CBSE issues guidelines for special Class 12 exam for UAE, other Middle East students
What UAE, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia students must know before LOC
Dubai: India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued guidelines for Class 12 students in the UAE and six other countries in the Middle East who want to appear in the special examinations announced for the exams that could not be conducted due to the regional conflict in March.
According to the CBSE, these students can start filling in their List of Candidates (LOC) from Tuesday, September 22.
The notification, dated September 21, 2026, comes with a step-by-step user manual for students in the UAE, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. It follows CBSE's circular of September 15, which said the examinations that could not be held in these countries earlier this year will now go ahead.
Both regular and private candidates must fill in the LOC to sit one or more subjects of their choice.
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The LOC registration closes on Saturday, September 26. CBSE had earlier made it clear that there would be no extensions.
The special examinations follow a Supreme Court order and are meant for students who were unhappy with the results generated under the special assessment scheme that was used to calculate their scores.
What to keep handy
The facility is only for regular and private candidates in these seven countries where the examination could not be conducted.
Students should keep their previous examination documents, such as the Admit Card and Marks Statement, ready before they begin to register their details for LOC.
The notification also asks them to keep the details of their main examinations readily available.
How the process works
Registration is online. Students must visit the official CBSE website, www.cbse.nic.in, and open the link for the Special Examination registration in West Asian countries for Class XII, 2026. On the portal, they need to click the “Special Exam” tab.
They will then be asked for details from their main examination: previous roll number, the centre number and mother's name as they appear on the Admit Card, and the year of the main examination, which is 2026.
Students must also enter a personal email address, as a one-time password (OTP) will be sent there. CBSE advises checking the spam folder if it does not arrive in the inbox.
After verification, students will see a checklist of subjects and can tick one or more. These are the 40 subjects in which the board could not conduct examinations. Students should review all the information before final submission. Once submitted, they can click on “Confirmation Page” to view their application.
Rules to remember
After a successful submission, the portal displays an Application Number. Students must note it down and keep it safe, as CBSE says it may be needed later.
Marks scored in the special examination will overwrite the marks awarded earlier, and examination centres will remain the same as for the main examinations.
CBSE has urged students to read the instructions carefully and submit the LOC on time.
Prof. Dr Ram Shankar, Director of CBSE Regional Office and Centre of Excellence, Dubai, who oversees all the CBSE affiliated foreign schools, told Gulf News: “This is intended for students who wish to appear for the special examination. They are advised to carefully read and follow the instructions and complete the registration process within the stipulated timeline.”
