CBSE Class 12 Marksheet Issue

CBSE Class 12 Marksheet Issue 2026: OSM Controversy Explained – Blurred Scans, Wrong Marks, Court Action & What Students Must Do

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CBSE Class 12 Marksheet Issue 2026 Live Updates:

CBSE Class 12 Marksheet Issue Live Updates: The CBSE Class 12 marksheet controversy of 2026 has become one of the most damaging crises in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s recent history. When CBSE declared Class 12 results on May 13, 2026 what followed was not celebration but chaos. Thousands of students across India and disproportionately in Delhi reported shockingly low marks that bore no resemblance to their preparation mock test performance or classroom assessments. The national pass percentage dropped to 85.20% the lowest in seven years. The cause: CBSE’s hastily implemented On Screen Marking (OSM) system introduced at scale for the very first time this year.

What Is the CBSE OSM Controversy? Explained Simply

What OSM Was Supposed to Be

On Screen Marking (OSM) replaces the traditional system of posting physical answer sheets to examiners’ homes. Under OSM answer books are scanned uploaded to a digital portal and evaluated by teachers on screen from their own schools. CBSE presented this as a leap into transparency efficiency and error free evaluation no more physical transport losses no totalling errors no delays.

What Actually Happened

Within days of results complaints flooded in cases of unexpectedly low marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics blurred scans making handwriting illegible multi page answers evaluated only partially.

Students received wrong answer sheets. Blurred illegible scans were marked by evaluators. Pages went missing. Portals crashed. Marks plummeted. The national pass percentage plunged to 85.20% the lowest in seven years.

For teachers who evaluated answer sheets problems began during training itself software glitches slowdowns during simultaneous logins and evaluators struggling to adapt to the new marking system.

Also Read: IIT Admission 2026 CBSE Marks Controversy: 75% Rule NOT Relaxed But Students Below 75% Can Still Join JoSAA Counselling

Result Date: May 13, 2026
National Pass Percentage: 85.20% lowest in seven years
Root Cause: On-Screen Marking (OSM) system implemented for first time at scale
Vendor: COEMPT Edu Teck Pvt Ltd Hyderabad lowest bidder
Key Issues: Blurred scans missing pages partial evaluation cybersecurity vulnerabilities
Court Action: Allahabad High Court PIL filed Union Government CBSE UP Government asked to respond
Protest: Delhi students protested at Indira Bhawan New Delhi on May 28, 2026
Official Website: cbse.gov.in

The Key Problems What Went Wrong

1. Blurred and Illegible Scans

Many answer sheets had been scanned with blurred or illegible images making fair evaluation almost impossible. Around a dozen of nearly 200 answer sheets one teacher checked were blurry and had to be rescanned before being returned weeks later for evaluation.

2. Missing Pages and Partial Evaluation

Some students identified blurred scan sheets missing sheets alleged mismatched answer sheets and lack of access to information on the online portal. Multi page answers in subjects like Physics and Mathematics were evaluated only partially with some pages simply not appearing in the system for examiners to mark.

3. The Vendor Problem COEMPT Edu Teck

The OSM contract was reportedly awarded to Hyderabad-based COEMPT Edu Teck the lowest bidder over more established players. COEMPT Edu Teck is facing serious allegations of marksheet errors examination glitches and fake documentation at Nagpur University affecting over 3.17 lakh students. NSUI has alleged that the company used its previous identity as Globarena Technologies to secure contracts despite being blacklisted by universities in Telangana.

4. Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

A 19 year old cybersecurity researcher publicly disclosed multiple critical vulnerabilities in the OSM portal including the potential for unauthorised access to examiner accounts and modification of marks. He had reported these to CERT In in February most remained unpatched by May.

5. Warning Signs Were Ignored

Warning signs had flashed months earlier. During a mandatory mock evaluation session on February 26, 2026 teachers reported portal access failures slow system performance inadequate internet connectivity in schools and errors in teacher data on the OASIS portal. An internal observation report from a dry run conducted at five Delhi schools in January 2026 flagged at least 36 technical operational and evaluation related concerns.

6. Pressure on Teachers and Wrong Evaluators

Teachers faced pressure to complete a fixed number of answer sheets each day raising fears that speed may have compromised accuracy. In some centres trained graduate teachers allegedly evaluated Class 12 papers despite official guidelines requiring postgraduate teachers.

7. Impact on Lower-Income Students

The controversy has disproportionately affected lower income students who often lack digital access. Many have had to rely on cyber cafés simply to access scanned answer sheets and navigate the verification process.

8. Delhi Schools Hit Hardest

Teachers in Delhi were issued show cause notices when Class 12 results slumped at the national level effectively penalising educators for failures that were structural. Students from Delhi government schools private schools and aided schools all reported widespread mark discrepancies. Students protested against CBSE at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi on May 28, 2026.

Check Now: TOSS Result 2026 OUT Live Updates: Check Telangana Open School SSC & Inter Result at telanganaopenschool.org

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has sought responses from the Union Government CBSE, and the Uttar Pradesh Government on a PIL challenging the hasty implementation of the OSM system which the petitioner termed a systemic institutional failure.The petition demands re-evaluation of affected answer sheets by trained evaluators and the formation of an independent expert committee.

This legal action signals that the OSM controversy has crossed from a student grievance issue to a matter of judicial scrutiny with potential implications for how CBSE handles the re-evaluation and future marksheet corrections.

What Students Can Do Right Now Complete Action Guide

Step 1 Access Your Scanned Answer Sheet

CBSE has made scanned copies of answer sheets available to students. This is the most important first step you cannot raise valid objections without seeing your own answer sheet.

  1. Visit cbse.gov.in
  2. Log in with your roll number and school code
  3. Access the View Answer Sheet or OSM Answer Book section
  4. Download your scanned answer sheets for each subject
  5. Compare every answer with the marks awarded on your marksheet

Look specifically for

  • Answers that appear unevaluated no marks assigned
  • Pages that appear blurred or unreadable
  • Questions marked wrong that you believe are correct
  • Total calculation errors
Step 2 – Apply for CBSE Verification of Marks

If you spot discrepancies between your answer sheet and marksheet

CBSE Verification Process:

  • Fee: ₹500 per subject
  • Apply within the verification window check cbse.gov.in for current deadline
  • CBSE will re-check totalling ensure all answers were evaluated and verify marks were added correctly
  • Result Marks may increase decrease or remain the same

Apply at: cbse.gov.in → Examination → Verification of Marks

Step 3 — Apply for CBSE Re-Evaluation Re-checking

If verification does not resolve the issue and you believe answers were evaluated incorrectly

CBSE Re-Evaluation Process

  • Higher fee per subject than verification
  • A fresh examiner reviews the answer sheet
  • Marks can increase decrease or remain the same
  • Apply only for subjects where you are confident of scoring higher

Note: CBSE had simultaneously abolished post-result verification of marks for Class 12 this year however given the controversy CBSE has been forced to restore some re-checking mechanisms. Verify the current status and deadlines at cbse.gov.in.

Step 4 — For JEE / IIT Aspirants: July 15 Deadline

If your marks fell below 75% due to the OSM issue and you are a JEE Advanced qualifier

IIT Roorkee has confirmed that CBSE students currently below 75% can still participate in JoSAA 2026 counselling and receive seat allotment. Once you receive a revised marksheet after re-evaluation showing 75% or above send it to IIT Roorkee at orgjee@iitr.ac.in by July 15, 2026.

Email subject: Revised Class 12 Marksheet JEE Advanced 2026 Roll No: [Your Roll Number]

Step 5 — File a Written Complaint

Beyond individual mark applications affected students and parents can

  • Write to CBSE Chairman at cbse.gov.in with details of the issue
  • Contact the Ministry of Education through pgportal.gov.in Public Grievance Portal
  • Approach your state’s education department for support
  • Join collective action through parent associations like Delhi Parents Association (DPA)
  • Support or follow the Allahabad High Court PIL proceedings

Also Read: JEE Advanced 2026 DECLARED Response Sheet & Answer Key Out: Download at jeeadv.ac.in, Result June 1

How the Controversy Affected Different Student Groups

JEE / NEET Aspirants

The most severely affected group. Thousands of students who scored well in JEE Advanced but fell below 75% due to OSM errors now face a double crisis a JEE rank good enough for a top IIT but board marks that disqualify them from admission. The IIT Roorkee July 15 deadline is their only pathway.

Students Targeting State Colleges

State level counselling for engineering AP EAMCET, MHT CET, KCET and medical NEET state quota has its own eligibility criteria. Students must verify whether their revised marks would affect state counselling eligibility.

Class 12 Appearing Students Not Targeting Professional Courses

Even for undergraduate college admissions under DU, BHU, Jamia and other central universities Class 12 percentage matters significantly. Students with artificially low OSM marks may face cut-off issues even for arts and commerce programmes.

Also Read: Plus Two Result 2026 School Wise OUT! Check School Wise Direct Link

Students from Delhi Government Schools

Disproportionately impacted due to the concentration of OSM-related issues in Delhi. Many Delhi government school students lack the resources to navigate the re-evaluation process independently raising concerns about educational equity.

CBSE’s Response — What the Board Has Said

CBSE has maintained that OSM makes the evaluation process more transparent, efficient and error-free. The board has acknowledged isolated complaints but attributed most issues to the transition period for a new technology.

Key CBSE actions taken after the controversy

  • Made scanned answer sheets accessible to students for review
  • Allowed verification and re-checking applications with deadlines
  • Issued clarifications on the evaluation process
  • Indicated that blurred scans were rescanned before evaluation

However critics argue CBSE’s response has been inadequate given the scale of the problem and the serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities disclosed in the OSM portal.

Year-Wise CBSE Class 12 Pass Percentage
YearPass PercentageNotable
202685.20%Lowest in 7 years OSM controversy
202587.98%Normal year
202487.98%Normal year
202387.33%Post-COVID recovery
202292.71%COVID no board exams internal
202199.37%COVID no board exams internal
202088.78%Pre-COVID normal year

The 85.20% pass rate in 2026 represents a significant drop from 2025’s 87.98% a decline of nearly 3 percentage points in one year directly correlating with the OSM implementation year.

Read More: Kerala Plus Two Result 2026 OUT: +2 Result 2026 Direct Link: Check Plus Two School wise Result

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the CBSE OSM controversy 2026? CBSE implemented On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12 evaluation for the first time at scale in 2026. After results on May 13 thousands of students reported unexpectedly low marks due to blurred scans missing pages partial evaluation and portal glitches leading to the 85.20% pass rate the lowest in seven years.

Q2. What happened to Delhi students in CBSE 2026? Delhi students were among the worst affected. Many reported marks significantly below expectations with blurred answer sheets missing pages and partial evaluations identified. Protests were held at Indira Bhawan New Delhi on May 28, 2026. Delhi school teachers were also issued show cause notices when results declined despite the problems being systemic.

Q3. Who was the OSM vendor for CBSE 2026? CBSE awarded the OSM contract to COEMPT Edu Teck Pvt Ltd a Hyderabad-based company that was the lowest bidder. The company is facing additional allegations of marksheet errors examination glitches and fake documentation at Nagpur University affecting over 3.17 lakh students.

Q4. Can I see my CBSE answer sheet? Yes. CBSE has made scanned answer sheets accessible at cbse.gov.in. Log in with your roll number and school code to view and download your evaluated answer sheets for each subject.

Q5. How do I apply for CBSE mark verification after OSM controversy? Visit cbse.gov.in apply for Verification of Marks within the deadline pay ₹500 per subject and CBSE will re-check totalling and ensure all answers were evaluated. Apply for re-evaluation if verification is insufficient.

Q6. Has Allahabad High Court taken up the CBSE OSM case? Yes. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has sought responses from the Union Government, CBSE and UP Government on a PIL terming the OSM implementation a systemic institutional failure. It has demanded re-evaluation by trained evaluators and an independent expert committee.

Q7. Was there a cybersecurity risk in CBSE OSM? Yes. A 19-year-old cybersecurity researcher disclosed multiple critical vulnerabilities in the OSM portal including potential for unauthorised access to examiner accounts and mark modification. He had reported these to CERT-In in February but most remained unpatched by May when results were declared.

Q8. What is the deadline for JEE students affected by low CBSE marks? JEE Advanced 2026 qualified students who currently have below 75% marks can still participate in JoSAA counselling. They must submit a revised marksheet showing 75%+ to IIT Roorkee at orgjee@iitr.ac.in by July 15, 2026.

Q9. Why did CBSE pass percentage drop to 85.20% in 2026? The national pass percentage dropped to 85.20% the lowest in seven years largely attributed to OSM implementation issues including blurred scans missing pages partial evaluation and technical glitches that caused unfairly low marks for many students.

Q10. Will CBSE scrap OSM after 2026? As of June 2026 CBSE has not announced scrapping OSM. However the scale of the controversy judicial scrutiny and public pressure may force policy review. Many educators and parent associations are demanding either scrapping OSM or conducting a thorough independent audit before next year.

Also Check Now: Kerala LSS USS Result 2026 Out Live Update: at bpekerala.in Direct Link to Check Scholarship Result

Key Takeaways

IssueStatus
CBSE result declaredMay 13, 2026
National pass rate85.20% lowest in 7 years
OSM vendorCOEMPT Edu Teck lowest bidder
Cybersecurity vulnerabilitiesReported to CERT In Feb 2026 mostly unpatched by May
Delhi protestMay 28, 2026 at Indira Bhawan
Allahabad HC PILFiled responses sought from Centre, CBSE, UP govt
JEE students reliefJuly 15 deadline to submit revised marksheet
Answer sheets accessAvailable at cbse.gov.in
Verification windowApply at cbse.gov.in check current deadline

Author Profile

Abdul
Abdul is a Passionate Content Writer at ZeroToScaled, Covering the Latest Updates on Education, Board Results, Recruitment News, He Focuses on Creating Simple, Accurate and User Friendly Content that Helps Readers Stay Updated with Important Announcements.