The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 8) issued notice in a plea filed by Class XII regular students from Gulf countries challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) special assessment scheme adopted for the 2025–26 academic session following the cancellation of Board examinations in the West Asia/Gulf region due to geopolitical tensions.

A partial court working days bench of Justice KV Viswanathan and Justice Alok Aradhe heard the Writ Petition filed by 30 students studying in CBSE-affiliated schools across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain, who challenged the CBSE's assessment scheme, contending that the adopted methodology resulted in significantly lower marks than they would ordinarily have secured in the final Board examinations.

The dispute arises from the cancellation of the 2025–26 CBSE Board examinations in several subjects due to the geopolitical conflict and security concerns in the Gulf region.

To evaluate students who could not take the examinations, CBSE issued a notification dated March 27, 2026, prescribing a special assessment scheme under which marks for cancelled papers were calculated on the basis of school-level assessments, including quarterly examinations, half-yearly examinations and pre-board examinations.

The petition states that the impugned assessment has adversely affected students' higher education prospects, particularly those seeking admission under the Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) and Children of Indian Workers in Gulf Countries (CIWG) schemes, which prescribe a minimum aggregate of 75% marks for eligibility.

The petitioners point out that several students who had successfully qualified for the JEE Main examination have nevertheless become ineligible for admission solely because of the marks awarded under the special assessment scheme.

According to the petition, several students have either been declared failed or placed in the compartment category despite having consistently performed well academically.

Upon hearing the counsel for the petitioners, the Court was inclined to issue a notice to the respondents and further ordered that a copy of the petition be served upon the Solicitor General of India to assist the Court in the matter.

Cause Title: Adithian Rajmohan Nair & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.

Mr. Raj Kishor Choudhary, AoR, and Mr. Vineet Jindal, Adv. appeared for the petitioners