UAE: Why school principals say CBSE's biannual board exam is student-friendly
Indian school principals in the UAE have welcomed the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) decision to introduce biannual Class 10 board exams starting 2026, calling it a ' student-friendly reform ' aimed at easing exam-related stress.
As per the revised guidelines, the first phase of the board exam will be held in February and will be mandatory for all students, while the second phase in May will be optional.
In a significant relief for students, the best score from either attempt will be retained for the final result — offering them a better chance at academic success without the pressure of a single high-stakes exam.
The decision represents a significant transformation in India's education system, aligning with the key goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which prioritises student-focused learning and aims to ease exam-related pressure.
Lalitha Suresh, Principal/CEO, GEMS Our Own Indian School said, 'There will not be many changes from the present structure of examinations. In the new model, the first round of examinations will be finished sooner, and results will be declared earlier. Only those students who wish to improve their results will have to appear for the second round of examinations. These students will be impacted, as they will miss some days of the new academic year. Students who have not qualified in the main examination will be allowed provisional admission into Class 11, with their admission then confirmed based on their results in the second examination.'
'This is a positive move from CBSE, aimed at reducing examination stress among students. I am sure pupils will benefit from this new scheme,' he added.
Principals also clarified that marks from this single internal assessment will apply to both attempts.
While the first set of exams in February will be mandatory for all and the second exam in to be held in May is optional, it is worth noting, that students will be allowed to improve performance in a maximum of three subjects only.
Challenges
Shedding light on the implications of this decision on schools and teachers, Dr S. Reshma, Principal / School Director, Gulf Indian High School Dubai, said,
'Academic calendar adjustment will be necessary where schools must realign annual plans to prepare students for an earlier February exam. Summer exam attempt will add an additional planning cycle post-results. Teachers will experience increased workload as they will be required to prepare revision plans again, conduct internal assessments earlier, and support both exam cycles. Administrative coordination for exam logistics, invigilation, and result analysis will intensify. Deploying staff and scheduling during both exam phases has to be more careful in allocation.'
School leaders also emphasised that extended academic support and remedial classes may be required post-February for May aspirants.
Echoing similar challenges, Deepika Thapar Singh, Principal, Credence High School, said, 'The changes to the CBSE Class 10 board exams from 2026 bring several significant implications for schools and teachers, especially in terms of scheduling, workload, pedagogy, and internal assessments. More intense planning will be needed to balance academic coverage with deep learning. Teachers must prepare students for two board exam windows, including identifying and mentoring students for improvement attempts. Teachers will analyse first-attempt performance and help students select subjects to retake in May.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Al Etihad
UAE fund invests $100 million in US blockchain firm WLFI
27 June 2025 00:38 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)A UAE-based Web3 fund, Aqua 1 Foundation, has announced a $100 million investment in World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a decentralised finance (DeFi) platform linked to US President Donald Trump. The investment will be made through the purchase of WLFI's governance move was disclosed in a joint statement issued by both entities, which was shared as a press release by joint statement emphasised their shared ambition to accelerate the global shift from traditional finance to decentralised models. The governance tokens will allow Aqua 1 to participate in shaping WLFI's operational and strategic decisions, although they do not represent ownership or entitle holders to a share in the project's seeks to transform the fintech sector through blockchain technology, enabling access to financial services via digital tokens without intermediaries such as banks.'We're excited to work hand-in-hand with the team at Aqua 1,' said Zak Folkman, co-founder of WLFI. 'Aligning with Aqua 1 validates our blueprint for global financial innovation, as we have a joint mission to bring digital assets to the masses and strengthen our nation's standing as a champion and leader of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.'The collaboration comes at a time of growing institutional interest in DeFi. Aqua 1's investment will also support WLFI's USD1 ecosystem — a suite of payment and treasury management tools aimed at broadening blockchain adoption among businesses."WLFI's USD1 ecosystem and RWA pipeline embody the trillion-dollar structural pivot opportunity we seek to catalyse," said Dave Lee, founding partner of Aqua 1. 'We want to be at the heart of this transformation where traditional capital markets merge with decentralised financial primitives.'Looking ahead, the two organisations plan to co-develop BlockRock, an institutional platform for real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation, and support the launch of Aqua Fund, a UAE-domiciled investment vehicle. The fund will focus on blockchain infrastructure, artificial intelligence integration, and global Web3 adoption, with plans to be listed on a secondary trading platform within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). WLFI has already raised hundreds of millions of dollars through the sale of governance tokens. International agencies have reported several recent high-value purchases by funds and high-net-worth individuals. In April, Abu Dhabi-based DWF Labs acquired $25 million worth of WLFI governance tokens, while Chinese-born crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun is reported to have spent $75 million on them.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
UAE and Chinese officials seek to boost co-operation in various sectors
Bolstering co-operation between the UAE and China in energy, renewables, infrastructure and other areas was on the agenda on Thursday during a series of official meetings in Beijing. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Adnoc's managing director and group chief executive, took part in the visit to China, where he met Lan Fo'an, China's Minister of Finance, as well as other Chinese officials and company executives. According to UAE state news agency, Wam, liquefied natural gas, petrochemicals and strategic shipping were among the topics discussed as the two countries sought to enhance partnerships. The recent meeting came several months after Adnoc signed the UAE's largest LNG supply agreement with various Chinese companies. In recent years, ties between the UAE and China have been on the rise as the Arab world's second-largest economy continues to diversify and grow. As of 2024, China was the UAE's largest trading partner, with more than $100 billion in total bilateral trade. Thursday's series of meeting between Dr Al Jaber and Chinese officials and business leaders also touched on both countries' shared interest in advancing industrial and technological partnerships that support sustainable development, enabling knowledge transfer and boosting global competitiveness, Wam reported.
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: New student visas, scholarships, jobs for 90% of pupils in new policies
New student visas, international scholarships and an ambitious plan to ensure that 90 per cent of its student population will secure suitable employment are parts of sweeping changes to be introduced to Dubai's education system. A set of major new policies and initiatives in Dubai will enhance higher education, improve career guidance, and elevate air quality, among other key areas. By 2033, the emirate wants international students to make up 50 per cent of its total university enrolments. These were approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister during a meeting of the Executive Council. Part of the policy will also ensure that the emirate will achieve clean air standards on 90 percent of the days by 2030. 'Youth are the architects of the future, shaping it with their awareness, optimism, and openness to the world,' Sheikh Hamdan said. 'Dubai continues to empower young people with knowledge and skills, providing them with world-class academic, practical, and research opportunities. Our goal is to make Dubai a destination for outstanding students from around the world and an incubator for innovation.' Dubai is currently home to 37 international university branches and these strategies plans to almost double it to 70 in a bid to position itself as one of the world's top 10 cities for students. A new academic and career guidance policy will also ensure that 90 percent of the general student population in the emirate will be able to find employment aligned with their respective field of study. The council approved a Dubai International Mediation Centre project, which highlights the emirate's role as a trusted mediator providing dispute resolutions services and the Air Quality Strategy 2030, which will help preserve Dubai's environment and biodiversity. The newly approved Governance Policy for Government Construction Projects will further enhance government performance in partnership with the private sector. Attracting top global universities The project, led by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), aims to have international students make up half of all university enrolments in the emirate. With this, the higher education sector is expected to contribute approximately Dh5.6 billion to Dubai's GDP. The initiative aims to have over 70 higher education institutions by 2033, including 11 ranked within the top 200 globally. Currently, Dubai is home to 37 international universities, such as Curtin University Dubai and University of Wollongong in Dubai, both ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2026 top 200, as well as the University of Birmingham Dubai, ranked among the top 100 international universities, and the University of Manchester Dubai, which is ranked among the top 50. To achieve these goals, the project will usher in improvements to student visa systems, new international scholarships, work visas for graduates, strategies to attract prestigious universities, besides promoting impactful university clusters, regulatory frameworks to ensure quality, a Higher Education Investment Fund, and the Dubai Scientific Research Network. Academic and career guidance policy The new Academic and Career Guidance Policy will support students in making informed decisions about their futures, enhance career advice services in schools and facilitate students' transition into the workforce. It sets ambitious targets, aiming for 90 percent of Emirati graduates to find employment within six months of graduation. Led by the KHDA, this policy aims to assist students in enriching their academic and career paths while contributing to the objectives of the Education Strategy 2033. Additionally, it envisages that 80 percent of education providers will be able to offer effective career advice services, and that 70 percent of graduates will be able to gain entry into one of their top three university or career choices. Other key initiatives approved during the meeting include new standards for career advice services, career guidance guidelines for schools and universities, parents and student engagement programmes, information platforms on universities and the job market, entrepreneurship programmes, life skills camps, and partnerships with accredited local and international universities and training institutes. Air Quality Strategy 2030 Dubai's Air Quality Strategy 2030 aims to achieve clean air standards on 90 percent of the days by 2030, thus helping enhance public health and environmental sustainability. The strategy provides for sector-specific targets and initiatives to reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations to 35 micrograms per cubic metre, while also addressing other key pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone. Led by the Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority, the strategy is to be implemented in partnership with relevant entities including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai Airports, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, DP World, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Emirates Global Aluminium. Dubai International Mediation Centre The Dubai International Mediation Centre project, will strengthen Dubai's legal infrastructure by offering cost-effective, efficient, and internationally recognised dispute resolution services. The project will enhance investor confidence, attract foreign direct investment, and create new jobs in the domains of mediation and arbitration. Co-developed by the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department and ADR Centre, a leading mediation institution in Europe, the project will support Dubai's rankings in global competitiveness indices, most notably the availability of alternative dispute resolution methods as measured by the Civil Justice Project. Governance policy for government construction projects The Council also approved the Governance Policy for Government Construction Projects, led by the Dubai Department of Finance. This will standardise procedures, enhancing transparency and reliability in the approval and implementation of government construction projects. It introduces a unified framework categorising projects into three tiers based on cost: below Dh200 million, between Dh200–500 million, and above Dh500 million. This policy promises to significantly improve planning tied to the financial and economic impact of projects and directs fiscal resources towards priority goals, ensuring sustainable economic growth and agility. It also aligns with the goal of increasing government spending from Dh512 billion over the past decade to Dh700 billion in the next decade, as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Additionally, the establishment of a five-year project portfolio will prioritise resources and ensure high-impact development.
