CBSE reduces revaluation fees to Rs 100 after row over digital evaluation process

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced on Sunday (May 17) that students will now have to pay Rs 100 to obtain scanned copies of evaluated answer sheets and Rs 100 for verification of marks. Earlier, the process used to cost 700 rupees for the copy and Rs 500 for validation.

The revised fee structure was introduced following concerns raised by students over high charges and the rollout of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system after the announcement of Class 12 results. School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar said the updated fee framework is intended to make the review process more accessible and transparent for students.

School Education Secretary reacts to On-Screen Marking

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Kumar clarified that the On-Screen Marking system is not a new initiative. He said the CBSE had first introduced OSM in 2014, but its broader implementation was limited at the time due to technical and infrastructure constraints.

Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, said, “The process that previously cost Rs 700 rupees, under which we provided you with a copy of your answer sheet, that fee has now been reduced to just Rs 100. Furthermore, the fee for validation, which previously stood at Rs 500, has also been brought down to Rs 100. So, for instance, if you wish to have the answer to a single question rechecked, you would need to pay Rs 225 rupees. However, if for any reason the re-evaluation process reveals that your marks have increased, we will refund the entire amount you paid back to you... We are more concerned about the well-being, welfare, and mental state of our children. Money is important, but it is not the priority in this particular matter...”

He added, "We will simply provide you with a copy of your answer sheet. By merely looking at the answer sheet, it will become evident how the marking was carried out. Once you review it, you may realise if there were instances where you should have been awarded higher marks. Since the answer sheets have already been scanned, I do not believe there is any need or any alternative method for further re-examination."

CBSE also said that more than 13,000 answer sheets that could not be scanned because of ink-related or legibility issues were assessed manually.

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