Last Updated: May 2026
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced an On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for Class 12 board examinations during the 2025–2026 academic session. Under the new evaluation model, answer sheets were scanned and assessed digitally instead of being physically checked by teachers. CBSE stated that the initiative was aimed at improving evaluation efficiency, reducing manual calculation errors, and supporting paperless assessment practices.
The process covered nearly 17.7 lakh candidates across India and involved the digitisation of more than 98 lakh answer books. However, after the declaration of Class 12 results in May 2026, concerns related to scanned answer sheets, evaluation discrepancies, and technical issues during re-evaluation applications began surfacing from students and parents.
The matter later resulted in legal proceedings, political responses, and technical reviews by government institutions. Education experts have also highlighted broader concerns regarding the implementation of large-scale digital reforms in high-stakes examination systems.
CBSE’s OSM Rollout
According to CBSE statements and publicly reported data from the 2026 examination cycle, around 98,66,622 answer books were digitised and evaluated by nearly 70,000 teachers under the OSM process.
CBSE said the system was designed to improve transparency and minimise totalling errors during evaluation. Before implementation, the board conducted a limited dry run in January 2026 and organised a live webcast on February 13, 2026, to brief schools and evaluators about operational procedures.
OSM Rollout Overview
|
Category |
Details |
|
Implementing Authority |
CBSE |
|
Academic Session |
2025–2026 |
|
Evaluation Method |
On-Screen Marking (OSM) |
|
Answer Books Digitised |
98,66,622 |
|
Evaluators Involved |
Approx. 70,000 |
|
Dry Run Conducted |
January 2026 |
|
Official Webcast |
February 13, 2026 |
Source Context: Based on CBSE statements and publicly reported data related to the 2026 Class 12 examination process.
Result Trends and Evaluation Concerns
CBSE declared Class 12 results on May 13, 2026. According to official board data, 15,07,109 students passed out of 17,68,968 candidates who appeared for the examinations.
CBSE Class 12 Result Statistics 2026
|
Particulars |
Data |
|
Candidates Appeared |
17,68,968 |
|
Students Passed |
15,07,109 |
|
Overall Pass Percentage |
85.20% |
|
Previous Year Pass Percentage |
88.39% |
|
Decline from 2025 |
3.19 Percentage Points |
Source: CBSE Class 12 Result Data, retrieved May 2026.
After scanned answer copies were released, some students publicly reported discrepancies in evaluated answer sheets. According to media reports and student statements, certain candidates allegedly received scanned copies belonging to other students, while others claimed that some pages appeared blurred or partially visible.
Concerns were also raised regarding unchecked responses and missing step marking in numerical subjects. CBSE later acknowledged that some answer-sheet exchanges had occurred and stated that corrective action was taken in reported cases.
Publicly reported operational figures also indicated that thousands of answer books required rescanning because of image-quality issues. Some answer sheets were reportedly shifted back to physical evaluation where digital scans were considered unsuitable for assessment.
Re-Evaluation Portal Issues
As students applied for verification and re-evaluation, the CBSE portal reportedly experienced heavy traffic between May 21 and May 22, 2026.
Students reported login failures, delayed access, payment gateway disruptions, and duplicate payment deductions during the application process. In response, CBSE extended application deadlines and revised the fee structure for related services.
Revised Re-Evaluation Fee Structure
|
Service |
Earlier Fee |
Revised Fee |
|
Scanned Answer Copy |
₹700 |
₹100 |
|
Verification of Marks |
₹500 |
₹100 |
|
Question-wise Re-Evaluation |
₹100 |
₹25 |
CBSE also announced refunds in cases involving incorrect deductions caused by technical issues.
According to publicly reported figures released on May 26, 2026, more than four lakh applications for scanned answer copies were received during the post-result process.
Cybersecurity Claims and Official Response
The issue received additional attention after a cybersecurity enthusiast publicly alleged vulnerabilities in a portal linked to the OSM system. The allegations related to account access and security controls.
CBSE denied that the live evaluation platform had been compromised and clarified that the referenced website was a testing environment containing sample data. The board stated that no student marks or operational evaluation records were affected.
The Ministry of Education later involved experts from Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to review technical and operational aspects of the portal infrastructure.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that corrective measures were being implemented and student grievances would be addressed.
Legal and Policy Discussions
The implementation of the OSM system was also challenged before the Allahabad High Court through a Public Interest Litigation seeking an independent review of the evaluation process.
The developments have prompted wider discussions about digital reforms in India’s examination system. Education experts have noted that while digital evaluation systems may improve efficiency over time, large-scale implementation requires reliable infrastructure, cybersecurity safeguards, evaluator training, and effective grievance redressal systems.
The issue has drawn attention because Class 12 board results directly affect college admissions, scholarship eligibility, and entrance-related academic processes across the country.
Safety Advisory for Students and Parents
Students and parents are advised to use only official CBSE portals and verified government communication channels during the re-evaluation process.
Candidates should avoid sharing OTPs, passwords, banking details, or personal documents with unknown individuals or unofficial agents claiming guaranteed corrections or faster approvals. Users are also advised to verify payment links carefully and retain transaction receipts for future reference.
Any suspicious calls, phishing messages, or duplicate payment deductions should be reported through official CBSE support channels.
Official Source References
- CBSE Class 12 Result Portal 2026
- CBSE live webcast notice dated February 13, 2026
- Ministry of Education public statements on OSM review
- Allahabad High Court public filings related to the OSM PIL
- Official CBSE notifications regarding re-evaluation and fee revision
Editorial Disclaimer
This article is based on official statements, publicly available reports, and media coverage available as of May 2026. Some operational figures mentioned in the article are based on publicly reported data and may be revised later by authorities. Readers are advised to verify all updates through official CBSE and Ministry of Education notifications. In case of any discrepancy, official government notifications and portal updates will take precedence.