The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning to provide scanned answer sheets directly to Class 12 students through the DigiLocker platform starting from 2027, alongside the marksheets. This announcement was made by a senior official from the Ministry of Education on Friday.
Current Post-Result Process Under Scrutiny
The move comes as CBSE's On Screen Marking (OSM) system faces criticism due to multiple issues, including answer-sheet mix-ups, portal glitches, payment failures, and overcharging of application fees. At present, the post-result process involves two stages: first, students apply online to obtain scanned copies of evaluated answer sheets, and then they can seek verification of marks or apply for re-evaluation of specific answers.
Mix-Ups and Overcharging Reported
Ministry sources revealed that 20 more students allegedly received scanned copies of answer sheets belonging to other candidates because of scanning mix-ups linked to security features embedded during digitisation. In one case, a student named Vedant claimed he received unexpectedly low marks in physics despite performing well. During re-evaluation, it was allegedly discovered that his answer sheet had been mistakenly replaced with another student's.
Ministry officials also stated that at least 50 students were overcharged during the application process for obtaining scanned copies and applying for verification or re-evaluation after the Class 12 board results this year. Additionally, multiple students reported payment gateway failures and repeated deductions from their accounts.
Increasing System Pressure
The number of students obtaining scanned copies of answer sheets has surged, with around two lakh students in 2025 and over four lakh in 2026, significantly increasing the pressure on the system. To address these issues, teams from IIT-Madras and IIT-Kanpur have been asked to examine CBSE's portal and technical infrastructure following complaints related to server load, payment failures, and possible unauthorised attacks during peak traffic periods.
Criticism of On-Screen Marking
The board's on-screen marking system has also drawn criticism from some students and teachers, who alleged that certain answer sheets were not properly visible during digital evaluation, leading to potential grading errors.
