‘Stop defending your so-called flawless OSM’: Class 12 students slam CBSE over blurred answer sheets

The controversy around CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system intensified today after several Class 12 students began sharing screenshots of blurred scanned answer sheets on social media, questioning how the evaluation process was conducted if the copies were unclear. The criticism, however, is not new. The board has been under scrutiny since teachers started evaluating answer sheets through the OSM system, and the debate escalated further after the Class 12 pass percentage recorded a significant dip.

CBSE on May 20 said its portal for obtaining scanned answer books was functioning smoothly and claimed that over 1.27 lakh applications for 3.87 lakh scanned answer books were submitted successfully within three hours of the portal opening. However, students took to social media saying this was not something to be proud of. Instead, they argued that such a high number of applications reflects dissatisfaction with the marking process. This has renewed demands for the board to return to manual checking.

Several users tagged CBSE on social media platform X and demanded explanations regarding the OSM evaluation process. One student wrote, “We are providing you the proofs too… How did you check these copies? You still have the audacity to defend your so-called ‘flawless’ OSM?” The user further demanded manual checking and removal of the OSM system.

Another user alleged that blurred scans made it difficult even for students to read their own handwriting and questioned how marks were awarded during digital evaluation.

Also read CBSE cuts re-evaluation fee to Rs 100; defends OSM

Payment failures, portal issues

For the third consecutive day, students continued to report issues with the CBSE scanned answer sheet portal , alleging that the website frequently became unresponsive and inaccessible during the application process.

Along with concerns over blurred answer sheets, students have also complained about repeated technical glitches while applying for scanned copies. Several students alleged that money was deducted from their bank accounts, but the application status either remained unsuccessful or did not update on the portal. A user (claiming to be a Class 12 student) wrote on X that he had applied for scanned copies of History, English, and Economics answer books, but despite the payment being deducted, the status was still not updated.

Another student said the website was “not moving beyond the confirmation stage”, while others claimed the portal remained inaccessible even after repeated attempts. One user wrote, “Payment got deducted from my account. But no status available. What to do?”

Another student posted, “I’ve applied and paid for two answer copies since yesterday. Neither have I received the scanned copies yet, nor is the website working.” Some students also criticised the tele-counselling support , saying they were unable to get proper assistance regarding payment and portal-related issues.

Also read CBSE extends deadline to download Class 12 answer sheets till May 23; re-evaluation from May 26

OSM under scrutiny, again

The latest controversy has brought CBSE’s OSM evaluation process back under scrutiny. Students and social media users are now questioning whether unclear scans could have affected evaluation quality and final marks.

Some users claimed that step marking had not been awarded properly despite students showing complete working in subjects requiring detailed calculations. One social media user questioned whether re-evaluation would include proper step marking and asked if CBSE had any official documentation explaining the marking policy.

Another viral post alleged that “marks weren’t awarded even though the student showed all of the steps,” reigniting debates over transparency in digital evaluation. Some students demanded grace marks, while others called for a return to manual checking instead of the OSM system.

Earlier, CBSE rejected allegations that answer book scanning under the OSM system was conducted improperly due to lack of preparation or shortage of time, calling such claims “factually incorrect”. While the board posted about portal functionality and successful application submissions, it has not yet issued a separate statement specifically addressing allegations related to blurred scanned answer sheets circulating online.