CBSE Class 12 private candidates in Gulf countries — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Iran — had their board exams cancelled mid-way due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict in March 2026. If your child is one of them, here is exactly how their final marks will be calculated.
CBSE will calculate marks for cancelled subjects using a 40:60 formula — 40% from the student’s Class 10 board performance (average of best 3 subjects, normalised) and 60% from their last attempted Class 12 board exam marks for that subject. This applies only to theory marks. Practical, project, and internal assessment marks remain unchanged. The policy was officially notified on June 21, 2026, and accepted by the Supreme Court of India on June 22, 2026.
This guide covers who exactly this scheme applies to, a step-by-step worked calculation with real numbers, how to check results on DigiLocker, and whether these assessed marks affect college admissions in India. All information is verified against official CBSE notifications and Supreme Court proceedings.
📋 Table of Contents
Who Does This Marking Rule Apply To?
This is the part most news articles buried in paragraphs. Here it is clearly. The 40:60 formula applies only to the following students:
- Private candidates only — not regular school students attending affiliated CBSE schools
- Students registered at exam centres in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Iran
- Only for subjects whose exams were cancelled due to the conflict — subjects that were already conducted use the actual marks scored
- Compartment exam students appearing as private candidates in these regions
- Improvement exam students who were re-appearing to improve earlier scores
- Other non-regular category students registered under the Gulf examination zones
Regular school students in these regions are assessed under a separate scheme that uses internal assessment and pre-board records maintained by their schools. This blog focuses specifically on private candidates.
How Are Marks Calculated? The 40:60 Formula Explained Simply
This is what parents and students actually need to know. No competitor has published a worked example, so here it is in full detail.
How the Two Parts Work
The formula applies only to theory marks for cancelled subjects. Practical marks, project marks, and internal assessment marks remain exactly as they were — unchanged.
- 40% comes from Class 10 board exam performance — specifically the average of your child’s best 3 theory scores out of their 5 Class 10 subjects. Importantly, CBSE normalises these marks against the maximum marks prescribed for each subject before applying the 40% weight. This means a student’s marks are converted to a percentage equivalent first, ensuring fairness across subjects with different maximum marks
- 60% comes from the last attempted Class 12 exam marks for that subject — this is the most recent board attempt your child made in that subject before the cancellation
Worked Example With Real Numbers
Let’s say your child appeared for Physics and Chemistry in Class 12 but could not give Maths because it was cancelled.
In Class 10 boards, their best 3 theory scores — once normalised against each subject’s maximum marks — give a percentage average of 80%. In their last attempted Class 12 Maths theory exam, they scored 70 marks out of 100. Here is how the formula works step by step:
| Component | Calculation | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 40% of normalised Class 10 average (80%) | 40% × 80 | 32 marks |
| 60% of last Class 12 Maths attempt (70 marks) | 60 ÷ 100 × 70 | 42 marks |
| Final Assessed Maths Theory Mark | 32 + 42 | 74 out of 100 |
Practical marks for Maths (if any) are added separately to this 74, without any formula adjustment. The final marksheet reflects the complete subject total as usual.
What If My Child Has No Previous Class 12 Attempt?
For first-time Class 12 private candidates who have no previous attempt in a cancelled subject, the 60% component cannot be calculated in the normal way. CBSE has indicated that these cases are being handled on an individual basis. If this applies to your child, monitor the official CBSE website (cbse.gov.in) and check DigiLocker closely for any direct communication.
This is also why strong Class 10 foundations matter so much. A student who scored well in Class 10 Maths, Physics, or Chemistry now benefits directly from that performance at the Class 12 level. If your child is currently in Class 10 and preparing for board exams, it is worth investing in the right support now. Angle Belearn’s 1-to-1 sessions cover complete CBSE Class 10 Maths Arithmetic Progressions and other high-weightage topics that appear in board exams and carry forward into Class 12 scoring.
What If You Are Unhappy With Your Calculated Marks?
Most news articles mentioned this in a single line and moved on. Here is the full picture.
CBSE has built in a re-examination option. If your child receives assessed marks under this formula and is not satisfied with the result, they have the right to appear in the next regular CBSE board examination for those subjects. When they do, the marks they score in that examination will completely replace the formula-calculated marks in their official records.
There is no penalty for choosing this option. CBSE introduced it specifically to ensure students are not permanently disadvantaged by an event that was entirely outside their control. The earlier assessed marks do not follow the student — the re-exam marks take over entirely.
Key Points to Remember About Re-Examination
- The re-examination is the next regular CBSE board exam session — check cbse.gov.in for the scheduled dates
- Your child must register for the re-exam through CBSE’s normal private candidate registration process
- Once re-exam marks are uploaded, they permanently replace the assessed marks across all official records
- If your child scores lower in the re-exam, that lower mark becomes the official one — there is no going back to the assessed mark
This makes thorough preparation for the re-exam critical. Students who choose this route should start focused revision immediately. Angle Belearn’s 1-to-1 tutoring for CBSE Maths, Physics, and Chemistry helps students in the UAE and Saudi Arabia build the specific exam skills needed to score better — not just revise content. Explore how students master topics like CBSE Quadratic Equations and carry that understanding into higher-level board preparation.
How to Check Your Result on DigiLocker — Step by Step
Not a single competitor article covered this — yet it is one of the most searched things by Gulf-based students and parents right now. Here is exactly how to access the CBSE Class 12 marksheet on DigiLocker.
- Open your browser or phone and go to digilocker.gov.in, or download the official DigiLocker app from the App Store or Google Play
- Sign in using your mobile number linked to Aadhaar. If you are based in the Gulf and do not have an Aadhaar-linked mobile, use the username and password you created during DigiLocker registration
- On the home screen, go to the “Issued Documents” section or tap on “Education”
- Search for “CBSE” in the document search bar
- Select “Class 12 Marksheet” from the available documents. You may need to verify your roll number and other details
- Your official digital marksheet will appear once CBSE has uploaded the result for your registration number. You can download and share it directly from the app
CBSE also sends an email to the registered address once the result is ready. Make sure the email address in your CBSE registration is current and actively monitored. For students in Saudi Arabia and UAE, results may arrive slightly later than the India batch due to administrative processing — this is normal. Check both DigiLocker and your email before contacting CBSE.
Will This Affect College Admission in India?
This is the question every parent in the Gulf is asking, and almost no article answered it properly. Here is the clear answer.
Your Assessed Marks Are Official and Valid
The marks calculated under the 40:60 formula carry full official CBSE recognition. They appear on the marksheet just like any other CBSE result. Colleges in India — whether central universities, state universities, or private institutions — will accept these marks without question. They are not labelled differently or marked as “assessed.” From a college’s perspective, it is a standard CBSE Class 12 result.
CUET UG Is Separate — Not Affected
If your child plans to apply to Delhi University, Central Universities, or any institution using CUET UG scores for admission, their CUET score is completely independent of the board exam assessment scheme. CUET is a separately conducted entrance exam — the cancellation of board exams and the 40:60 formula do not affect CUET registration, scores, or eligibility in any way.
What About NITs, IITs, and JEE-Based Admissions?
JEE Main and JEE Advanced use a 75% Class 12 marks eligibility criterion (or top 20 percentile requirement). Your child’s assessed CBSE marks count toward this criterion exactly like any other CBSE result. If they choose to appear in the re-examination later and improve their marks, the updated result will reflect in their academic records and can be used for the next year’s JEE cycle.
- Keep your child’s DigiLocker account active — this is the official channel for sharing marksheets with colleges
- Keep the registered email updated — CBSE and college portals use it for all official communications
- If your child appears for the re-examination, wait for the updated marksheet before submitting to colleges that allow document updates
- Check individual college websites for any specific guidance on assessment-scheme results — most will not have any separate rule, but it is worth confirming
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are practical marks and project marks also calculated using this formula?
A: No. Only theory marks for cancelled subjects go through the 40:60 formula. Practical exam marks, project work marks, and internal assessment marks remain exactly as they were recorded — no formula is applied to them.
Q: Does this scheme apply to regular school students in the Gulf too?
A: No. Regular school students have internal assessment data, teacher-submitted marks, and pre-board scores maintained by their schools. CBSE assesses them under a different, school-based scheme. The 40:60 formula applies only to private candidates who have no school records to fall back on.
Q: My child is an improvement exam candidate. Does this scheme apply to them?
A: Yes. Improvement exam candidates appearing as private candidates in Gulf exam centres are covered under this scheme. For cancelled subjects, the 40:60 formula will use their Class 10 best 3 subject average and their most recent previous Class 12 attempt in that subject.
Q: Will the assessed marks show on the marksheet as formula-based or as normal marks?
A: The assessed marks appear on the marksheet exactly like normal CBSE marks — there is no separate label or flag indicating they were formula-calculated. Colleges and institutions reading the marksheet see a standard CBSE Class 12 result. The official nature and validity of the marks is identical to any other CBSE result.
Conclusion
The CBSE 40:60 marking scheme is a Supreme Court-approved, officially recognised assessment method that gives private candidates across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Iran a fair and valid result — with college admissions in India fully intact. What this situation has also made clear is that Class 10 performance carries real weight well beyond Class 10 itself. Whether your child is currently preparing for board exams, planning a re-examination, or building their foundation for the next academic year, Angle Belearn’s 1-to-1 support across CBSE Class 10 Coordinate Geometry, Triangles, Probability, and Statistics ensures every mark counts.
