CBSE portal issues continue for fifth day; students face difficulties

NEW DELHI: The CBSE portal has reportedly been facing major technical issues after a large number of Class 12 students applied for copies of their answer sheets following reports that the online evaluation process had failed. Even after five days, the Central Board of Secondary Education has not been able to fully fix the problem. Today is the last date to apply for copies of answer sheets. Students must apply for revaluation within two days after receiving the copies.

Technical issues began on May 19, when the online link for obtaining scanned copies of answer sheets was activated. Officials reportedly believe the heavy rush of applications happened after the fee was reduced from Rs 700 per paper to Rs 100. The last date for applications was first extended from May 22 to May 23 due to the problems. However, the portal continued to function poorly. Although CBSE assured students that the issue would be fixed, the problems remained unresolved.

According to a CBSE circular issued on May 22, the deadline was further extended until today. But from yesterday morning onwards, many students were unable to access the website at all. While the site became partially functional by evening, students still faced difficulties in making payments and accessing copies of answer sheets even after payment.

Problems with online evaluation
Students and parents have also raised complaints about the new onscreen marking system introduced by CBSE to speed up evaluation and reduce costs. Under the system, answer sheets are scanned and evaluated digitally on computers. However, reports suggest that poor scanning quality by a private agency, along with a lack of proper preparation and training, caused several errors.

Many students alleged that even correct answers did not receive marks because the scanned copies were unclear or incomplete. Several students who obtained scanned copies of their answer sheets shared these issues on social media.

CBSE's response
CBSE clarified that answer sheets submitted for revaluation would be examined by a panel of subject experts to ensure deserving marks are awarded. The board said issues such as unclear pages, missing pages and marks not being awarded for correct answers would be addressed during the review process. CBSE also stated that reports claiming the cancellation of the photocopy and revaluation process are false.