One in five CBSE Class 12 students requested answer sheets after 2026 results

More than one in every five CBSE Class 12 students who appeared for the 2026 board examinations applied for scanned copies of their evaluated answer sheets after the results were declared, the Centre informed Parliament, highlighting the scale of post-result scrutiny amid concerns over the board's new digital evaluation system.

In Short

• The Education Ministry disclosed the figures in a reply to Parliament
• CBSE used On-Screen Marking fully for Class 12 evaluation this year
• Students reported incomplete scans, blurred pages, mismatched sheets and marking errors

Responding to a question in Parliament, the Ministry of Education said that over 22 per cent of Class 12 candidates sought scanned copies of their answer books following the declaration of the 2026 board examination results.

Out of the 17.69 lakh candidates who appeared in the Class 12 CBSE examination, 4.04 lakh candidates which is about 22.8 per cent of the total students, sought scanned copies of their evaluated answer books, while over 1.68 lakh candidates applied for verification of issues and/or re-evaluation, Minister of State in the Education Ministry Jayant Chaudhary said in a written reply to questions raised in Rajya Sabha.

As part of the reduced fee structure for post-result services, CBSE received Rs 100 for each scanned copy of an evaluated answer book, Rs 100 for verification of issues observed in an answer book, and Rs 25 per question for re-evaluation. The re-evaluation fee is
refunded in full to candidates where marks increased following re-evaluation process, the Rajya Sabha reply added.

The data comes in the backdrop of the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) first full-scale implementation of On-Screen Marking (OSM) for evaluating Class 12 answer sheets. Under the system, physical answer books were scanned and assessed digitally by evaluators across the country.

EVALUATION PROCESS, COMPLAINTS FROM STUDENTS

The evaluation process, however, triggered complaints from several students, who alleged discrepancies such as incomplete scans, blurred pages, mismatched answer sheets and marking errors.

CBSE allows students to first obtain scanned copies of their evaluated answer sheets before applying for verification of marks or re-evaluation. The board had also extended the deadline for obtaining scanned copies after candidates reported technical glitches on the application portal.

The issue has also reached the Supreme Court, which recently sought the Centre's response on concerns surrounding the digital evaluation system after petitions alleged irregularities in the assessment process. The Centre has informed the court that the OSM process is under review and corrective measures are being examined.

- Ends