CBSE adopts 40:60 evaluation formula for private candidates affected by Gulf exam cancellations

CBSE has rolled out a special evaluation policy for Class 12 private candidates in seven Gulf nations after board examinations were canceled due to the ongoing tensions in West Asia.

The union government informed the Supreme Court that the board issued the revised assessment scheme on June 21 for students in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates who were unable to appear for their examinations.

According to the new policy, final scores will be determined using a 40:60 formula. Forty percent of the marks will be based on a student's Class 10 theory examination performance, while the remaining 60% will be drawn from the candidate's most recent Class 12 examination attempt.

CBSE told the court that the approach was adopted because private candidates do not have access to school-based academic records such as internal assessment scores or pre-board examination marks that are available for regular students.

The matter reached the Supreme Court after a Class 12 improvement examination candidate from Saudi Arabia challenged the non-declaration of his result.

The student argued that while regular candidates had already been assessed, private candidates had not been provided similar relief.

During the proceedings, the government informed the court that the petitioner's result had already been prepared under the newly introduced evaluation framework and communicated to him.

The government further said that candidates dissatisfied with their awarded marks would have the option to reappear in the next CBSE board examination cycle.

Following the submission, the Supreme Court disposed of the petition while granting the student liberty to pursue other legal remedies, if required.