Video Description
Across India, thousands of Class 12 students and parents have recently raised concerns over unusually low board exam marks, especially in CBSE results announced this month. Social media platforms have been flooded with complaints from students claiming that their scores do not match their expected performance, with many saying they received marks far below what they consistently scored in school tests, pre-boards, and competitive exams.
The controversy became bigger after several students who had qualified in highly competitive exams like JEE Main reportedly failed or scored unexpectedly low marks in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology in their Class 12 board results. Many students argued that it was difficult to believe they could clear national-level entrance exams while simultaneously failing board subjects. This triggered online outrage and demands for transparency in evaluation.
A major focus of the criticism has been CBSE’s newly reintroduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, a digital evaluation method in which answer sheets are scanned and checked electronically. According to students and teachers, some answers, diagrams, graphs, and step markings may not have been properly evaluated because of scanning quality issues or strict digital marking rules. Parents also alleged that answers written slightly outside margins may have been ignored during scanning.
Reports say the Education Ministry and CBSE have already acknowledged technical concerns in some cases. Around 68,000 answer sheets were reportedly rescanned because of poor image quality, while nearly 13,000 copies underwent manual evaluation after complaints emerged. Officials stated that the stricter digital marking process and tougher papers contributed to lower average marks and a decline in overall pass percentage this year.
CBSE has now opened rechecking, verification, and reevaluation windows for students who believe their marks were incorrectly awarded. The board also reduced reevaluation fees and extended counselling helplines after the result-related stress and backlash from students across the country. Many students are applying for photocopies of answer sheets to compare their evaluated responses with official marking schemes.
The issue has become one of the biggest education controversies in India this year, with students, teachers, coaching institutes, and parents demanding greater transparency in digital evaluation systems. While CBSE maintains that the system improves consistency and fairness, critics argue that technical flaws and overly strict marking may have unfairly impacted thousands of students nationwide.
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