The Supreme Court of India has called for responses from the Union government and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) concerning a plea advocating for the rights of Class XII students in Gulf countries to participate in compartment examinations. The plea arises from disruptions caused by regional conflicts in the US-Iran war, affecting the regular exam schedule.
A Bench comprising Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe issued a notice regarding the petition, following concerns that while CBSE announced compartment exams starting July 28, no equivalent schedule was provided for students in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and West Asian countries. The court mandated that the petition be served to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, scheduling further hearings for July 14.
This petition was filed by Class XII students from GCC and West Asian nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. The students challenged the CBSE’s special assessment scheme implemented after the exams were disrupted due to geopolitical tensions earlier this year.
Under the assessment scheme announced on March 27, CBSE evaluated students based on quarterly, half-yearly, and pre-board exams as certain board exams could not proceed. The students argue they were not informed that these assessments would influence their final results, resulting in many being categorized as failed or needing to appear for compartment exams, adversely affecting their eligibility for university admissions globally.
The petition requests directives to conduct special and improvement exams for affected students, apply compensatory moderation or grace marks, and offer leniency in admission criteria under the Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) and Children of Indian Workers in Gulf Countries (CIWG) schemes.
The petition also highlights a similar case previously brought before the Supreme Court by a private candidate from Saudi Arabia, whose improvement exam results were withheld due to cancellations amid West Asian disruptions. The court has combined both cases, recognizing their substantial similarities concerning the educational rights and admission opportunities for CBSE students in these regions affected by the atypical 2026 examination cycle.
The Supreme Court has tagged both petitions for a follow-up hearing on July 14, with student representation by advocates Raj Kishore Choudhary and Vineet Jindal.
