Supreme Court flags OSM evaluation concerns, asks CBSE to safeguard affected students

The Supreme Court has asked CBSE to work out safeguards for students allegedly affected by discrepancies in its On-Screen Marking system. With some candidates facing admission setbacks despite clearing entrance tests, the court will review remedial steps and broader evaluation reforms on August 21.

In Short

• Petitioner said some students cleared entrances but missed admission cut-offs
• Bench noted some courses had already begun before score disputes
• Judges earlier recorded students' frustration over problems in digital evaluation

The Supreme Court has asked the Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE, to explore measures to safeguard the interests of students who may have been affected by discrepancies in the board’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation system. The court has fixed August 21 for the next hearing, when it is likely to review the remedial measures undertaken by the CBSE and the Centre.

The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that several students had cleared their CBSE examinations and subsequently appeared for entrance tests for higher education courses.

The counsel submitted that some students were unable to meet the minimum marks required for admission due to their CBSE scores. In certain cases, the academic sessions for the courses they had sought admission to had already begun.

COURT SEEKS STEPS TO PROTECT AFFECTED STUDENTS

Taking note of the situation, the bench asked the counsel representing CBSE to examine possible measures to safeguard the interests of the affected students.

“Find out how can you protect their interest,” the bench told the CBSE counsel, as reported by PTI.

The matter was posted for August 21 after the court was informed that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who had earlier been requested to assist the bench, was unavailable.

The issue assumes significance as students facing discrepancies in their board examination results may find themselves unable to secure admission despite having appeared for competitive or entrance examinations.

SUPREME COURT HAD EARLIER RAISED CONCERNS OVER OSM SYSTEM

The Supreme Court had previously expressed concern over complaints surrounding CBSE’s On-Screen Marking system.

On July 15, the court took note of the “frustration” reportedly faced by students due to problems associated with the digital evaluation process and sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

The Solicitor General had informed the bench that many of the individual discrepancies highlighted in the petition had been resolved. However, he also indicated that the government was treating the broader systemic concerns surrounding the evaluation mechanism seriously.

WHAT IS CBSE’S ON-SCREEN MARKING SYSTEM?

Under the On-Screen Marking system, physical answer sheets are scanned and converted into digital copies. These scanned scripts are then made available to evaluators on computers, allowing teachers to assess and award marks digitally rather than checking the original physical answer sheets.

The system is intended to streamline the evaluation process, improve monitoring and reduce logistical challenges associated with the handling and movement of physical answer scripts.

However, concerns have been raised over discrepancies in marks and the mechanisms available to students seeking correction or redressal when they believe their answer sheets have not been evaluated correctly.

ONE-MEMBER PANEL FOR SYSTEMIC REVIEW

During the earlier hearing, the government informed the Supreme Court that it had constituted a one-member commission headed by former senior bureaucrat S Radha Chauhan to examine the evaluation system.

The commission has been tasked with reviewing the existing process and recommending systemic changes to address concerns arising from the digital marking mechanism.

The Supreme Court had subsequently asked the Solicitor General to apprise it of the remedial measures taken by CBSE and the government to address the concerns raised by students.

The Public Interest Litigation has been filed by Rakesh Binjola through advocate Laxmikant Matadan Shukla. The petition seeks directions to the Centre and CBSE to formulate comprehensive regulations governing the conduct of CBSE board examinations using the OSM evaluation system.

It also seeks the creation of a high-powered committee to supervise the implementation of reforms and ensure greater accountability and transparency in the evaluation process. Among the key reliefs sought by the petitioner are measures to protect students who may have suffered because of discrepancies in their board examination results.

RELAXATION IN ADMISSION CRITERIA SOUGHT

The petition has also urged the Supreme Court to consider relaxing minimum qualifying requirements for students who have already obtained provisional admissions or cleared entrance examinations but may have fallen short of the prescribed marks because of issues concerning their CBSE results.

The petitioner has further sought exemption or relaxation from the 75 per cent Class 12 marks requirement, or other minimum eligibility criteria prescribed by educational institutions for admission to various courses, in cases involving affected students.

Such relief, the petition argues, could prevent students from losing academic opportunities because of evaluation-related discrepancies that may not be attributable to them.

NEXT HEARING ON AUGUST 21

The Supreme Court will hear the matter again on August 21. The hearing is expected to focus on the remedial measures taken so far by CBSE and the Centre, along with possible safeguards for students affected by discrepancies in their board examination marks.

The court’s intervention indicates that, apart from examining broader reforms to the OSM system, it is also concerned about the immediate academic consequences for students whose admissions or career plans could be affected by disputed board examination results.

The Supreme Court’s intervention has brought renewed focus on CBSE’s digital evaluation system and the need for safeguards against marking discrepancies. The August 21 hearing could provide greater clarity on both systemic reforms and immediate relief for students whose higher education opportunities may have been affected by their CBSE results.

- Ends