CBSE Reduces Re-Evaluation Fee To Rs 100; Full Refund If Marks Are Changed

CBSE 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a significant reduction in the fees charged for post-result services, including obtaining scanned answer sheets, verification of marks, and revaluation requests. The revised fee structure was introduced after students raised concerns over both the high charges and the implementation of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system following the declaration of Class 12 results.

According to the PTI report, Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, stated during a press conference the "The CBSE has decided this time that if students wish to view their answer sheets, they can do so by paying a fee of Rs 100 instead of Rs 700. If they want verification or validation of the answer sheet, that too will cost Rs 100 instead of Rs 500. If they want any particular answer rechecked, the fee will be Rs 25 per question".

He further added that "We have decided that if during re-evaluation, a student's marks increase, then the amount paid for re-evaluation will be refunded to the student," he said.

To alleviate students' anxiety, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has reduced the revaluation and answer sheet verification charges.

He further stated that, "We will simply provide you with a copy of your answer sheet. By merely looking at the answer sheet, it will become evident how the marking was carried out. Once you review it, you may realise if there were instances where you should have been awarded higher marks. Since the answer sheets have already been scanned, I do not believe there is any need or any alternative method for a further re-examination."

School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar further added that a new fee structure aims to make the review process more affordable and transparent for students dissatisfied with their marks.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar said the ministry wanted to address the anxiety among students regarding the new digital evaluation process.

“As you are aware, the Class 12 results have recently been declared by CBSE. This time, marking was done through OSM, and after that, certain concerns have been raised. Some students feel that the pass percentage has declined, and it has come down by around 3% compared to last year, from 88% to 85%. Some students also feel that they deserve higher marks and have received lower scores. Therefore, we would like to present clarifications before you regarding these concerns and misconceptions,” Kumar said.

Two-Step Review Process

Students who are dissatisfied with their results can now follow a two-step process:

Request scanned copies of their evaluated answer sheets.

Apply for verification of marks or correction requests if discrepancies are found.

This process is intended to improve transparency and help students make informed decisions before applying for revaluation.

OSM Was First Introduced in 2014

Kumar clarified that the On-Screen Marking system is not new.

“This on-screen marking system is not something new, nor is it being implemented for the first time. CBSE had introduced OSM in 2014. At that time, from a technical perspective, it was felt that continuing it immediately would not be feasible because of the existing infrastructure and setup. However, we have reintroduced it this year,” he said as reported by the PTI

Nearly 9.8 million Answer Sheets Scanned

Explaining the process, Kumar said that answer sheets were scanned and converted into PDF files before being sent to evaluators.

“This time, when the Class 12 examinations were conducted, the answer sheets were scanned, and PDF copies were created. In total, around 9.8 million answer sheets were scanned for the students who appeared in the examinations,” he said.

According to the ministry, a three-level security mechanism was used during scanning to ensure that:

No page was missed

All pages were clearly legible

Security coding and numbering were properly verified

Greater Transparency and Flexibility

Kumar said one of the biggest advantages of OSM is that it allows answer sheets to be evaluated outside the jurisdiction of regional offices.

“One major advantage of introducing OSM was the flexibility it provided. Earlier, when CBSE conducted evaluation or marking, it was generally done within the geographical jurisdiction of the respective regional offices. However, with OSM, it has now become possible to have answer sheets evaluated even outside the regional office’s area. This has brought greater transparency and objectivity into the evaluation process,” he said.

Additional Measures Taken by CBSE

Officials said:

Evaluator training for OSM began in April 2025.

More than 13,000 answer sheets that could not be scanned because of ink or legibility issues were evaluated manually.

The digital system eliminates totalling errors and ensures uniform application of marking schemes.

Institutions Using Similar Digital Evaluation Systems

Kumar noted that several institutions already use similar systems, including:

University of Mumbai

University of Delhi

Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

International Baccalaureate

Cambridge Assessment International Education

“The welfare and concern of all our children is of utmost importance to us,” Kumar said.

Prachi Pandey, Joint Secretary, School Education, was also present during the press briefing.

Ministry of Education Secretary further acknowledged students's Anxiety stating that, "There is anxiety among our children, and I can see that on social media, in newspapers, and through other forms of media as well, we are receiving feedback that reflects a sense of concern. We are equally concerned about this because, whether it is the Ministry of Education or CBSE, and I am speaking on behalf of CBSE as well, the welfare and concerns of all our children are of utmost importance to us."

Published on: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 01:48 PM IST