Hey Raha blog · School calendars

CBSE school calendars in the Gulf 2026-27: April start, breaks and board exams

By Marie Adly · Last updated: 22 October 2026

Most Indian-curriculum (CBSE) schools in the Gulf run an April to March school year, so the 2026-27 year began in April 2026 and ends in March 2027. The long summer holiday sits in the middle of the year, from about late June or early July to late August, and the winter break follows the local regulator. Board exams for Class 10 and 12 start from mid-February under CBSE's rules, but the 2027 date sheet has not been published yet (as of 22 October 2026).

How an Indian-curriculum year runs in the Gulf

• April: new academic year and new classes.
• Late June or early July to late August: summer holiday, then the second part of the first term.
• December: winter break, set by the country's regulator or ministry.
• January to March: board exams for Class 10 and 12, annual exams for other classes, and the end of the year.

CBSE sets the syllabus and the board exams. It does not set holidays in the Gulf: those come from the local regulator (KHDA in Dubai, the Ministry in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) and from the school. Some Indian-curriculum schools in Dubai now run a September-start year instead, so check which model your school uses.

Breaks by country, with real school examples

UAE (Dubai). KHDA publishes a separate calendar for April-start schools, which are mostly Indian and Pakistani curriculum. For 2026-27:

See also our Dubai school holidays and term dates, UAE winter break 2026, Sharjah school term dates and the full KHDA calendar 2026-27.

Qatar. MES Indian School in Doha shows how an Indian school fits the Ministry frame:

The mid-semester and mid-year breaks match the Ministry's dates in our Qatar school calendar 2026-27.

Saudi Arabia. International schools, including Indian schools, can choose their own academic system. The International Indian Public School in Riyadh lists summer vacation from Sunday 5 July to Thursday 27 August 2026 (back Sunday 30 August) and winter holidays from Sunday 20 to Thursday 31 December 2026 (back Sunday 3 January 2027). That is quite different from the public school year in our Saudi school holidays 2026-27 guide.

Kuwait. Indian schools publish their own calendars. For the public school dates and national holidays, see Kuwait school holidays 2026-27.

CBSE board exams 2027: what is confirmed

• Date sheet: not published as of 22 October 2026. Last year CBSE released a tentative date sheet on 24 September 2025 and the final one on 30 October 2025, so the 2027 version is likely soon. Check CBSE's examination circulars page.
• Start: CBSE's June 2025 notification says the main (first) board exams "will begin from mid-February". An exact 2027 start date is UNCONFIRMED.
• Two Class 10 board exams: from 2026, Class 10 students take a compulsory first exam from mid-February and can take a second exam in May to improve up to three subjects among Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages.
• Practical exams for Class 12 come before the theory papers. MES Indian School in Doha lists Tuesday 5 January 2027 as the tentative start.

Class 12 special exams for West Asia, October 2026

In March and April 2026, CBSE could not hold Class 12 board exams in 40 subjects in West Asian countries (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) because of what CBSE called "the prevailing situation". Results for these students were declared on 13 May 2026 under an assessment scheme.

CBSE then offered special exams for students who want to sit the cancelled papers. They run from Friday 23 October to Wednesday 28 October 2026, at one centre per country, with papers from 10.30am as printed on the date sheet (check the admit card for timing), and admit cards available from 12 October. The result of the special exam replaces the earlier one. If this affects your family, the circulars on cbse.gov.in have the subject-by-subject date sheet.

When dates change, Raha tells you

An Indian school in the Gulf sends a lot of email: the regulator's breaks, the school's own exam schedule, CBSE circulars passed on by the school, and changes like this year's special exams. Hey Raha reads your school emails, read-only, and spots the change. She updates your family plan and tells you on WhatsApp, and your nanny or helper gets her own version without fees or private notes. Try Hey Raha free for 14 days.

Planning with a nanny or helper

• Remember the year starts in April. New timetable, new books and sometimes new pick-up times all come at once.
• Plan summer early. Eight or nine weeks off in the middle of the school year is the longest stretch to cover.
• Mark board exam weeks once the date sheet is out, including practicals in January.
• Siblings at different schools? A September-start school and an April-start school can have different winter and spring breaks.

Our guide to briefing your nanny or helper on the school week has a template you can adapt. Budgeting for the new year? See our UAE school fees survival guide and UAE school term dates. Comparing curricula? Our IB school calendars in the Gulf guide explains how IB schools differ.

CBSE school calendars FAQ

When does the school year start for CBSE schools in the UAE?
Most CBSE schools in Dubai follow KHDA's April-start calendar, so the 2026-27 year started in April 2026 and ends between 15 and 31 March 2027, once 182 school days are met. Some Indian-curriculum schools have moved to a September start, so check with your school.

When is the winter break for Indian schools in Dubai in 2026?
KHDA's April-start calendar sets the winter break from Monday 14 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027, with classes back on Monday 4 January 2027.

When will the CBSE 2027 date sheet be released?
CBSE had not published it as of 22 October 2026. Last year the tentative date sheet came out on 24 September and the final one on 30 October. Check the examination circulars on cbse.gov.in.

When do CBSE board exams start in 2027?
CBSE's rules say the main board exams begin from mid-February. The exact 2027 start date will be in the date sheet and is UNCONFIRMED until then.

What are the CBSE special exams for West Asia?
They are Class 12 exams for students in West Asian countries whose March and April 2026 papers were cancelled and whose results were declared under an assessment scheme. They run from 23 to 28 October 2026, and the new result replaces the earlier one.

Sources

• KHDA, academic calendar for Dubai private schools (April-start and September-start)
• CBSE, examination circulars (date sheets and notices)
• CBSE, notification on two board examinations in Class 10 from 2026 (PDF, 25 June 2025)
• CBSE, list of candidates for Class 12 special examinations for West Asia (PDF, 15 September 2026)
• CBSE, date sheet for the special examinations (PDF, 8 October 2026)
• MES Indian School Doha, calendar 2026-27 (PDF)
• International Indian Public School Riyadh, vacation schedule 2026-27
• Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia, flexibility for private and international schools (Arabic, 5 August 2025)

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