Indian pupils in the UAE have told of their concerns after the cancellation of crucial final-year exams due to the Iran war put university hopes on hold.
Thousands of learners have been left in limbo after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) scrapped Grade 12 exams due to be held between March 16 and April 10 across the Middle East, including in the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
The CBSE curriculum is popular among the Indian community, with more than 70 schools in the UAE alone affected by the decision.
Grade 12 exams administered by the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations, due to be held from March 2 to April 6, were also cancelled. There are four ICSE schools in the UAE, with the move affecting hundreds of pupils.
Both Indian education authorities said schools would soon be notified of the method to finalise grade 12 results. The exams are similar to A-levels in the British curriculum and the results often determine which pupils can attend which universities.
Pupils said they understood safety requirements were important but many felt deprived of the chance to prove themselves in end-of-year exams.
For those with conditional university offers, the final marks can be critical to landing their preferred place.
Uncertain future
“Most students really prepare for the board [final] exams and that opportunity has been taken away from us,” said Srinithi Senthil, 17, from a CBSE school in Dubai.
“The 12th grade score is really important because colleges have a minimum requirement for entrance. The college you get into shapes the rest of your life. I try to stay positive, distract myself and try not to think of the results.”
Similar to methods adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools shut down, final results are likely to be calculated based on an aggregate of the past year’s tests.
Nervous wait
Many pupils have secured a provisional acceptance in colleges in the UAE and UK but require high scores to gain admission.
“Children usually reserve their best preparation for the 'boards', so the last few months, that’s like a marathon,” said Sounthari Senthil, Srinithi’s mother. “The exam is in their control but when it comes down to an aggregate, it’s ambiguous. You don’t know how it will turn out.”
Anushka Tripathi, 17, a CBSE pupil in Dubai, is worried about admission to a college in India.
“It’s sad because I really studied hard in the last few months,” she said. “Many students may not get the percentage they want to get into the college they want. I am scared but I have faith deep in my heart that something good will happen.”
Overall, pupils said they were disheartened but glad any uncertainty had ended. Anxiety levels were high when Indian education boards postponed the grade 12 exams a few times this month as they waited to see if the Iran conflict would be resolved. As Iran’s attacks continue, both boards cancelled the exams.
Aliya Arora, 17, a CBSE pupil at Delhi Private School, has applied to colleges in the UK and Singapore. She hopes year-round stellar grades will help get her to her college of choice. “My results have been pretty consistent and, whatever decision the CBSE makes, I’m sure it will work out,” the Dubai pupil said.
“It’s definitely disheartening because we were looking forward to doing the exams well. It would have been a culmination of all our hard work. But our safety does come first. Our marks do matter but marks are just a part of our journey. The effort we've put in all through the year will help in our further studies.”
Aarish Banerjee, 17, an ISC pupil from Ambassador School in Dubai, has received provisional acceptance from two UK universities.
“It was definitely nerve-racking when postponements of exams was being announced,” he said. “It’s tough to study for exams when you are not sure if the exams will happen.”
He is learning to manage his disappointment. “I was hoping to match the scores the universities need with my final board scores,” he said. “I’m definitely disappointed because I put in the effort to study and wanted it to show with my marks. Still, I do understand in the larger scheme, our safety is important.”
Support network
With exams cancelled, parents are encouraging teenagers to meet friends, watch films or listen to music to relieve the pressure.
Schools held sessions to assure pupils and parents that decisions made would have the children’s best interests in mind.
“We have explained that CBSE will soon release the methodology to confirm their results looking at their past performance,” said Rashmi Nandkeolyar, principal at Delhi Private School Dubai.
“We have spoken to students about how no harm will come from this. This is a situation that is not in any ordinary person’s control. The school has taught them so many skills, they have to tap into that resilience now.”
Counsellors and teachers are available so pupils can raise questions and concerns.
Sheela Menon, principal at Ambassador School, said: “We met the students in online sessions and calmed them down. Yes, they are upset but there is also relief that a decision has been made.
“Students are worried about losing out in terms of colleges of their choice but the council will consider a variety of factors in the final assessment. None of us have any control over the situation and safety is the top priority.”
In the ISC curriculum, grade 12 pupils will have the option of sitting the exam, probably in July.
The Indian council said that after the declaration of the grade 12 results, “candidates from UAE who are not satisfied with the marks awarded to them will be given an opportunity to appear for the year 2026 improvement examination”.
The SAT exam – a standardised test used as admission criteria by colleges in the US – in the region have also been affected.
The College Board, which administers the exam, said SAT was postponed from March 14 to March 28 as test centres in the region were shut having been “impacted by the ongoing conflict and security situation”.
