NEW DELHI: Even after extending the deadline for getting scanned copies of Class 12th answer books, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) continues to face criticism for technical glitches, payment errors and inaccessible services during the post-result evaluation process.With May 24 marked as the last date to apply for scanned answer books, students across the country on Saturday continued to report failed transactions, inaccessible pages, delayed payment confirmations and difficulties in downloading answer scripts despite successful payments. Continued complaints have fueled calls for another extension of the application window.CBSE will refund the excess fees deducted from the students.In an official notice issued on May 24, the CBSE admitted that due to technical issues on May 21 and May 22, fees were incorrectly deducted during applications for scanned answer books.According to the board, some candidates were overcharged while in other cases less amount was deducted during the payment process.“In all cases of additional payment, the correct additional amount will be refunded to the same payment method used for the payment,” the board said in a notice issued by Controller of Examinations Dr Sunim Bhardwaj.“In all cases of additional payment, the correct additional amount will be refunded to the same payment method used for the payment,” the board said in a notice issued by Controller of Examinations Dr Sunim Bhardwaj.CBSE further clarified that students affected by payment discrepancies will receive scanned copies of their scrutinized answer books without submitting fresh applications.“In cases where short payment was made, candidates will be intimated separately about payment of balance amount if required,” the board added.The students demanded another extension.CBSE further clarified that students affected by payment discrepancies will receive scanned copies of their scrutinized answer books even without submitting fresh applications.However, despite the clarification, many students continued to report failure to pay, missing answer books and server-related issues till Saturday evening, with many now demanding an extension beyond May 24 to complete the process properly.Dharmendra Pradhan has sought an explanation from CBSE.The controversy has now reached the Education Ministry, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking a detailed report from the CBSE following complaints about server crashes, payment gateway failures and operational lapses during the re-examination process.Sources told PTI that the minister has taken “serious note” of the complaints raised by students and parents about repeated technical hurdles affecting access to scanned answer books and related services.Officials have reportedly been directed to explain the reasons behind the technical glitches, the preparatory steps taken before opening the portal and the accountability of the agencies involved in managing the process.CBSE acknowledged the technical hurdles at large.Earlier, CBSE said it was continuously monitoring all reported issues and taking corrective measures, including timeline extension and technical intervention.The board said that over 98.6 lakh answer sheets were evaluated under the On Screen Marking (OSM) system this year and acknowledged that there was a “huge” response from students applying for scanned copies within a short period of time.CBSE admitted to receiving complaints regarding failure to access the portal, late payment confirmations, faded or missing pages in scanned answer books, and unmarked or wrongly marked answers from students after reviewing their examined copies.
