Historic CBSE Class 10 results 2026 in UAE as multiple students score perfect 100%

Dubai: The CBSE Class 10 board examination results for 2026 (Phase 1) have delivered a historic moment for Indian schools across the UAE, with multiple students scoring a perfect 100% and almost all institutions recording a 100% pass rate.

What makes the results even more extraordinary is the backdrop: the US-Israel-Iran conflict forced the cancellation of several board examinations in the Middle East in March following which a special alternative assessment scheme was introduced by India's Central Board of Secondary Examination.

The new scheme appears to have worked strongly in students' favour with several schools reporting students who received perfect scores in all subjects.

2 DPS students score 100%

Delhi Private School (DPS) Dubai was among the first to announce the milestone, with two students — Niyati Haresh Rakholiya and Vedaant Karthik — sharing the top rank with a perfect aggregate of 100%.

Of the 295 students who appeared for the examination, 289 secured distinction, giving the school a distinction rate of nearly 98% and a grade average of 92.5%.

Rashmi Nandkeolyar, Principal and Director of DPS Dubai, told Gulf News the results reflect the collective effort of students, teachers and parents. "This change shifts the narrative of a single high-stakes examination to an opportunity to showcase one's best," she said, referring to the two-phase exam format introduced by CBSE this year.

School topper Niyati said the results were "pure joy", while co-topper Vedaant credited the school's culture of discipline and collaborative learning for helping him stay focused throughout the year.

3 toppers from GEMS schools

Across GEMS Education's 11 CBSE schools in the UAE, all 2,960 Class 10 students recorded a 100% pass rate. Over half — 51.52% — scored above 90%, with an overall group average of 88.24%.

Three students achieved a perfect score: Saranya Sabarinath Nair from The Millennium School – Dubai, Sarang Varma Pariankad from GEMS Our Own English High School – Sharjah (Boys) and Chakkarapani Vasudev Ramana from GEMS United Indian School – Abu Dhabi.

GEMS toppers credited their success to strong support systems and personal dedication.

Saranya Sabarinath Nair highlighted discipline, determination and faith as key to her journey, thanking her teachers, parents and God. Sarang Varma Pariankad expressed gratitude to his teachers and parents, adding that his school shaped him into his best self and that he remains "a proud OOBite."

Chakkarapani Vasudev Ramana also acknowledged the guidance of teachers, support from school leadership, encouragement from his parents and inspiration from his classmates.

Dino Varkey, Group CEO of GEMS, said the results demonstrate "academic excellence at scale" and reflect the consistency of the group's teaching approach. Chief Education Officer Lisa Crausby described it as "a moment of pride across the GEMS CBSE community."

The Millennium School – Dubai led among GEMS schools with an average score of 91.81%, followed by GEMS New Millennium School – Al Khail at 90.98%, and GEMS Millennium School – Sharjah at 90.72%.

Resilience rewarded

The Indian High Group of Schools — comprising The Indian High School in Oud Metha and The Indian International School in DSO — also maintained their tradition of a 100% pass rate, with more than 860 students collectively achieving the milestone.

CEO Punit MK Vasu acknowledged the unusual pressures students faced this year. "The regular levels of anxiety and stress that accompany board exam results were understandably heightened this year amid broader regional uncertainties and unforeseen disruptions," he said, adding that students showed "incredible resilience" while navigating a completely transformed examination landscape.

Credence High School also joined the celebrations with the Principal and CEO Deepika Thapar Singh saying she is moved not just by the marks but by "the quiet determination" students demonstrated throughout the year. "This year, the marks, as wonderful as they are, come second for us," she said.

The Emirates National School in Sharjah, which presented 220 candidates, and Metropolitan International Indian School (MIIPS) in Umm Al Quwain, which is celebrating its 16th consecutive year of 100% pass results, and Asian International Private School, Branch-1, Al Dhannah (Ruwais) were among the other schools to record perfect pass rates.

What happens next

While the results are cause for celebration, educators are urging families to keep one important detail in mind: these results are provisional.

Under the new two-phase policy introduced by CBSE this year, all Class 10 students in India and abroad can appear for improvement examinations in up to three subjects in May to potentially boost their scores. Schools have five days from the date of results to submit the List of Candidates (LOC) for the second phase.

This means the current toppers, while deserving of full recognition, could be joined by additional students who match their perfect scores after the improvement exam. The number of students scoring 100% may or may not rise further once phase two results are declared.

Earlier, educators had predicted that many students would opt for the improvement exam because of the alternative assessment scheme used to calculate results for subjects cancelled due to the conflict.

However, given how strong the phase one outcomes have been overall, schools say there may now be less motivation to reappear. A clearer picture will only emerge once the List of Candidates submissions are reviewed.

Achieving a perfect score in CBSE Class 10 is considered exceptionally rare, particularly because subjects such as English and Social Science involve subjective answers, where marks can vary depending on the examiner's judgement.

The fact that multiple students across different schools have achieved this outcome in a single year, and amid such difficult circumstances, makes the 2026 results a landmark for the UAE's Indian school community.