further said.
Parents also expressed concern about how the evaluation will be handled for Class X students after the board cancelled the remaining examinations in the region.
“Initially my son was very happy that he doesn’t have to keep studying,” said the father of a Class X student. “But later we started discussing how the final grades will be calculated and he became tense. Mock exams are usually tougher and marked very strictly, so we are worried about how the final results will be worked out.”
For many students, the uncertainty is affecting their preparation. A parent of a Grade 12 student from Indian School Sohar said the sudden announcement has disrupted study schedules.
“She was studying hard till Saturday morning, but this uncertainty has slowed her down,” she said. “We are still confused whether to continue preparing for the March 12 English exam or wait for further instructions.”
Some students said the emotional stress is as challenging as the exams themselves. “We had planned our revision schedule according to the exam dates. When the dates suddenly change, it becomes difficult to stay focused,” said another Grade 12 student. “We just want clarity so we know how to move forward.”
Meanwhile, some parents in other Gulf countries have called for the complete cancellation of the exams.
“Just cancel the exams. It’s not a big deal. Why are you playing with students’ lives?” one parent said on social media.
Others questioned why the same approach was not taken for Class XII as well. “You cancelled Class 10 exams but why not Class 12? This is confusing for students who are already under pressure,” another parent said.
Many parents have also urged the board to announce revised dates quickly. “Why keep everyone in limbo over decisions about the remaining exams? The uncertainty is more stressful than the situation itself. Please don’t keep students and parents waiting,” one parent said.
Several parents have also urged others to write to CBSE requesting cancellation of the board examinations and an alternative evaluation method similar to the one used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everyone should email CBSE requesting cancellation of the exams,” one parent wrote in a parents’ group.
“They can declare results like during COVID-19 and pass students in the GCC region. At least that will remove the uncertainty.”
