After 12 years, CBSE revives on-screen marking for board exams

Nagpur: After a gap of 12 years, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to once again start On-Screen Marking (OSM), which could mean early and almost error-free evaluations. OSM is a digital system in which scanned answer sheets are evaluated by teachers on computers, with marks calculated automatically by software. CBSE, which has always pushed boundaries when it comes to adopting technology in its ecosystem, experimented with OSM in 2014 for Class 10, even though internet speed and connectivity were major issues back then. In Nagpur, the OSM centre was established at an educational institute in Wanadongri, though this time, teachers might not be required to be at a specific centre.
While CBSE moves on to OSM for Class 12, it will continue with pen-paper evaluation for Class 10 this year. The board conducts examinations for nearly 46 lakh students (Class 10 & 12) across India and 26 countries every year.Under the OSM system, answer sheets are first scanned and uploaded to secure servers through dedicated software. Once digitised, evaluators log in using their credentials and assess the scripts on computer screens instead of handling physical copies. Teachers are assigned answer books in small lots. After completing the marking of a batch, the system allots the next. Marks are awarded question-wise, but all totalling and tabulation are carried out automatically by the software, eliminating calculation errors and reducing manual intervention.CBSE said the digital mechanism will remove totalling mistakes, reduce the need for post-result verification, and cut down manpower requirements. It also cited savings in transportation time and cost, the ability for teachers to remain in their own schools during evaluation, and participation from affiliated schools globally as key advantages. The board described the process as more streamlined, transparent, and environmentally sustainable.For the 2026 rollout, CBSE directed schools to ensure technical readiness, including a computer lab with a Public Static IP, compatible systems with minimum hardware specifications, updated browsers, Adobe Reader, reliable internet connectivity of at least 2 Mbps, and an uninterrupted power supply. The board will conduct dry runs, organise training programmes, and set up a call centre to address issues. Teachers with OASIS IDs will be allowed to log in and familiarise themselves with the platform before full-scale implementation.CBSE has outlined a structured training and support plan to ensure the smooth implementation of OSM. The Board will allow all teachers with OASIS IDs to log in and familiarise themselves with the digital evaluation platform in advance. It will conduct multiple dry runs so that evaluators can practise using the system before the live assessment begins. CBSE will also organise training programmes to explain the workflow and operational guidelines. Instructional videos will be released for better understanding, and a dedicated call centre will be set up to address technical or procedural issues during evaluation.In a separate communication, CBSE also directed schools to compulsorily relieve teachers for evaluation duties for the 2026 examinations. Schools were warned that failure to comply with evaluation-related instructions could attract action under the board's examination and affiliation bye-laws.As reported by TOI in May 2014, when CBSE first implemented OSM for Class 10, digital valuation enabled the board to declare results nearly a week earlier than usual. At the time, the board maintained that the primary goal was to ensure quality assessment by reducing human errors such as missed answers and incorrect totalling, though quicker results turned out to be a significant outcome.