Indore: Schools across Indore began intensive preparations to align Class 10 candidates with strict section-wise answer-placement protocols mandated by the Central Board of Secondary Education under its On-Screen Marking digital evaluation system.
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Board officials warned that answers written outside their designated subject sections will automatically receive zero marks, regardless of accuracy. Under the On-Screen Marking process, officials scan physical answer booklets, digitise them, and segment them into subject-specific pages before digitally allocating them to the relevant subject examiners.
"Answers written in the wrong subject section could receive zero marks, even if they were correct," said CBSE city coordinator UK Jha. "For instance, a Chemistry answer written in the Biology section may not be considered by the Chemistry evaluator."
Jha stated that marks forfeited due to incorrect section placement cannot be reclaimed through post-result verification or re-evaluation procedures.
Under the paper structures, Science is categorized into Biology, Chemistry, and Physics sections, while Social Science covers History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics. Misallocated responses fail to route to the designated subject examiner during digital distribution.
Nisha Ahmad, a school principal with extensive science teaching experience, emphasized that examination stress frequently leads to section misplacement.
"Science requires clear categorization—mixing up a Physics numerical in a Chemistry section under exam stress is a common pitfall students face," Ahmad said.
We are guiding students during mock tests to map out their answer sheets carefully, strictly maintain section headers, and leave sufficient blank space within a section rather than appending missed questions at the very end of the booklet, she added.
“Board instructions require candidates to follow section headings printed on the question paper, begin each section on a fresh page, and clearly display headers,” Ahmad said.
Schools across the city have incorporated section-wise answer management into classroom assessments and pre-board examinations to familiarise candidates with layout compliance.
Arva Shakir, a senior educator at a CBSE-affiliated school, said that candidates frequently leave unattempted questions to answer on the final pages of the booklet.
"Students sometimes leave questions unfinished and attempt them on the final pages of the answer booklet," Shakir said. "Under the digital marking system, an answer written in the wrong section might not reach the examiner responsible for that subject."
The guidelines align Class 10 preparations with established Class 12 On-Screen Marking procedures, where papers are split into question-type sections and entries require strict placement inside left-hand margins to prevent digital cropping during high-speed scanning.
