The Supreme Court of India has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to consider measures to protect students impacted by the new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. This directive comes in light of difficulties these students face in securing admissions due to their examination scores under the OSM evaluation system.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana deliberated on the issue. The court was informed that students who had successfully completed their CBSE Class 12 examinations and appeared for subsequent entrance exams were unable to meet the required marks for admissions. This situation arose as certain courses had already commenced, putting affected students at a disadvantage.
The plea asserted that the irregularities within the OSM evaluation system contributed to lower scores. Consequently, the bench prompted CBSE to investigate the matter thoroughly and devise strategies to safeguard the academic interests of these students. “Please find out how you can protect their interest,” the Court emphasized before adjourning the proceedings.
The petition challenges the introduction of the OSM system, alleging that it was implemented for the first time in 2026 without adequate training for teachers. According to the petition, CBSE had issued several circulars in February 2026, directing teachers to engage in evaluation and mock exercises. However, the petitioner argued that no formal training was provided, leading to errors such as unscanned pages and illegible answer sheets.
The plea highlights that these errors led to arbitrary and, in some cases, non-evaluation of answer sheets, affecting students’ results and violating their rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. The petitioner also mentioned difficulties in accessing answer sheets online, further exacerbating the issue.
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This evaluation process allegedly caused a decline in the Class 12 pass percentage to 85.2% in 2026, marking the lowest in seven years and a significant drop from the previous year. The petitioner seeks remedies including re-evaluation of answer sheets, annulment of disqualifications, and permission for affected students to participate provisionally in subsequent admission processes.
The plea underscores the potential consequences for a large number of students in India and abroad, potentially impacting their future academic opportunities.
Live Updates: The Supreme Court is actively reviewing the challenge against CBSE’s OSM digital evaluation system, focusing on issues such as scanning errors and arbitrary assessments affecting Class 12 results.
