India's Ministry of Education clarified the Central Board of Secondary Education's On-Screen Marking system for Class 12 results during a recent press briefing [1, 2].
The move comes as students and parents raised concerns over unexpected changes in marks and a reported drop in the overall pass percentage [1, 2]. These discrepancies have led to widespread claims that the digital marking process may be prone to errors, fueling a controversy across the national school board.
Secretary Sanjay Kumar addressed the situation to provide transparency regarding the On-Screen Marking (OSM) process [1, 2]. He said that the OSM system is not a new implementation, contrary to some public perceptions [2]. The ministry is attempting to stabilize confidence in the digital evaluation process while acknowledging the friction caused by the current results cycle [1, 2].
To alleviate the burden on students seeking clarity on their grades, the ministry announced reduced charges for revaluation, and answer-sheet verification [1]. This financial adjustment is intended to make the appeals process more accessible for those who believe their marks were incorrectly recorded or calculated [1].
The ministry's response aims to mitigate the backlash from the Class 12 results row [2]. By lowering the cost of verification, the government provides a formal mechanism for students to challenge the OSM outputs without facing prohibitive costs [1].
“The OSM system is not a new implementation”
The Ministry of Education is attempting to balance the transition to digital grading with the need for public trust. By reducing verification fees, the government is shifting from a purely defensive stance to a corrective one, acknowledging that technical systems can produce discrepancies that require human oversight and accessible appeals processes.
