Supreme Court Seeks Permanent Mechanism To Resolve CBSE’s OSM System Glitches

The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on whether a permanent mechanism can be put in place to address glitches in the board's on-screen marking (OSM) system. The court directed the government and CBSE to respond by Monday, as concerns over technical problems affecting the evaluation process came under judicial scrutiny. The matter relates to difficulties reportedly faced in the OSM process used for evaluating students' answer sheets.

The system is intended to facilitate digital evaluation and streamline the assessment of examination papers. However, glitches in the process have raised concerns among students and prompted questions over the safeguards available when technical problems affect evaluation or results. During the proceedings, the government told the court that a one-week window had been provided for students who were aggrieved by the evaluation process to apply for revaluation.

According to the government, around 168,000 students benefited from the facility. The submission was made while the court considered the need for a longer-term mechanism to address problems associated with the OSM system. The government's response indicates that students affected by discrepancies or concerns in their evaluation were given an opportunity to seek a review of their marks. However, the Supreme Court's request for a permanent mechanism suggests that the court is examining whether remedial measures offered after problems arise are sufficient or whether the evaluation system itself requires stronger safeguards.

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The OSM system forms an important part of the examination evaluation process as education boards increasingly rely on digital technology to handle large volumes of answer scripts. While digital evaluation can potentially improve efficiency and facilitate monitoring, technical failures can create difficulties for students if they affect the assessment or availability of their results. The Supreme Court has now given the government and CBSE until Monday to respond to its query on a permanent solution.

Their response is expected to clarify what measures are currently available to deal with OSM-related glitches and whether changes are being considered to prevent similar problems in the future. The proceedings assume significance for students and families who rely on the examination system for admissions and further academic decisions. A permanent mechanism could provide a clearer process for identifying and correcting technical or evaluation-related problems, while also reducing uncertainty for students affected by glitches. The court will consider the responses of the government and CBSE when the matter comes up again on Monday.

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