CBSE Answer Sheet Row: Students Get Blurred Copies, Raising Concerns Over How Papers Were Evaluated

CBSE OSM Update: Students of the CBSE Board have received extremely blurred scanned copies of their answer sheets. Students are now asking: Did the teachers evaluate these very same copies? Read on to understand the full controversy.

The results for the CBSE Board examinations have been declared. As is the case every year, many students this time around are dissatisfied with their marks. They feel that the grades awarded to them do not reflect the quality of their performance in the examination. To address such concerns, CBSE employs a transparent procedure allowing students to request scanned copies of their evaluated answer sheets.

However, a significant issue has surfaced regarding CBSE’s ‘On-Screen Marking’ (OSM) system. Numerous students have complained that the scanned copies they received are so heavily blurred that the text written within them is completely illegible. This matter has now raised a critical question.

CBSE Re-evaluation 2026: What is the Full Story?

Students dissatisfied with their marks had applied online for photocopies of their ‘answer sheets’—paying the requisite fee—in accordance with CBSE regulations. As part of this process, PDF versions of the students’ answer sheets were uploaded to the designated portal. However, when students downloaded and reviewed their copies, they were left utterly shocked. Screenshots shared by students clearly demonstrate that the quality of the scanned copies is extremely poor; the pages appear dark and blurred, rendering students unable to even decipher their own handwriting. One student expressed their outrage by sharing a screenshot of their blurred answer sheet on social media platforms and news portals.

CBSE Re-evaluation 2026: Did Teachers Evaluate Such Copies Too?

Essentially, instead of relying on manual (hand-based) evaluation, CBSE has now adopted the OSM (On-Screen Marking) technology to assess answer sheets. Upon viewing this blurred copy, the most critical question that arises is whether similarly blurred copies were the only versions uploaded to the system—a factor that may have directly led to lower marks.

CBSE On-Screen Marking System: How does OSM work?

Under this system, once the examinations conclude, students’ original answer sheets are scanned using high-capacity scanners and converted into PDF files. Subsequently, these digital copies are transmitted to the computer screens of evaluators (teachers) located across the country. Teachers review these scanned copies directly on their computers and assign marks digitally. This process virtually eliminates errors typically associated with the manual totaling of marks.

CBSE Re-evaluation 2026: So, where does the problem lie?

The student’s query is straightforward and entirely logical. He argues that if the copy he received from the CBSE server is this blurred, did it appear equally blurred to the teachers when they were evaluating it on their computers? If the answer is “yes,” then this constitutes a grave compromise with the futures of millions of students. If the teachers were unable to decipher the student’s written responses on their screens, on what basis did they assign marks? Did they assign average marks based on mere guesswork, without actually reading the content? This single question has heightened anxiety among both students and parents.

CBSE Re-evaluation 2026: The Re-evaluation Dilemma Facing Students

The CBSE evaluation process unfolds in three distinct stages:

Verification of Marks: Only the totaling of marks is checked.
Obtaining a Photocopy: Viewing one’s own evaluated answer sheet.
Re-evaluation: Applying to have a specific question re-examined if one suspects an error in its initial evaluation. A fee is charged per question for this service.
Consequently, students who wish to apply for re-evaluation find themselves in a severe predicament. According to the regulations, a student is required to specify exactly which question—for instance, Question No. 4 or 5—they believe contains an error. When the answer sheet is so blurred that neither the question numbers, nor the answers, nor the marks awarded by the teacher are visible, how can a student challenge the evaluation?

Parents Raise These Demands

In light of this situation, students and parents have put forward certain demands to the CBSE:

Clear Copies Must Be Sent Immediately: For students who have received blurred or indistinct scanned copies, clear PDF versions must be immediately re-uploaded to their respective portals.
Deadline Must Be Extended: The deadline for applying for re-evaluation should be extended until clear copies of the answer sheets are made available.