The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a fresh clarification regarding the ongoing controversy over the Class 12 Result 2026 evaluation process. After thousands of students raised concerns about low marks, unchecked answers, and discrepancies in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology subjects, the board has now officially confirmed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) was not used for checking answer sheets.
The clarification was shared by Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar, who stated that although the board adopted the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for evaluation, all answer sheets were checked by trained teachers and not by AI-based software.
CBSE Says AI Was Not Used in Evaluation
According to the official statement, nearly 98.6 lakh answer sheets were evaluated this year under the digital On-Screen Marking system. During the process, around 13,000 answer sheets were found to have errors or required further review.
Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar said:
“Errors were identified in the evaluation process. Out of nearly 98 lakh answer sheets assessed, around 13,000 required correction and further review, as the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system could not adequately process them.”
The board clarified that these answer sheets were later checked manually to ensure fairness and accuracy in marking.
What is the OSM System?
CBSE explained that the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system was introduced to improve transparency and consistency in evaluation. Under this process, scanned answer sheets are checked digitally by trained evaluators.
The board stated that:
- Every answer is checked individually.
- Step-wise marking is followed.
- Human evaluators check copies digitally.
- AI or automated software is not involved in awarding marks.
Officials admitted that there were some technical glitches during the initial implementation phase, but they claimed that the issues were later resolved.
CBSE 12th Re-evaluation 2026 Starts From May 19
CBSE has also announced the re-evaluation and verification process schedule for Class 12 students who are not satisfied with their marks.
Students can apply for:
- Photocopy of evaluated answer sheet
- Verification of marks
- Re-evaluation of specific answers
Important Dates
| Activity | Dates |
|---|---|
| Apply for Scanned Answer Sheet Copy | May 19 to May 22, 2026 |
| Verification / Re-evaluation | After copy access |
| Result Mode | Online |
CBSE Rechecking Fees 2026
The board has also released the fee details for the review process:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Scanned Copy of Answer Sheet | Rs. 100 per subject |
| Re-evaluation / Verification | Rs. 25 per question |
CBSE clarified that the fee will be refunded if marks increase after re-evaluation.
Students Raised Concerns Over Low Marks
After the declaration of CBSE Class 12 Result 2026 on May 13, many students took to social media platforms claiming:
- Some answers were unchecked
- Marks were unexpectedly low
- Students qualifying JEE failed in board subjects
- Internal marks mismatch issues
The controversy became larger after the overall pass percentage dropped to 85.2%, the lowest in recent years.
Around 77,000 Teachers Evaluated Answer Sheets
CBSE stated that approximately 77,000 trained teachers were involved in evaluating answer sheets this year. Teachers were given proper training regarding marking schemes, sample answers, and evaluation standards before beginning the checking process.
The board also mentioned that similar digital evaluation systems are already used by organizations like:
- ICAI
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Cambridge Boards
How to Apply for CBSE 12th Re-evaluation 2026?
Students can follow these steps once the link becomes active:
- Visit the official CBSE website.
- Open the re-evaluation portal.
- Login using roll number and school details.
- Apply for scanned answer sheet copy.
- After reviewing the copy, apply for verification or re-evaluation.
- Pay the required fee online.
- Submit and download the confirmation receipt.
Important Points for Students
- AI was not used in evaluation.
- Only trained teachers checked answer sheets.
- 13,000 answer sheets required manual correction.
- Re-evaluation process starts from May 19, 2026.
- Students can first access answer sheet copies before applying for rechecking.
- Corrected marks, if increased, will be updated officially.
Official Websites
- cbse.gov.in
- results.cbse.nic.in
- cbseresults.nic.in