5 questions haunting CBSE Class 12 students right now

The future of nearly 18 lakh students has come under a cloud after multiple complaints and discrepancies emerged following the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) introduction of its new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.

CBSE officials eventually acknowledged a lapse after reportedly sharing the original answer sheet of a Class 12 student from Delhi who had alleged receiving someone else’s copy. But the complaint was not isolated.

Another student, Sanjana, posted on X claiming that the scanned answer sheet she received did not match her handwriting, raising fresh concerns about the integrity of the evaluation process.

At a press conference held two days after the declaration of results on May 15, CBSE disclosed that more than 13,000 answer sheets out of nearly 98 lakh evaluated copies required manual review because of discrepancies linked to the newly introduced OSM mechanism.

The admission immediately triggered wider scrutiny of the system and the scale of potential errors.

More than four lakh students sought verification

The controversy deepened as over four lakh students applied for scanned copies of their answer sheets amid concerns over marking errors and discrepancies.

In total, CBSE had to share more than 11 lakh evaluated answer books with students.

Many students are now awaiting re-evaluation results, for which the board reduced fees, apparently in an attempt to address growing concerns following the controversy that has unfolded over the past two weeks.

This year, the Class 12 pass percentage dropped from 88.31 percent to 85.20 percent, a decline of nearly three percentage points.

There is no direct evidence linking the lower pass percentage to the OSM mechanism. However, when a new evaluation system is introduced and controversy follows immediately afterward, questions become unavoidable.

In India’s highly competitive education system, even a single mark can influence college admissions, scholarships, counselling opportunities and eligibility for entrance pathways.

For many students, evaluation errors do not remain technical issues. They alter futures.

Questions over the 13,000 discrepancies

CBSE revealed that approximately 13,000 answer sheets were found to have discrepancies and subsequently sent for manual review.

However, the board has not publicly clarified how those discrepancies emerged, how many students’ marks changed after intervention or whether all affected students were informed.

In a system where students routinely miss cut-offs by one or two marks, manual correction can significantly impact outcomes.

The lack of detailed disclosure has fuelled demands for greater transparency.

Why was OSM implemented at scale?

CBSE introduced the On-Screen Marking system this year with the stated aim of making evaluation more transparent, efficient, accurate and credible.

The board maintained that digitised assessment would improve consistency and reduce human error.

Whether those goals were achieved remains under debate.

Reports and public discussions surrounding the rollout suggested that some evaluators may not have received sufficient training on the new platform, while others questioned whether implementation was rushed. Though many of these claims remain unverified, they have intensified concerns around the transition to digital evaluation.

CBSE’s own figures showing that more than four lakh students requested scanned copies have added to the unease.

Such numbers are unusual for a national examination board and may point not only to growing awareness among students, but also to declining confidence in the evaluation process itself.

Questions over audits and oversight

The controversy has also raised questions about technical oversight and procurement practices.

Public discussions and reports linked the development and deployment of the OSM system to Hyderabad-based education technology company COEMPT.

Yet little detailed public information has emerged regarding independent audits, stress testing procedures or safeguards implemented before the system was rolled out nationwide.

India has agencies such as CERT-In, the government’s cybersecurity response body, tasked with responding to digital vulnerabilities and incidents.

However, amid allegations involving portals, evaluation mechanisms and digital discrepancies, public communication from oversight institutions has remained limited.

CBSE later denied allegations of any breach and clarified that a cited website contained only sample test data unrelated to the actual evaluation system.

Still, students and parents continue asking whether independent technical reviews were ever conducted before implementation at such a large scale.

A growing trust deficit in India’s examination system

The CBSE controversy arrives against the backdrop of repeated examination-related controversies across the country.

The NEET-UG disputes in 2024 and 2026, involving allegations of paper leaks and irregularities, significantly shook public confidence in national entrance examinations. Investigations followed, arrests were made and the matter reached the courts.

Repeated controversies leave behind something harder to measure: distrust.

That distrust is now increasingly visible among parents and students.

One parent alleged that her daughter’s scanned answer sheets contained missing pages. Another questioned how students were expected to focus on admissions and counselling while simultaneously chasing photocopies and re-evaluation requests.

Silence from the Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education, which oversees school education policy and institutions such as CBSE, has largely remained silent amid growing concerns over the board’s result and re-evaluation process.

Beyond the May 15 CBSE press conference acknowledging that over 13,000 answer sheets required manual review, there has been little direct communication addressing the wider concerns being raised.

No senior ministry official or elected representative has publicly detailed the scale of complaints, the review process underway or whether any independent assessment has been initiated.

As allegations involving answer-sheet mismatches, missing pages and scanned-copy discrepancies continue to emerge, the absence of regular briefings has itself become a concern.

Education remains one of the country’s most sensitive sectors. For students, board examination marks shape admissions, scholarships and academic futures. For parents, uncertainty around evaluation creates anxiety during counselling and admission cycles.

In such circumstances, communication often becomes as important as corrective action.

CBSE has continued issuing clarifications and updates through posts on X, including acknowledgements regarding exchanged answer sheets and assurances that affected results would be corrected.

But for students, delays carry consequences.

A counselling deadline missed can alter career options. Ten marks can change institutions. One failed subject can cost an academic year.

Students such as Vedant, Sanjana, Moksh and Harshita have publicly alleged discrepancies. Parents have entered the debate. Political leaders have demanded accountability. More than four lakh students have sought verification.

Yet the central question remains unresolved.

If something goes wrong in a system deciding the futures of millions, who ultimately takes responsibility — the board, the technology provider, oversight agencies or no one at all?