In a major reform for India’s national school examinations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that from the 2026 Class 12 board exams onwards, there will be no post-result verification of marks as the board adopts a fully digital evaluation system called On-Screen Marking (OSM).
Officials, including Examination Controller Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj, have emphasised that the shift aims to reduce human error, improve transparency and speed up results while allowing teachers to evaluate scripts from their own schools rather than central evaluation centres. Ahead of the exams starting from 17 February, the board has also issued advisories to counter misinformation spreading on social media and clarified that Class 10 evaluation will continue in physical mode for now.
Digital Shift and Why It Matters
The heart of CBSE’s reform is the introduction of On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12 answer scripts a system where paper answer books are scanned and evaluated online by teachers using secure digital platforms rather than the traditional manual checking process.
Under this model, evaluators log into a portal with secure credentials to assess scanned responses; marks are entered, calculated and transmitted automatically to central servers, reducing the risk of totalling errors, posting mistakes or missing responses that have previously prompted students to apply for post-result verification.
“Post-result verification of marks will no longer be required and there will be a reduced manpower requirement for verification as there would be no scope for any totalling errors,” said Dr Bhardwaj during a live webcast outlining the roadmap for the reforms. He added that the new system aims to eliminate discrepancies at the outset rather than correcting them after results are declared.
In practical terms, this means students who were once able to apply for recounting or verification to correct clerical mistakes will no longer have that option CBSE believes that the digital system’s automated checks make such appeals obsolete. The board handles evaluations for nearly 46 lakh students in India and abroad each year, and more than 1 crore answer books for Class 12 alone, underlining the scale of the operation and the rationale behind the shift.
Teachers, Technology and the Evaluation Process
For teachers, OSM represents a significant change. While the structure of evaluation teams including evaluators, Associate Examiners and Head Examiners remains, the process moves from physical examination halls to digital platforms. This eliminates the need to physically transport answer books and work long hours totalling marks manually. Evaluators can work from their school premises, and the system logs attendance, time spent and marks awarded for quality monitoring.
CBSE has also detailed extensive preparatory measures to support educators through the transition. These include technical training workshops, instructional videos, multiple trial runs of the OSM system, and call-centre support to help evaluators navigate the digital tools effectively. The board has urged schools to ensure proper infrastructure stable internet, compatible computers, power back-ups and secure network settings to facilitate smooth implementation.
Importantly, CBSE has taken care to counter misinformation surrounding the changes. Dr Bhardwaj advised students to be cautious about rumours and unverified social media content, particularly those claiming paper leaks or suggesting uncertainty around the digital system. He encouraged students to rely on official channels and focus on study rather than social media discussions.
Reforms in Context: Beyond Just Evaluation
The Class 12 digital evaluation update is part of broader reforms being introduced in CBSE examinations for 2026. Alongside OSM, the board has announced changes such as the introduction of dual board exams for Class 10, division of Science and Social Studies question papers at that level, and strengthened guidelines for exam conduct and evaluation consistency. These changes align with efforts to modernise assessment systems and better align them with evolving educational needs.
CBSE has stressed that these changes are not sudden but the result of extensive testing, stakeholder consultations and dry runs over the past year, designed to ensure reliability before full-scale rollout. The board reiterated its goal to improve accuracy and reduce administrative bottlenecks that have historically caused stress and appeals after results.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
CBSE’s decision to digitise evaluation and eliminate post-result verification is a bold step toward modernising one of India’s largest educational systems. On the one hand, digital evaluation promises greater accuracy, reduced workload for teachers and faster results for students, potentially alleviating anxiety in what is often a high-pressure period for families. It also recognises the growing role of technology in education and leverages it to improve outcomes. On the other hand, such technological adoption must be anchored in equity, robust data security and extensive training, especially for schools in regions with varied access to internet and digital infrastructure.
Moreover, as the board moves away from manual re-verification a process that has historically offered students a sense of reassurance it becomes vital to ensure that trust and accountability mechanisms remain strong. Systems must be transparent and open to audit, and students should feel confident that their work is assessed fairly without the safety net of post-result checks.
