Protecting Students: Supreme Court Directs CBSE to Resolve On-Screen Marking (OSM) Evaluation Errors
A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Surya Kant has directed CBSE to urgently resolve evaluation errors caused by its new On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Glitches, un-evaluated pages, and inadequate evaluator training dropped the Class 12 pass percentage to a 7-year low of 85.2%, jeopardizing college admissions for affected candidates.
India's Supreme Court has instructed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to urgently look into ways of helping students that have been affected by technical glitches and mistakes in the recently rolled out On-Screen Marking (OSM) digital examination system. This ruling comes from a three-member panel, headed by the CJI (Chief Justice of India) Surya Kant, comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
It is clear from the judgment that any problems relating to the administration and technology should not hinder students' educational careers. It has emerged through the petitions submitted to the apex court that some students have not been admitted to colleges after clearing competitive entrance examinations owing to the arbitrary marks assigned due to glitches in the OSM evaluation system making their total percentages fall below the required mark.
Un-scanned answer pages, un-evaluated answers and inadequate teacher training on the use of the portal are among some of the problems reported by the petitioners. Taking note of the gravity of the matter, which made it the worst passing percentage ever of 85.2%, the Supreme Court has emphasized the need to protect the interests of the students as college admission processes are ongoing.
What Went Wrong with the OSM System?
| Issue Reported | Impact |
| Lack of Teacher Training | The OSM system was introduced for the first time without adequate formal training for evaluators. |
| Scanning Errors | Glitches on the portal led to un-scanned pages, illegible digital copies, and un-evaluated answer sections. |
| Impact on Results | The pass percentage fell by 3.19% down to 85.2%, marking a seven-year low. |
| Government Action | A one-member inquiry panel led by retired IAS officer S. Radha Chauhan was appointed to investigate the procurement and glitches of the OSM system. |
Key Highlights of the Case
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Supreme Court Bench: The case is being heard by a three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
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Effect on Admission: The Court learned that a number of students of Class 12 scored well in the competitive examination for admission but couldn't fulfill the required percentage criteria of higher education courses due to artificially low scores because of OSM problems.
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Instruction of the Court: While advising the board about ongoing admissions and course studies, the bench told CBSE: "Please find out how you can protect their interest."
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Siddhi Sharma is an education journalist at Jagran Josh. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from IP University, she brings sharp newsroom instincts developed during her previous stint at Zee News. At Jagran Josh, Siddhi specializes in decoding the educational updates. Her coverage is highly exam-centric, ranging from curated news blogs for competitive exams to crucial school board and university news. Combining her strong media foundations with a research-driven approach, she creates reliable, high-utility content that helps students and aspirants stay ahead of the curve. Her writing is factual, engaging, and tailored to meet the fast-paced needs of modern learners and exam aspirants.
