The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced on Tuesday that its re-evaluation portal encountered multiple cyberattack attempts, even as thousands of students accessed the platform to apply for verification of answer books and re-evaluation of marks.
Portal Performance and Cyber Threats
In an update posted on X, the board stated that the portal successfully managed over 8,000 concurrent users and processed more than 16,000 student submissions by 3 pm. This development follows days of concerns regarding the board's digital evaluation ecosystem, including complaints about scanned answer sheets, delayed portal activation, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities flagged by independent researchers.
According to CBSE, its cybersecurity teams detected a series of malicious attempts aimed at disrupting portal operations during the day. The most recent incident involved a denial-of-service attack attempt that generated nearly 1.5 million hits on the portal within two minutes. Additionally, the board reported over one lakh attempts to gain unauthorized access to files linked to the system.
Portal Remains Operational
Despite these incidents, CBSE confirmed that the portal remained operational and continued to accept applications from students. "Our teams remain vigilant and responsive to ensure our dearest students are facilitated in all ways possible," the board said in its post.
Application Process and Delays
CBSE had opened the portal on June 2 after postponing its launch from the earlier schedule. Students who had already obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books can now apply for verification of issues such as missing pages, missing supplementary sheets, blurred scans, and incorrect answer books, besides seeking re-evaluation of specific answers.
The delay followed complaints from students who faced difficulties accessing scanned answer books after the declaration of Class 12 results. Several candidates reported issues including payment failures, portal errors, and concerns regarding the quality of scanned copies.
Cybersecurity Enhancements
Separately, cybersecurity concerns had surfaced in recent weeks after researchers highlighted alleged vulnerabilities in certain CBSE-linked digital platforms. CBSE subsequently stated that identified vulnerabilities had been contained and that expert teams, including specialists from government agencies and premier technical institutions, were assisting in strengthening the system.
Session Limits Extended
CBSE also noted that student feedback received during the application process had been incorporated into the platform. According to the board, session time limits have been extended to make the portal more convenient and seamless for applicants.
The verification and re-evaluation window will remain open until June 6, with all applications and fee payments being accepted only through the online mode.
