CBSE rejects claims of irregularities in On-Screen Marking answer sheet scanning

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rejected allegations regarding irregularities in the scanning of answer sheets under its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, calling recent media reports “factually incorrect and misleading.”

The clarification was issued on May 20 after a news channel claimed that answer book scanning for the OSM evaluation process had not been conducted properly because of inadequate preparation and shortage of time.

In a statement posted on its official X account, the Board said, “A claim is circulating in the media that the scanning of answer books under OSM was not carried out properly due to inadequate preparation and paucity of time.”

Defending the evaluation process, CBSE said, “CBSE is a responsible national institution committed to ensuring fairness, transparency, and integrity in the examination and evaluation process. Every stage of the On-Screen Marking system, including scanning, quality checks, marking, and evaluation, was undertaken as per established procedures, with due diligence and under the constant supervision of the Board.”

The Board also urged students, parents, and other stakeholders to rely only on official sources for verified information related to examinations and evaluation.

The clarification comes amid growing criticism from students who alleged discrepancies in marks awarded after the implementation of the OSM system.

Many students have claimed that their scores were lower than expected, raising concerns over the evaluation process.

In recent days, CBSE has issued multiple explanations through official notices, releases, and social media posts to address concerns surrounding the digital evaluation system.

The Board further stated that the On-Screen Marking system was originally conceptualized in 2014 but could not be implemented at the time due to technological limitations.

According to CBSE, earlier technology did not support scanning answer books without physically cutting them, increasing the risk of pages being misplaced during the process.

The Board said the system remained on hold until suitable technological infrastructure became available.