In a significant move aimed at improving transparency in the examination process, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that scanned copies of students’ answer sheets will be made available through DigiLocker from next year.
The announcement comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the board’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which has faced criticism following reports of answer-sheet mismatches and technical glitches during the evaluation process.
Scanned Answer Sheets to Be Accessible Online
CBSE officials said students will be able to access scanned copies of their evaluated answer scripts through DigiLocker, allowing them to verify their responses and understand the marking process more clearly.
The initiative is expected to strengthen transparency and build greater confidence among students and parents regarding board examinations.
The move follows concerns raised over the digital evaluation system introduced by the board for Class 12 examinations.
CBSE Defends OSM Rollout
Board officials defended the implementation of the On-Screen Marking system, stating that the transition to digital evaluation was intended to make the assessment process faster, more efficient, and more accurate.
The CBSE also defended its decision to award the OSM contract to Telangana-based Coempt Edu Teck, which emerged as the lowest financial bidder under a Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) process.
Officials said the company met all required technical qualifications and possessed the highest Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 5 certification at the time of selection.
How the Contract Was Awarded
According to officials, CBSE conducted multiple rounds of tendering before finalizing the contract in December 2025.
Under the QCBS framework, technical capability carried a weightage of 70 percent, while financial bids accounted for 30 percent of the evaluation.
Coempt Edu Teck submitted a bid of approximately ₹25.75 per answer script, significantly lower than the competing bid submitted by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which reportedly quoted around ₹65 per answer sheet for certain categories.
The board maintained that the selection process followed established procurement guidelines.
Answer-Sheet Mismatches Under Investigation
CBSE officials acknowledged that around 20 cases of answer-sheet mismatches had been reported during the evaluation process.
While emphasizing that such incidents represent a very small fraction of the nearly 9.8 million answer books processed, officials admitted that even a single mismatch can cause distress to students and families.
The board said investigations are underway to determine the reasons behind the discrepancies and to ensure future evaluations are completely error-free.
Penalties for Technical Errors
Officials revealed that contractual penalty clauses may be invoked once the verification process is completed.
Under the agreement:
- ₹4,000 penalty for every wrongly scanned or mismatched answer book.
- ₹8,000 penalty for partially scanned answer sheets.
- ₹15,000 penalty for completely unscanned answer books.
The board said these provisions were included to maintain accountability and ensure high standards of service delivery.
Focus on Transparency and Student Confidence
Education experts believe the decision to provide scanned answer sheets through DigiLocker could significantly improve transparency in the examination system.
Students will have direct access to their evaluated answer books, making it easier to identify discrepancies and seek clarification if necessary.
As CBSE continues to investigate reported glitches, the board has reiterated its commitment to creating a fair, transparent, and student-centric evaluation process that supports academic integrity and public trust.
