The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a major reduction in the fees students need to pay for accessing evaluated answer sheets, verification of marks, and re-evaluation requests for Class XII board examinations.

Updated Fee Structure

Background Behind the Decision

The changes follow concerns raised by students and teachers regarding the implementation of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Under this method, examiners evaluate scanned copies of answer sheets digitally instead of checking physical papers.

Questions about the process gained attention after the overall Class XII pass percentage reportedly declined from 88% last year to 85% this year.

CBSE Clarifies Evaluation Process

Officials from the education department stated that the marking scheme and moderation policies remain unchanged despite the adoption of digital evaluation.

According to authorities, the system was first tested in 2014 but could not be expanded at the time because of technological limitations. Improvements in digital infrastructure and examiner training have now enabled wider implementation.

Manual Evaluation for Unclear Scripts

Nearly 98.6 lakh answer sheets were scanned and evaluated digitally this year. However, some papers required manual checking because light handwriting or poor ink quality made scanned versions difficult to read.

Officials stated that such cases were separated and reviewed manually to ensure fairness for students.

No Artificial Intelligence Used

CBSE authorities clarified that artificial intelligence was not involved in the marking process. The only change introduced was the shift from physical evaluation to screen-based assessment.

Important Dates for Students

• Scanned answer sheet applications: May 19 – May 22
• Verification and re-evaluation applications: May 26 – May 29

Global Acceptance of On-Screen Marking

Officials also noted that digital evaluation systems are widely used by several national and international educational institutions because they help improve consistency, reduce calculation errors, and strengthen monitoring during assessment.