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To make the evaluation process high-tech this year, CBSE implemented the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Under this system, answer sheets were to be scanned and evaluated digitally on computers.

The anxiety is mounting for nearly 1.8 million students who have appeared for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 examinations. Everyone is asking the same question: “When will the results be declared?” Initially, there was speculation that the results might be released this very week; however, internal reports have now taken a new turn. According to the latest information, the Board is encountering certain technical hurdles in the evaluation of answer sheets, leading to the likelihood of a slight delay in the declaration of results.

Challenges Encountered in Using OSM

It is worth noting that CBSE introduced the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system this year with the aim of making the evaluation process technologically advanced. Under this system, answer sheets were to be scanned and evaluated digitally on computer screens. The Board believed that this approach would minimize errors and expedite the preparation of results. However, according to sources, this process has turned into a major headache for the Board. Reports citing these sources indicate that the evaluation of answer sheets has slowed down significantly due to the OSM system. Furthermore, several technical glitches are surfacing during the process of uploading answer sheets to the software and conducting the evaluation. Consequently, a process that was intended to be swift is now facing significant bottlenecks.

Why Has the Manual Evaluation Process Resumed?

Surprisingly—in this era of ‘Digital India’—the situation has reached a point where answer sheets must once again be evaluated manually (by hand). According to sources at ABP News, approximately 800 such answer sheets—which could not be successfully scanned into the digital system—arrived on Monday (May 11) morning at a government school in North-East Delhi. These answer scripts primarily cover subjects such as English and Economics. Due to technical glitches, these scripts could not be displayed on computers; consequently, teachers are now compelled to evaluate them using the traditional pen-and-paper method.

Internet Turns Villain in Remote Areas

Poor connectivity is a major contributing factor to the failure of the Online Marking System (OSM). According to reports, examination centers located in remote areas or villages suffer from extremely low internet speeds. Despite multiple attempts, the answer scripts could not be successfully scanned and uploaded to the server. To maintain the pace of evaluation, the Board has been left with no alternative but to have these scripts checked manually.

Results Expected After May 15

While CBSE officials have not officially announced a specific date, Head Examiners (HE) and Assistant Head Examiners (AHE) believe that these operational hurdles may lead to a postponement of the result declaration date. It was initially anticipated that the results would be released between May 10 and May 15; however, sources now suggest that the results are likely to be declared between May 15 and May 20. Nevertheless, Board officials maintain that the bulk of the evaluation process has been completed, and only the final stage of data processing remains pending.

Board Constitutes Special Teams

To mitigate the delay, the CBSE has now commenced operations on a “war footing.” Five special teams have been constituted to expedite the evaluation of the pending answer scripts. Each team comprises three experienced teachers who are working tirelessly—day and night—to complete the manual checking process. The Board aims to have the data fully finalized (frozen) by the end of this week.

Keep an Eye on DigiLocker and the Official Website

Recently, an update regarding the results was also released on the DigiLocker app, which created a buzz of anticipation among students. Notably, once the results are officially declared, students will be able to download their digital mark sheets directly from DigiLocker. Additionally, an active link for accessing the results will also be made available on the official CBSE website.