In a significant development, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Thursday that the Indian government has accepted responsibility for the discrepancies found in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation process for Class 12. This statement comes in response to mounting criticism from students and parents regarding alleged irregularities in the assessment of answer sheets.
The OSM system, which was employed for the first time this year, has faced severe scrutiny after numerous students reported that their uploaded answer sheet scans did not align with their actual handwriting. This has raised serious concerns about the potential mismatch of answer sheets, leading to anxiety among affected candidates.
Students seeking re-evaluation shared their frustrations regarding technical issues, including portal failures and delays in payment confirmation. Many reported being charged excess fees due to these glitches, further exacerbating their distress during what should be a straightforward evaluation process. These challenges have sparked widespread calls for accountability and reform within the CBSE.
During his address, Pradhan assured students that the government would take stringent action against anyone found to be intentionally responsible for these irregularities. He stated, “We take responsibility for any problems students face and apologize for them. I assure you that anyone found intentionally responsible for these discrepancies, regardless of their position within or outside CBSE, will not be spared.” This commitment to accountability reflects the government’s intention to restore faith in the evaluation process.
The education minister emphasized that the OSM evaluation method was designed to enhance transparency and efficiency in the assessment process. He referred to it as a globally accepted and “student-centric” approach, aimed at minimizing errors in grading. However, the recent issues have cast a shadow over these claims and raised questions about the preparedness of the board in implementing such a system.
In light of these events, experts from the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur have been called upon to review the situation and provide guidance on how to rectify the flaws in the OSM process. As the situation develops, students are hopeful that the government will take decisive steps to ensure that their academic integrity is upheld.
