CBSE rechecking chaos: Four PSU banks to support re-evaluation portal amid failures

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan discussed CBSE’s persistent payment issues with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, leading to a decision to involve four public sector banks in stabilizing the board’s post-result payment system. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will now receive support from State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, and Indian Bank to enhance digital payment infrastructure, addressing transaction failures and delays reported by students. The intervention follows widespread complaints about technical glitches and payment disruptions during the re-evaluation and verification process. Pradhan directed CBSE to overhaul its payment gateway, citing the need for greater reliability and automatic refunds for overpayments. The banks will introduce stronger protocols to ensure timely processing and reduce disruptions, which have previously delayed applications submitted within strict deadlines. The move comes after the Education Ministry engaged technical experts from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur to audit and improve CBSE’s IT systems. The coordinated effort, involving the Ministry of Finance and the four PSU banks, aims to create a more stable platform for students accessing services like photocopies of answer sheets, mark verification, and re-evaluation. These services are critical for thousands of students annually, and payment failures can jeopardize their applications. The changes are expected to streamline digital transactions, minimize errors, and enhance the overall experience for students and parents. The ministry emphasized that the intervention is part of a broader effort to modernize CBSE’s post-examination services, ensuring smoother operations and greater trust in the system.