New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning a major overhaul in the board exam result process from next year, with students likely to receive scanned copies of their answer sheets directly on DigiLocker along with their mark sheets and certificates.Sources said the move is being seen as a broader push towards greater transparency and digitization in the examination system following the controversy surrounding this year’s On Screen Marking (OSM) process.Currently, CBSE students get their digital mark sheets, migration certificate and passing certificate through DigiLocker only after the declaration of results. Students who want to access their answer sheets have to apply separately for scanned copies or verification after declaration of results and pay the prescribed fee.Under the proposed system, students can automatically access their checked answer sheets through DigiLocker without going through a separate application process.Current systems require separate applications.Currently, the post-results process involves multiple steps. After the declaration of results, students first apply for verification of marks if they suspect a discrepancy. Only after this stage they are allowed to request scanned copies of answer books. Requests for re-evaluation are subsequently allowed in a separate window.The process often spans several weeks and generates millions of applications each year.Sources indicated that CBSE internally believes that direct access to answer sheets can reduce confusion, improve confidence in the evaluation process and reduce disputes related to verification and re-evaluation of marks.The proposal has gained momentum following the controversy surrounding this year’s OSM, where several students alleged that the scanned answer sheets provided to them during the re-examination were blurred, incomplete or contained extra pages. In some cases, students even claimed that they received copies that did not match their handwriting.The controversy sparked widespread criticism from students, parents, and teachers and raised questions about the implementation of digital assessment on a large scale.Push for more transparency after OSM controversyAccording to sources, CBSE is now examining how access to answer sheets can be integrated directly into DigiLocker in a more streamlined manner.Given the huge volume of answer sheets generated during the board exams every year, technical discussions are reportedly ongoing about data storage capacity, server management, scanning quality standards and cyber security considerations.Officials are also considered whether students should receive fully scanned answer books with results immediately or access through a secure login system should be time-bound.The board is believed to be exploring ways to ensure that scanned copies are uploaded in standard quality so that complaints of blurred pages or illegible content do not recur.Digital transformation with operational challengesSources said the main objective behind the proposal is to strengthen confidence in the examination system so that examination records are directly accessible to students.However, academics point out that the success of such a system will depend heavily on technical readiness and consistency in scanning standards across assessment centres.CBSE is yet to make an official announcement regarding the roll-out timeline, but sources have indicated that the board is actively working on the framework and the proposal could be introduced in phases starting from the 2027 board examination cycle.If implemented, the move will mark one of the biggest changes in the transparency mechanism after CBSE results in recent years.
