Indian schools in the UAE to adopt new global curriculum from April 2026 - Salam
Assalamu Alaikum - Indian curriculum schools in the UAE will start teaching a new global curriculum from the next academic year, beginning April 2026. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced this change at a recent education conference in Dubai. The update will apply to CBSE schools across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and there are over 100 CBSE schools in the UAE.
The plan aims to bring CBSE schools closer together with shared standards for teacher training and technical subjects, while allowing adjustments to reflect the host country. That means more emphasis on Arabic and Islamic Studies where needed, and the curriculum will be adapted to meet local government requirements.
Currently the CBSE follows a structured syllabus with standard textbooks across many subjects and a focus that has traditionally prepared students for fields like engineering and medicine. Students take regular assessments and board exams; 10th-grade board exams are optional, while 12th-grade boards are compulsory and usually held in May, which affects university admissions.
A school principal said the curriculum is being modernised because many CBSE schools are outside India and need to reflect local contexts such as Arabic, Islamic and moral studies. The Indian academic year will continue to start in April, unlike British or US systems that usually begin in late August. The year follows three terms: April–June, August–December and January–March.
For anyone interested in related activities, check local community and sports clubs for events rather than external sites. A quick note about a local company mentioned: Play:Date is a Dubai-based tech startup launched in March 2017 (UAE Mother’s Day) by Shamim Kassibawi, with about 20 employees and seed-stage funding from its founders and one VC.
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