Inside CBSE's On-Screen Marking System: Board Answers Students' Questions

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has addressed concerns over its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which was implemented for evaluating Class 12 board exams in 2026. Students and parents raised allegations of mark discrepancies, prompting the board to issue clarifications through official statements and social media. OSM was first proposed in 2014 but delayed due to technological limitations, such as the inability to scan answer books without risking page mix-ups. After researching advancements in digital evaluation, the CBSE approved OSM in 2025, citing successful adoption by universities and foreign boards. The system works by displaying scanned answer books on-screen, where evaluators use a mouse to award marks. The CBSE emphasized that OSM mirrors traditional methods, as marks are entered question-by-question based on a predefined schema, with totals calculated automatically. Before full implementation, a dry run was conducted in five schools involving teachers from KVS, NVS, state, and private institutions. Observers, including prominent principals, provided feedback, leading to key updates like adding a 'Save' option, simplifying mark deletion, and resolving technical issues. The CBSE stated that modifications were made based on teacher input, ensuring the system aligns with traditional evaluation standards. Despite improvements, student dissatisfaction persists, with many claiming their expected scores were not reflected in the results.