CBSE to Consult Students, Teachers on Future of Digital Marking System
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is set to hold wide-ranging consultations with students, teachers, and parents to decide the future of its on-screen marking (OSM) system for answer-sheet evaluation. The system, introduced for Class XII examinations in 2026, replaced physical evaluation with computer-based assessment of scanned answer books. However, its debut was marred by complaints of blurred or cropped scans, missing pages, and unanswered evaluation requests.
Sources within the education ministry said feedback from those directly affected by the rollout will carry significant weight in the decision-making process. The board will also consult technical experts to review scanning protocols, quality checks, data storage, and cybersecurity measures before any decision is taken. A key question is whether OSM should continue in its current form, be modified, or be phased out entirely.
Technical experts are expected to scrutinise the scanning infrastructure, as the quality and completeness of digital copies directly affect examiners' ability to assess answers. The review will also assess whether the system can handle the increased volume if extended to Class X examinations, which would involve a sharp rise in digitally processed answer books.
Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical concern. The CBSE’s post-result portal faced what government sources described as an “unprecedented and malicious” cyberattack, involving a surge of traffic from multiple IP addresses in India and abroad, and attempts to access files. The board maintained that services remained functional and the evaluation portal was not compromised. It has since strengthened security in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, Digital India Corporation, CERT-In, and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
The stakes are high: this year, over 1.6 lakh Class XII candidates sought verification or re-evaluation, involving more than 3.8 lakh answer books, with physics attracting the most requests. The consultations therefore extend beyond the fate of OSM; they will test whether CBSE can address the gaps exposed during the 2026 examinations and rebuild stakeholder confidence before any potential expansion.
