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.
Under the revised fee structure announced by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), students will have to pay ₹100 to obtain a scanned copy of their evaluated answer sheet and ₹100 for verification of marks. The fee for correction requests has been set at Rs 25 per question as per media reports.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, said via press conference that “The process that previously cost Rs 700 rupees, under which we provided you with a copy of your answer sheet, that fee has now been reduced to just Rs 100. Furthermore, the fee for validation, which previously stood at Rs 500, has also been brought down to Rs 100. So, for instance, if you wish to have the answer to a single question rechecked, you would need to pay Rs 225 rupees. However, if for any reason the re-evaluation process reveals that your marks have increased, we will refund the entire amount you paid back to you... We are more concerned about the well-being, welfare, and mental state of our children. Money is important, but it is not the priority in this particular matter"
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."
