The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is working on a new initiative that would allow Class 12 students to access digital copies of their evaluated answer sheets through DigiLocker along with their marksheets starting in 2027.

The development was revealed by a senior Ministry of Education official amid ongoing concerns surrounding CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Several students and parents have reported issues including answer-sheet mismatches, technical glitches, payment failures, and concerns regarding application charges.

Current Review Process

At present, students who wish to review their examination results must complete a two-stage process:

• Submit an online request to obtain a scanned copy of the evaluated answer script.
• Apply for mark verification or re-evaluation of specific responses after examining the scanned copy.

Reported Answer Sheet Mix-Ups

Ministry sources indicated that around 20 additional students may have received scanned copies belonging to other candidates. Initial assessments suggest that the issue could be linked to errors during the digitisation process involving embedded security features.

In one reported case, a student named Vedant questioned his Physics marks after receiving a score lower than expected. During the review process, authorities allegedly discovered that another student's answer script had been associated with his records.

Fee and Payment Concerns

Officials stated that at least 50 students may have been charged amounts exceeding the prescribed fees while applying for scanned answer sheets, mark verification, or re-evaluation services after the release of this year’s Class 12 board examination results.

Multiple students also reported unsuccessful payment attempts, duplicate deductions, and payment gateway disruptions while using the online portal.

Increasing Demand on Digital Systems

The demand for scanned answer scripts has grown considerably in recent years. Approximately 200,000 students requested scanned copies in 2025, while the figure reportedly surpassed 400,000 this year, placing additional pressure on CBSE’s digital infrastructure.

Technical Audit of Infrastructure

To address concerns regarding portal performance, transaction failures, and potential cyber threats during periods of heavy usage, teams from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur have been asked to assess the board’s technical systems and infrastructure.

Questions Over Digital Evaluation

The On-Screen Marking system has also faced criticism from some students and educators. Concerns have been raised that portions of certain answer scripts may not have been displayed clearly during digital evaluation, potentially affecting the assessment process.