CBSE To Seek Stakeholder Feedback On Digital Marking System Before Expansion

CBSE OSM Review: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will decide on the future of its contentious On-Screen Marking (OSM) system only after extensive consultations with students, teachers, and parents, as per The Times of India report.

The digital evaluation system was implemented for Class 12 board examinations in 2026, replacing the traditional physical evaluation process with computer-based assessment of scanned answer scripts. While CBSE introduced the system to improve transparency, accuracy, and monitoring, students and educators expressed concerns during the first year of implementation.

According to the report, the board plans to seek feedback from key stakeholders before determining whether OSM should continue in its current form, undergo modifications, or be gradually expanded to Class 10 examinations from 2027 onwards.

Stakeholder Feedback to Shape Final Decision

Sources quoted by The Times of India said that while technical experts will assess the system, the experiences of students, teachers, and parents will play a crucial role in the final decision.

"The final call is ultimately likely to rest with students, teachers and parents," a source told the publication.

The review process will examine students' experiences while accessing scanned answer sheets and requesting corrections. Feedback will also be collected from teachers regarding the effectiveness of on-screen evaluation, the adequacy of training provided, and challenges encountered during implementation.

Complaints During First Year of Implementation

The OSM system faced criticism during the 2026 board examination cycle. Several students reportedly complained about blurred or cropped scans, missing pages and supplementary sheets, as well as answers allegedly left unevaluated.

Given that examiners assess only the digital copies of answer scripts, the quality and completeness of scanned documents are expected to be a major focus area during the review.

Before extending the system to Class 10 examinations, technical experts are likely to evaluate scanning protocols, quality-control mechanisms, data storage systems, platform capacity, and necessary safeguards. This would significantly increase the volume of answer books processed digitally each year.

Cybersecurity Measures Under Review

Cybersecurity is also expected to form an important part of the assessment. According to government sources cited by The Times of India, CBSE's post-result portal faced an "unprecedented and malicious" cyberattack following the declaration of results.

The attack reportedly consisted of a sudden surge in traffic from multiple IP addresses in India and abroad, as well as attempts to gain access to files. CBSE, on the other hand, insisted that its services remained operational and that the evaluation portal was unaffected.

In order to improve its digital infrastructure, the board has stated that it has secured the portal and will keep working with organisations like the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Digital India Corporation, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.

Over 1.6 Lakh Re-Evaluation Requests Filed

The review comes amid a large number of post-result grievances. More than 1.6 lakh Class 12 students reportedly applied for verification or re-evaluation in 2026, covering over 3.8 lakh answer books. Physics recorded the highest number of requests among all subjects.

As a result, The Times of India report further stated that the review is expected to go beyond evaluating the viability of digital marking. It will also assess whether CBSE can address the shortcomings identified during the 2026 examination cycle and rebuild confidence among stakeholders before considering a wider rollout of the OSM system.

Published on: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 11:31 AM IST