The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice on a petition filed by Class XII students from several Gulf countries challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) special assessment scheme introduced after Board examinations were cancelled in the region because of geopolitical tensions. The students contend that the alternative evaluation method has adversely affected their scores and, consequently, their chances of securing admission to engineering colleges.
A bench comprising justice KV Viswanathan and justice Alok Aradhe issued notice on the writ petition filed by 30 regular students studying in CBSE-affiliated schools across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.
The petition questions the validity of the special evaluation policy framed by the CBSE after several Class XII Board examinations in the West Asia and Gulf region were cancelled because of geopolitical tensions and security concerns.
According to the students, the alternative assessment formula has resulted in marks substantially lower than what they were expected to secure in the Board examinations.
The petition states that the CBSE, through a notification issued on 27 March 2026, decided to evaluate students who could not appear for the cancelled examinations by relying on internal school assessments, including quarterly, half-yearly, and pre-board examinations.
The students argue that this methodology does not accurately reflect their academic performance and has placed them at a disadvantage compared with candidates who appeared for the regular Board examinations.
The plea further claims that the evaluation has had serious implications for higher education admissions, particularly under the direct admission of students abroad (DASA) and children of Indian workers in Gulf countries (CIWG) schemes, both of which require candidates to secure a minimum aggregate of 75% marks for eligibility.
According to the petition, several students who qualified in the joint entrance examination (JEE) main have nevertheless become ineligible for admission because their Class XII marks, as determined under the special assessment scheme, fell below the prescribed threshold.
The petitioners have also submitted that some students who had maintained a consistently good academic record have either been declared failed or placed in the compartment category under the revised evaluation process.
After hearing counsel for the petitioners, the apex court issued notice to the respondents and directed that a copy of the petition be served on the solicitor general of India so that assistance could be provided to the Court during the hearing of the matter.
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