Concerns rise over university admissions and scholarships as calls grow to review the Middle East assessment scheme.
Dubai: Over 10,000 CBSE Class 12 students in the UAE are grappling with a mix of relief and concern following India’s Central Board of Secondary Education announcement of an alternative assessment scheme. The move replaces board exams cancelled across seven Middle Eastern countries due to ongoing regional conflicts.
The new policy, announced on March 27, calculates final marks using school-based assessments — including quarterly tests, half-yearly exams, and pre-boards — for subjects that could not be examined in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
For theory papers of 80 or 70 marks, the highest score from these three internal assessments will be considered. For subjects with theory components of 60 marks or fewer, only the final pre-board result will count. While school leaders have largely accepted the policy framework, students and some principals have voiced concerns over whether internal marks can accurately reflect student capability.
Mixed feelings
For Grade 12 commerce student Devarshi Chaube, the announcement carries particular frustration. “Throughout the year, many of us struggled to adjust to the syllabus and its depth, and our early performance did not meet the school’s standards. By the time we fully understood the concepts and felt confident, we did not get the chance to demonstrate our true potential in the final board examinations,” he said.
He urged CBSE to account for the widely recognized gap between pre-board and final board performance and recommended that practical subjects assessed with external examiners be given greater weightage.
Prisha Lala, a Grade 12 science student, said: “I was well prepared for the exam and hoping to score in the high 90s. I could have solved the board papers easily, so it feels like a missed opportunity.” She is now anxious about submitting final marks to a university that requires 98 per cent for admission. “I’m not sure how things will work out now.”
Grace Maria Manoj from Abu Dhabi added: “It’s no secret that Grade 12 school exams are intentionally challenging to encourage students to study harder for the final boards. But relying on a single school exam score can be disheartening for any student.”
She also highlighted uncertainty surrounding the alternative examination mentioned in the CBSE circular. “Very little is known about it — when it will be conducted, where and how, and especially when the results will be announced.”
Admission fears
The concern extends beyond grades. Some students are reaching out to universities to request entrance tests or alternative evaluations. “We want institutions to understand that our internal marks alone do not reflect the improvement, effort, and performance we would have shown in the final board exams,” Chaube said. Some students have already reconsidered which universities or countries they plan to apply to.
Ananya Meenakshi from Dubai said that a board examination would still be the most appropriate solution. Failing that, she suggested a school-level final exam as a fair alternative, with moderation applied to ensure scores more accurately support university admissions.
Schools call for review
Several schools have formally expressed concerns over the new assessment scheme. One notable example comes from Ambassador School Sharjah, where Principal Arogya Reddy submitted an official representation to CBSE.
The letter highlights that a large proportion of senior students—often 60 to 70 per cent—are applying to universities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, where internal assessments are considered formative rather than certifying.
“Empirical evidence across cohorts consistently shows that students outperform their school examination averages by a significant margin—often 15 to 25 per cent—in board examinations,” the letter states.
The representation also raised a procedural concern, noting that internal assessment answer scripts are returned to students as part of the learning process and are not retained as secure archival records suitable for external audit. The school urged CBSE to consider proctored assessment models used by other international examination bodies.
Among its recommendations, the letter suggested allowing students to appear at designated centres in India, with parent communities reportedly willing to support this under structured conditions.
Board responds
Dr Ram Shankar, Professor and Director of the CBSE Regional Office and Centre of Excellence in Dubai, said the board had consulted widely, placing student welfare at the centre of the decision. “The board has discussed this issue with all stakeholders and experts concerned. Considering the concerns, issues, and context, we have prioritised the interest of students and accordingly devised this provision,” he said.
He emphasized that the school-based scheme applies only to subjects in which students could not appear. “For subjects where students have already appeared, we are taking those marks and grades into account.”
Dr Shankar acknowledged receiving feedback from schools but said the overall response from principals has been positive. “There may be one or two concerns, which we can clarify. The majority of principals I have spoken with feel it is a wonderful initiative — they appreciate and welcome it.”
Regarding the alternative examination, he said details would be shared as the situation develops and urged students and parents to rely solely on official CBSE channels for updates.
“If any clarification is needed, the CBSE office is available. Interpretation is very important, and sometimes what seems like a concern is really about clarity. We always welcome suggestions, but the board makes decisions considering many factors,” he added.
Where students and schools agree
Not all voices have been critical. Heera Subhash, a Grade 12 science student, called the “best of three” approach reasonable. “Since school assessments can vary in difficulty and evaluation, averaging scores might unfairly reduce a student’s marks. Choosing the best score allows a student’s true potential to be reflected,” she said.
Manasvi Dhoot, also in Grade 12, expressed gratitude that CBSE prioritised student safety. “School exams are conducted similarly to the board pattern, so taking the best and highest mark will help students calculate their percentage and work towards their goals.”
Punit MK Vasu, CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools in Dubai, described the scheme as “a thoughtful, structured, and student-centric response to an unprecedented situation.” He noted that, unlike during the COVID pandemic, this crisis involved exams that were partially conducted and partially cancelled, making a uniform solution impossible. “CBSE has managed to formulate a policy that is largely fair and reliable, as it is based on conclusive, documented evidence — namely, students’ own performance records.” He acknowledged that students in subjects with a smaller theory component may feel disadvantaged if they had a difficult pre-board day.
Dr Thakur S Mulchandani, School Director and Principal at Sunrise English Private School in Abu Dhabi, called the policy a “very positive measure” that balances fairness, reliability, validity, and transparency for students across the Gulf.
What happens next
Schools are required to upload marks between April 6 and April 13 via the CBSE online platform. Once submitted, no corrections will be permitted. Supplementary examinations are scheduled for July 2026 for students who do not meet the qualifying criteria, and re-evaluation options will remain available after results are announced.
Meanwhile, thousands of students across the UAE remain in a holding pattern — relieved that the decision was made swiftly, but increasingly anxious as university application deadlines draw closer.
