CBSE cuts re-evaluation fees, defends digital marking system after Class 12 result concerns

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has significantly reduced charges for post-result services while defending its On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation system following concerns raised by Class 12 students over lower-than-expected scores.

Under the revised structure, students will now pay ₹100 each for accessing scanned answer sheets and verification of marks. Re-evaluation requests will cost ₹25 per question.

CBSE has also announced that students whose marks increase after re-evaluation will receive a refund of the review fee.

The revised charges mark a sharp reduction from the earlier fee structure, under which students reportedly paid ₹700 per subject for scanned answer sheets, ₹500 for verification, and ₹100 per question for re-evaluation.

School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar said the revised fee system is intended to make the review process more accessible and transparent.

OSM Not a New System, Says CBSE

CBSE and Ministry of Education officials addressed growing concerns during a press conference in New Delhi, clarifying that OSM is not a newly introduced evaluation model.

"This on-screen marking system is not something new, nor is it being implemented for the first time. CBSE had introduced OSM in 2014," Kumar said.

"At that time, from a technical perspective, it was felt that continuing it immediately would not be feasible because of the existing infrastructure and setup. However, we have reintroduced it this year," he added.

The board said that the evaluation method has remained unchanged, and only the medium has shifted from physical answer books to digital screens.

CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh reiterated the point, saying, "Evaluators earlier checked hard copies; this time they evaluated scanned answer sheets on screen. The marking scheme remains exactly the same."

He further added, "Earlier, evaluators checked physical answer sheets. This time, they are evaluating the same copies on-screen. The marking scheme remains exactly the same."

Scale of Digital Evaluation

According to officials, nearly 98.6 lakh Class 12 answer sheets were scanned and converted into digital files before evaluation. CBSE said a three-level security system was used during scanning to verify page completeness, readability, and security coding.

The board reported that 68,018 answer books required rescanning because of poor image quality. Around 13,583 answer sheets were eventually checked manually after repeated scanning attempts failed, largely because some students had used very light ink.

Explaining the process, Kumar said, “98 lakh sheets scanned were for class 12. Three levels of security were followed during the process. It was found that despite repeated scanning, there were still some legibility issues because the ink used in some answer sheets was of a very light color. Even after scanning, those scripts could not be made fully legible.”

CBSE said manually evaluated scripts were assessed separately and their marks uploaded independently to ensure students were not disadvantaged.

How the OSM System Works

Under OSM, physical answer sheets are securely scanned and uploaded to a digital platform where evaluators assess responses online according to official marking schemes.

CBSE said the process follows multiple stages, including anonymity and secrecy procedures, scan-quality verification, secure digital distribution, and monitoring by senior examiners.

Kumar explained that each answer book undergoes coding and quality checks before evaluation. He also said step-wise marking remains mandatory.

The Education Secretary further said that the step-marking rules were given on the paper itself. For example,

1st step: maximum 1 mark
2nd step: maximum 1 mark
3rd step: maximum 2 marks

He further asserted that examiners cannot submit the answer book until each step is marked by the evaluator; they have to mention what is the mark given for each step is and then the final marks for each answer. This brings in standardization of testing, which is maintained throughout.

Rahul Singh added that board examinations have always followed step-based assessment, especially in Mathematics and Science, where multiple solving methods are acceptable under the official marking scheme.

Student Concerns and CBSE Response

Following the declaration of CBSE Class 12 results 2026, several students took to social media, alleging stricter evaluation under digital checking and linking OSM to lower scores and declining pass percentages.

CBSE rejected these claims and clarified that no Artificial Intelligence was used during evaluation. "We want to make it very clear that there is no use of AI in OSM," Rahul Singh said.

The board also maintained that OSM minimizes human errors such as incorrect totaling, missed answers, and tabulation mistakes while improving transparency and standardization.

Nearly 3 lakh teachers, including around 77,000 evaluators, were trained for the process, officials said.

Responding to concerns comparing board scores with competitive examination performance, Kumar said, "This is an every-year issue. Petitions are filed every year. Our appeal to students is to use the re-evaluation mechanism." "We're constantly reviewing our systems."

Re-Evaluation Timeline and Student Support

CBSE has advised dissatisfied students to use official review mechanisms beginning May 19. Applications for re-evaluation will begin from May 22, while students will be able to access rechecked answer sheets between May 26 and May 29. Officials clarified that no second round of re-evaluation is permitted.

Apart from academic review facilities, CBSE has activated tele-counseling services to support students dealing with post-result stress and anxiety. Students can contact the CBSE helpline at 1800-11-8004.

Future of OSM

When asked whether OSM could also be extended to Class 10 board examinations, Kumar said, "We will see."

CBSE said the reintroduced OSM system reflects broader efforts to modernize board evaluation through stronger digital infrastructure, upgraded scanning technology, and tighter quality controls.

While concerns over digital assessment continue, the board maintains that the system is designed to ensure fair, secure, and globally aligned evaluation standards.