‘Exams khatam, tension nahi’: How CBSE reevaluation, blurred sheets and tech glitches created endless trouble for students this year

Even after the declaration of board exam results, many students and parents say the stress did not end. Instead, fresh anxiety emerged during the CBSE answer sheet access and re-evaluation process, where several students reported technical glitches, payment failures and confusion on the official portal.

From unexpected fee amounts to blurred answer sheets and login troubles, complaints surfaced across social media as students tried to apply for photocopies and re-checking of marks within the limited deadline window.

Payment errors trigger panic among students

Several students claimed they faced serious issues while making payments for answer sheet services. Screenshots shared online showed unusually high amounts appearing during the application process.


In one case, a student reportedly saw the fee crossing Rs 69,000, while another claimed the amount for a few answer sheets rose into lakhs instead of a few hundred rupees. CBSE later admitted that technical problems had affected the system and assured users that refunds would be processed.

Many students also complained that money was deducted from their accounts, but the portal failed to confirm successful submission of applications. Some worried they could miss the deadline because payment statuses remained stuck for hours.

Blurred answer sheets raise fresh concerns

Students who downloaded scanned copies of answer sheets said several pages were unclear or difficult to read. Some alleged that pages were missing completely, making it hard for them to decide whether they should apply for re-evaluation.

One Class XII student also claimed that the Physics answer sheet uploaded under his roll number belonged to another candidate. CBSE later clarified that the correct answer sheet had already been sent to the student through email.

Parents also questioned the evaluation process in some cases, alleging that marks were not awarded despite answers matching the official answer key.

Portal crashes add to pressure

Technical issues on the portal added to the confusion during crucial application hours. Several students reported login failures even after entering the correct credentials.

On one of the major application days, users said the portal remained slow or inaccessible for hours, leading to heavy traffic later in the evening. Students also complained about captcha codes not appearing properly and payment pages repeatedly redirecting instead of completing transactions.

CBSE later advised students not to make duplicate applications, saying delays in status updates were happening because of high traffic on the portal.

Fake notices create confusion online

Apart from technical glitches, fake circulars circulating on social media created further panic among students and parents.

One viral message falsely claimed that the photocopy and re-evaluation process had been cancelled. At the same time, repeated deadline extensions for obtaining scanned answer sheets also led to uncertainty over timelines.

Questions were also raised over CBSE’s new on-screen marking system, with some parents and students wondering whether the transition had been implemented too quickly.

Education Minister Pradhan acknowledges discrepancies, promises corrective action

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier acknowledged that there were "some discrepancies" in the CBSE's newly introduced On Screen Marking system and assured students that all concerns would be addressed.

"This is the first time CBSE has implemented this system in the country. Certain discrepancies have come to our notice, and I take responsibility for them. These issues will be rectified, and appropriate solutions will be worked out. All of us are engaged in this task. We will not leave a single student's unanswered query or concern unresolved," Pradhan told reporters after a high-level review meeting with CBSE and education ministry officials, as well as directors of IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras.

The minister said the government was closely monitoring the situation and warned that anyone found intentionally responsible for the discrepancies would face action, irrespective of their position within or outside CBSE.

Defending the new evaluation system, Pradhan said the OSM mechanism was designed to improve transparency and benefit students by allowing them to access scanned copies of their answer sheets and verify the evaluation process. "Many universities and institutions in India, and several institutions across the world, are moving towards this system. It is student-centric and designed for the benefit of students," he said.

Pradhan added that the system enables students to directly review their answer sheets and address doubts regarding marking. "Through this process, students can transparently access information about their marks, and through scanned copies, they can directly view their answer sheets. It helps address students' doubts and concerns regarding whether they received fewer or more marks, or whether any answer or section was overlooked during evaluation", he said.

CBSE says concerns will be reviewed

CBSE said all genuine complaints related to evaluation and scanned answer books would be examined through the prescribed process by subject experts.

The board also urged students and parents not to panic over evaluation-related concerns.

To improve the system, CBSE has involved experts from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur to study the process and suggest improvements. Four public sector banks have also been asked to strengthen the payment gateway system to avoid future glitches.

Student faces trolling after raising complaint

The issue also spilled onto social media in one case involving Class XII student Vedant Srivastava, who claimed that the Physics answer sheet linked to his roll number was not his own.

After posting screenshots comparing handwriting samples from different papers, the student faced trolling online. Some social media users accused him of trying to damage CBSE’s reputation, while others later came forward in his support.