Finance
Beginning with the 2026 board examinations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will use On-Screen Marking (OSM) to evaluate Class 12 answer booklets, with the goal of improving assessment efficiency, transparency, and correctness.
In an official email to affiliated schools, CBSE stated that the digital assessment system will be introduced for class 12 answer books beginning with the 2026 examinations, while class 10 answer books will be evaluated in the same physical mode as before.
CBSE conducts class 10 and class 12 board exams for roughly 44 lakh students in India and 26 other countries every year. The Board stated that the transition to OSM is part of its ongoing efforts to modernise examination processes and enhance evaluation turnaround times.
According to CBSE, the OSM system is projected to drastically minimize totaling errors and manual intervention, allow for speedier evaluation with greater instructor participation, and eliminate the requirement for post-result verification of marks. The Board also stated that teachers will be allowed to analyze answer scripts from their own schools, allowing them to continue performing their usual academic obligations.
Other predicted benefits include reduced commuting time and expenses, fewer manpower requirements for verification, and increased participation of teachers from all associated schools, including those overseas. CBSE stated that the move promotes environmentally sustainable digital activities.
To ensure preparedness, CBSE has asked schools to ensure the availability and readiness of essential infrastructure, such as computer laboratories with public static IP addresses as per affiliation bylaws, PCs or laptops with Windows OS, adequate RAM and storage, updated web browsers, Adobe Reader, reliable internet connectivity with a minimum speed of 2 Mbps, and an uninterrupted power supply.
To ensure smooth adoption, the Board has asked schools to allow teachers with OASIS IDs to log in and familiarize themselves with the technology. CBSE will also do many dry runs, organize training programs, set up a call center to resolve issues, and distribute instructional films to help people grasp the new evaluation procedure.
CBSE stated that comprehensive instructions for each activity would be sent individually to ensure prompt implementation. The Board stated that the notification is meant to inform all parties involved about its decision and to enable required preparations well in advance of the 2026 tests.
Source: IE
