Dharmendra Pradhan Promises Corrective Action Amid CBSE OSM Results Controversy

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday addressed the growing controversy surrounding the CBSE Class 12 results and the newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, assuring students that the government is taking corrective steps and closely monitoring the revaluation process.

The minister said top institutions such as IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras have now been brought in to supervise the digital evaluation technology after complaints emerged regarding discrepancies in scanned answer sheets uploaded by the board.

IITs Brought In To Monitor Evaluation System

Speaking during a CBSE meeting, Pradhan said the board has strengthened its oversight mechanism by involving premier technical institutions and integrating banking support for smoother student access to services.

"CBSE has involved top agencies, including IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras, to oversee the technology. Four PSU banks - SBI, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Canara Bank - have integrated payment gateways to support the process."

The minister added that the revaluation process for Class 12 examinations has already begun amid mounting concerns from students and parents over alleged irregularities in the digital evaluation process.

Government Accepts Responsibility

As criticism over the results intensified, Pradhan acknowledged that certain discrepancies had occurred and assured that every student complaint would be addressed.

"The government acknowledges some discrepancies, accepts responsibility, and promises corrective measures. Officials will ensure that no student query is left unresolved and accountability will be ensured at all levels..."

The issue has sparked nationwide discussion after several students claimed that the scanned copies of answer sheets available on the CBSE portal did not resemble their handwriting, raising fears of possible answer-sheet mismatches during the digital evaluation stage.

Nearly 40 Crore Pages Evaluated Digitally

Defending the scale and intent behind the OSM system, the minister highlighted the massive volume of answer sheets processed this year under the new digital model.

"Around 17 lakh students took part, with nearly 98 lakh answer copies - about 40 crore scanned pages in total. For the first time, CBSE has introduced a digital evaluation system, aiming for transparency and student-centric reforms. Students can now access their scanned answer sheets to check marks and raise queries. So far, about 4 lakh students have retrieved their answer sheets, covering nearly 11 lakh copies."

According to the government, the digital evaluation model was introduced to improve transparency, reduce manual intervention, and give students direct access to their scanned answer sheets.

CBSE Defends OSM Amid Growing Backlash

Amid allegations surrounding the OSM process, CBSE released a statement on X defending the integrity of its digital platform. The board stated that the On-Screen Marking system operates on a secure IT framework and no vulnerabilities were detected during evaluation.

CBSE also said that answer books passed through multiple security and quality-control checks before assessment, insisting that the process remained protected against tampering or technical compromise.

However, criticism of the system continues to grow. Teachers and school principals have questioned whether schools and evaluators were adequately prepared for such a large-scale digital transition.

Several educators reportedly flagged issues such as weak internet connectivity, inadequate digital infrastructure, and lack of proper training for evaluators.

"Many teachers, particularly in government schools, were not sufficiently familiar with the technology. Ideally, OSM should have been implemented next year after wider preparation," a principal said after the controversy erupted.

The OSM system was introduced for CBSE Class 12 examinations from 2026 onward. While students still write exams using pen and paper, answer sheets are scanned and evaluated online under the new mechanism.