CBSE Class 12 Re-evaluation Portal Glitches Plague Students

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 re-evaluation portal, launched on May 19, 2026, was plagued by extensive technical glitches, causing significant distress and frustration among students and parents. The issues began almost immediately after the portal went live, with students reporting portal crashes due to unprecedented traffic, persistent login failures, application submission errors, and difficulties in downloading scanned answer sheets. Many students also encountered problems with the payment gateway, with some reporting double deductions or no confirmation of payment, while others were charged exorbitately high fees due to technical errors. The problems extended to the quality of scanned answer sheets provided to students. Numerous students shared screenshots on social media depicting blurred, unreadable, or rotated pages, raising questions about the integrity of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which was implemented nationwide for Class 12 examinations this year. Some students even alleged that the scanned answer sheets provided were not their own, or that there were discrepancies in marking and totaling. These concerns were amplified by the fact that the overall pass percentage for Class 12 results dropped to 85.20% this year, a decrease from the previous year's 88.39%. In response to the widespread student outcry and the escalating controversy, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took serious cognizance of the situation. He sought a detailed report from the CBSE, probed the reasons behind the breakdown, and directed the deputation of technical teams from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur to assist the board in resolving the technical issues. He also engaged with the Union Finance Minister to strengthen the payment gateway system. To address the student grievances and mitigate the impact of the technical failures, the CBSE extended the application deadline for obtaining scanned answer sheets multiple times, eventually pushing it to May 25, 2026. The board also admitted to technical issues leading to incorrect fee deductions and assured refunds for excess payments, while notifying students about balance payments if lesser amounts were charged. The introduction of the OSM system itself has come under intense scrutiny. While the CBSE defended it as an internationally accepted, transparent, and accurate method, the series of glitches and alleged errors have cast a shadow over its reliability and implementation. Experts have pointed out the challenges of scanning nearly 1.96 crore pages within a compressed timeline, with varying infrastructure and partially trained staff at examination centers. The situation has highlighted systemic challenges in the digital evaluation process and raised questions about the preparedness and robustness of the technology employed by the board. The controversies have led to comparisons with past examination-related issues, such as the 2018 Economics paper leak, raising concerns about fairness and transparency in the Indian education system. In summary, the CBSE Class 12 re-evaluation portal's launch was marred by significant technical failures, including website crashes, login issues, payment problems, and concerns over the quality and accuracy of scanned answer sheets. These issues led to extended deadlines, government intervention, and a broader debate about the effectiveness and reliability of the new On-Screen Marking system. The CBSE has assured corrective actions and refunds for affected students.

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