Why is CBSE’s evaluation system facing flak?, Pg13

The Development

1. CBSE's Class 12 pass percentage declined to 85.29% in 2026 from 88.39% in the previous year.
    
2. The newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system has come under criticism following complaints from students and evaluators.
    
3. Students reported issues such as blurred scans, missing pages and discrepancies in evaluated answer sheets.
    
4. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has summoned CBSE officials to review the matter.
    
5. Allegations have also emerged regarding the selection of the OSM technology vendor.

Why It Matters

1. Board examinations affect the academic prospects of millions of students across the country.
    
2. Evaluation errors can undermine confidence in the credibility of public examinations.
    
3. The controversy highlights the challenges of implementing technology at a very large scale.

The Core Challenges

1. CBSE implemented OSM across all subjects despite earlier recommendations for pilot testing.
    
2. Teachers reportedly received information about the new system only shortly before examinations, limiting preparedness.
    
3. Questions have been raised regarding procurement processes and vendor selection.
    
4. Unlike boards such as Cambridge and IB, CBSE operates at a much larger scale, making implementation more complex.

Broader Implications

1. The episode illustrates the importance of phased digital transformation in public institutions.
    
2. Public examinations require strong safeguards to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability.
    
3. The controversy highlights the need for robust testing before introducing high-stakes technological reforms.
    
4. The outcome may influence future digitisation initiatives across India's education sector.

Key Concepts

• On-Screen Marking (OSM) → Digital evaluation system where scanned answer sheets are assessed electronically.
   
• Procurement Process → Procedure through which institutions select vendors and acquire services or technology.
   
• Tendering → Competitive bidding mechanism used for awarding contracts.
   
• Digital Governance → Use of technology to improve efficiency, transparency and service delivery in public institutions.

The Takeaway

The CBSE episode demonstrates that successful digital reform depends not only on technology adoption but also on careful implementation, institutional preparedness and stakeholder trust.