The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) over a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the newly implemented On-Screen Marking (OSM) system used for evaluating Class 12 board examination answer sheets. The case has raised serious questions about the transparency, accuracy, and reliability of the digital assessment process adopted by the education board.

A bench comprising Justices Neena Bansal Krishna and Madhu Jain sought responses from both the Union government and CBSE, after the petition was filed by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). The court has listed the matter for further hearing on June 12, signalling early judicial scrutiny of the digital evaluation mechanism currently in use across the country for board examinations.

The PIL alleges that the On-Screen Marking system has resulted in multiple technical and procedural issues affecting students’ answer sheets. These include blurred scanned pages, missing or incomplete uploads, mismatched scripts, and instances where students reportedly received unexpectedly low marks following the declaration of Class 12 results. The petition argues that such errors raise concerns about the fairness of a system that plays a decisive role in shaping academic futures.

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Under the OSM framework, physical answer sheets are scanned, digitally anonymised to conceal student identities, and then evaluated electronically by examiners on computer screens. While CBSE has promoted the system as a modern and efficient approach to large-scale evaluation, the PIL contends that its implementation has exposed significant gaps in quality control and grievance redressal mechanisms.

The petition further states that Class 12 board examination marks have a direct impact on university admissions, professional course eligibility, scholarships, and broader academic opportunities. It argues that any systemic flaw in the evaluation process can therefore have long-term consequences for students, potentially affecting lakhs of candidates nationwide. The plea also refers to large numbers of students requesting scanned copies of their answer sheets shortly after results were declared, suggesting widespread concern over evaluation accuracy.

Seeking judicial intervention, the petition has requested the reopening of verification portals for a limited period, permission for manual rechecking and physical verification in disputed cases, and an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in the system. It has also urged the court to issue guidelines to ensure greater transparency and accountability in future digital evaluation processes, arguing that students should not be disadvantaged due to technical or systemic shortcomings in an examination framework introduced by authorities.

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