Punjab rolls out 'on-screen marking' evaluation for PSEB board exams 2026

After the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has announced to introduce an ‘on-screen marking’ system for the March 2026 board exams. Education minister Harjot Singh Bains highlighted the fact that Punjab is the first state board to adopt end-to-end digital evaluation, marking a transformative shift in how answer sheets will be assessed.

While sharing the details of the initiative minister said: "This digital system will enable teachers to evaluate scanned answer sheets on computers, with marks calculated automatically by software, ensuring faster and more accurate results."

The education minister further informed that the system has already demonstrated its effectiveness by evaluating 23,000 answer scripts accurately during the PSEB supplementary exam held in September 2025.

Punjab board 2026 Class 12 exams will be held from February 17 to April 4 and Class 10 paper is scheduled from March 6 to March 27.

PSEB Board Exams 2026: OSM in one subject

PSEB will implement OSM in one subject of the matriculation exam 2026 this year, with phased expansion in subsequent cycles. Each page of the redesigned answer sheet will include a distinct QR code to ensure secure scanning and digital processing.

Under the new OSM system, the sheets are scanned and uploaded to a centralised dashboard, where teachers will assess them online using automated score calculation, structured marking schemes, and real-time progress tracking, the education minister added.

"It is not just an upgrade, it's a complete overhaul of evaluating our children's future. It will ensure every student gets fairness, speed, and accuracy in examinations."

PSEB chairman Amarpal Singh said that the new initiative is aligned with the student-first approach and will be streamlined across the board. "The OSM system carries the guarantee of Punjab's commitment to its students," he stated.

Also read CBSE explains how two Class 10 board exams 2026, on-screen marking for Class 12 will work

CBSE introduces digital evaluation for Class 12

CBSE has also introduced on-screen marking for Class 12 and division of Class 10 social science papers. However, Class 10th papers will be checked in offline mode only, the board has clarified.

The new system will eliminate common errors and delays associated with manual evaluation. CBSE Board Class 10th and 12th exams will be geld from February 17 to April 10, at more than 8,000 exam centre in India and abroad.