CBSE Introduces New Evaluation Policy for Private Students in Gulf
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has implemented a revised evaluation policy for private students whose Class XII board examinations were cancelled across seven Gulf countries due to the recent Iran-US war. The Centre communicated this to the Supreme Court on Monday.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre and CBSE, informed a Bench comprising Justices S V N Bhatti and Vipul M Pancholi that a fresh all-India policy had been framed to address the concerns of students affected by the regional conflict. The policy was officially notified on June 21.
Distinct Formula for Private Candidates
Under the new policy, a distinct formula has been developed for evaluating private candidates. For subjects where examinations could not be conducted, performance will be assessed based on marks obtained by the private candidate in Class X and the last-attempted Class XII board examination.
Specifically, for cancelled subjects, marks will be computed as 40 percent of theory marks scored in the Class X board examination and 60 percent of theory marks scored in the last attempted Class XII board examination, Mehta explained during the hearing.
Case of Petitioner Pransu Jigarkumar Patel
The petition was filed by Pransu Jigarkumar Patel, a private candidate from Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. When CBSE declared Class XII results on May 13, 2026, Patel's result was not declared and his status appeared as “R.L. (Result Later)”.
Mehta informed the Bench that under the new policy, Patel's assessed marks were higher than his earlier performance. His result was communicated via email and will be updated in his DigiLocker account. The policy also allows unsatisfied students to appear in the next regular examination.
Categories of Affected Students
Mehta noted that two categories of students were affected by the exam cancellations: regular school students and private candidates. The unique challenge for private candidates was the absence of a school to supply internal assessment records, such as quarterly, half-yearly, and pre-board examination marks. These records were essential for the original March 27 evaluation scheme, which was designed for regular students.
Patel's counsel acknowledged that the result had been declared but urged the court to protect the petitioner's right to seek copies of answer scripts and pursue re-evaluation according to CBSE rules. The Bench noted that no such prayers were included in the petition and disposed of the matter, granting liberty to the petitioner to pursue remedies in accordance with the law.
