CBSE Result Row: Students Question New Digital Marking System Over Low Scores

Brief By Newsbrief / 4:29 PM on 17 May 2026

After the declaration of CBSE Class 12 results, several students raised concerns over the marks they received. Many claimed that despite performing well in exams and expecting scores between 90-95%, their final results were lower than anticipated. Students on social media also shared their mark sheets and questioned the new On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation system used this year.

Responding to these concerns, School Education and Literacy Secretary Sanjay Kumar addressed the issue during a press conference. He clarified that the OSM system is not new and was first introduced by CBSE in 2014. However, due to technical limitations at that time, it could not be fully implemented. This year, the board reintroduced the system with improved technology to ensure more accurate and transparent evaluation.

According to officials, nearly 98 lakh answer sheets were scanned and evaluated digitally. The ministry stated that this process helped reduce calculation mistakes and improved accuracy in awarding marks. To maintain data security, the scanning and evaluation process was carried out under a three-layer security system.

During the process, around 13,000 answer sheets faced scanning issues because of extremely light handwriting or unclear text. These copies were separated and manually evaluated before marks were updated.

The ministry also announced changes in the re-checking and verification fee structure. Students now need to pay Rs 100 to access their answer sheets, while re-checking of individual questions will cost Rs 25 each. If marks increase after re-evaluation, the complete fee will be refunded.

Officials added that earlier students had to pay Rs 700 for answer sheet copies, but the fee has now been reduced significantly. The ministry emphasized that transparency and fair marking remain the top priorities of CBSE.