CBSE OSM controversy deepens as students allege fresh errors, seek grace marks

It has been over a month since Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared the Class 12 board examination results, but the controversy surrounding them shows little sign of ending. What began as students questioning unexpectedly low scores allegedly due to on screen marking (OSM) has now evolved into a larger debate over transparency and accountability.

The board has already acknowledged "some discrepancies" in the implementation of the new digital evaluation process and introduced several corrective measures, including a revised post-result mechanism, reduced re-evaluation fees and access to scanned answer sheets.

Following this, many students also saw changes in their marks after verification and re-evaluation, with some even securing full marks and emerging as toppers. However, fresh complaints continue to surface from a relatively small group of students. Parents, students have alleged new discrepancies in revised marksheets and lawyers have sought legal intervention. Social media campaigns are also demanding grace marks and relaxation in admission criteria. The developments come as several colleges begin their admission counselling process following the declaration of the CUET UG results.

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CBSE introduced the OSM system for Class 12 evaluation this year, replacing the conventional physical marking process with digital evaluation of scanned answer books. The board maintained that the system was designed to improve transparency, reduce calculation errors and ensure uniformity in assessment.

Soon after the results were declared, however, students across the country began reporting anomalies. Many alleged that scanned answer sheets were blurred or incomplete, some claimed pages were missing, while others said answers had either not been evaluated or were awarded fewer marks than expected. Complaints were particularly prominent in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology.

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Fresh complaints

Even as many students received revised marks, new allegations suggest that concerns have not ended with the re-evaluation process.

One such case has drawn attention after Advocate Vineet Jindal shared documents allegedly received from a CBSE student.The student had applied only for re-evaluation in Chemistry. While the Chemistry marks increased after review, the student's Physics marks were allegedly reduced despite no re-evaluation request having been made for that subject.The advocate has invited other students facing similar issues to share supporting documents. He stated that legal remedies may be explored if procedural lapses are established.

While the allegation has gained traction online, CBSE has not publicly responded to the specific case.

Supreme Court advocate Dr. Biswa Bhusan Pradhan has submitted a detailed representation to the Prime Minister, the Union education minister and the CBSE chairperson, alleging that deficiencies associated with the OSM evaluation system have adversely affected Class 12 students.

Also read CBSE to allow answer book inspection for students with unchanged re-evaluation marks

Grace marks

The representation argues that students deserve a transparent and effective grievance redressal mechanism and seeks reopening of the answer-sheet review process and suitable moderation or grace marks wherever systemic deficiencies are found.

While these representations do not establish that systemic errors have occurred, they indicate that concerns surrounding the evaluation process have moved beyond isolated student complaints.

Against this backdrop, students have launched social media campaigns under hashtags such as #Justiceforall12thCBSEBoardstudents, urging the Union education minister, CBSE and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to intervene. Campaign participants have demanded 20-25 grace marks in PCM subjects or relaxation in admission criteria, arguing that many students continue to fall short of eligibility despite undergoing the re-evaluation process.

Admissions bring fresh urgency

The controversy has become particularly significant because several engineering institutions and universities prescribe minimum Class 12 percentage requirements for admissions, while others require students to secure at least 75 per cent aggregate marks or specified marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

Students have appealed to universities and institutions conducting their own entrance-based admissions to consider temporary relaxation in minimum percentage requirements for affected CBSE students.