The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to direct the Central Board of Secondary Education to reopen its portal for verification and revaluation of Class 12 answer sheets. The case came before the court following concerns raised by students and other petitioners regarding the evaluation of answer sheets through the On Screen Marking system.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana considered the plea seeking another opportunity for students to apply for verification and revaluation. The court noted that CBSE had already provided a specified period during which candidates could use the facility.
During the hearing, the petitioner sought additional time of one week, arguing that some students were unable to use the portal because of technical difficulties. The petitioner's counsel submitted that the website had reportedly crashed and that some candidates therefore could not complete their applications within the prescribed period.
The Supreme Court, however, did not agree to direct CBSE to reopen the portal. Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that the facility had been made available to candidates for a specific period and used an analogy involving a missed bus to explain the importance of complying with the prescribed deadline.
The court's observation came in the context of the petitioner's request for an additional opportunity. The bench indicated that reopening the window could potentially lead to further claims after the original deadline had expired.
CBSE informed the Supreme Court that approximately 1.68 lakh students had successfully applied through the portal during the notified period. The board also told the court that the Delhi High Court had already dismissed a similar challenge.
The dispute is connected to CBSE's On Screen Marking system. Under this method, physical answer sheets are scanned and made available digitally to evaluators, who assess the answers on computer screens instead of checking the original physical scripts directly.
The OSM system has been introduced as part of CBSE's digital evaluation process. CBSE had issued instructions for the digital evaluation of Class 12 answer books earlier this year, including arrangements for mock evaluation and monitoring of the system.
The petition before the Supreme Court raised concerns about the way the digital evaluation system was implemented. The allegations included instances where pages or supplementary sheets were allegedly not scanned, scanned pages were unclear and some answers were allegedly not evaluated.
The concerns were significant for students because errors in the scanning or evaluation process could potentially affect the marks recorded in their examination results. The petitioners therefore sought an opportunity for affected candidates to access the verification and revaluation process.
CBSE had already provided a formal mechanism for students who had concerns about their evaluated answer books. According to an official CBSE notification issued on June 2, the portal for verification of issues in supplied scanned answer books and revaluation of answers became operational from June 2, 2026.
The official CBSE notice stated that students who had obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books could use the facility to raise issues concerning those copies or seek revaluation of answers. The notified window was open from June 2 to June 6, 2026, until midnight.
CBSE also specified that applications submitted after the prescribed deadline would not be accepted. The process was entirely online and required students to use their login credentials and complete the prescribed payment process.
The board's notification provided separate facilities for verification of issues in scanned answer books and revaluation of answers. Students could raise concerns relating to missing pages, missing supplementary sheets, missing maps or graphs, blurred pages, incorrect answer books and evaluation against a different set.
The notification also stated that students could select multiple issues and subjects in a single application. Candidates were advised to ensure that all required requests were included before final submission.
The Supreme Court's latest decision means that the original revaluation window will not be reopened based on the plea considered by the bench. Students who did not submit requests during the notified period cannot rely on the court order to obtain a fresh general reopening of the portal.
The case also highlights the challenges that can arise when traditional examination processes are shifted to digital platforms. Digital evaluation can provide advantages in terms of accessibility, monitoring and standardisation, but concerns over scanning quality or missing digital pages can become important when examination marks are involved.
The petitioners' allegations concerning OSM included claims that some answer sheets or pages were not properly scanned and that certain answers may not have been evaluated. These claims were presented before the court as grounds for seeking further relief. The Supreme Court's decision, however, focused on the request to reopen the already closed portal.
The case does not mean that every allegation concerning the OSM system was judicially established as fact. The reported irregularities were allegations raised in the proceedings, while the court's immediate decision concerned whether CBSE should be directed to reopen the revaluation facility.
CBSE has maintained a structured process through which students could review supplied scanned copies and seek correction or revaluation within the notified period. The board's June notification clearly specified the dates, application process and applicable fees.
The issue is particularly important for Class 12 students because examination results can influence admission to higher education institutions, professional courses and other academic opportunities. Even a small difference in marks can be significant for students seeking admission based on merit.
The Supreme Court's decision therefore provides clarity regarding the immediate request to reopen the portal. The court has not directed CBSE to provide another general window for students who failed to submit applications during the original period.
For students who continue to have concerns regarding their examination results, the appropriate course will depend on the remedies available under CBSE rules and any further directions or proceedings in the case. Students should rely on official CBSE notifications and court orders rather than unverified information circulated through social media.
The case also demonstrates the importance of carefully following examination board deadlines. CBSE's official notification stated that applications submitted after the scheduled date and time would not be accepted.
The Supreme Court's observation during the hearing similarly emphasised that the portal had been available to all candidates for a specified period. The bench was not persuaded to create a new general opportunity after the original window had closed.
The CBSE revaluation issue is likely to remain of interest to students and parents because of the broader debate surrounding digital examination evaluation. As examination boards increasingly use technology for scanning, evaluation and result processing, ensuring accuracy and providing accessible grievance mechanisms remain important aspects of the process.
The OSM system itself is intended to allow evaluators to assess scanned copies of physical answer books digitally. CBSE had issued instructions earlier in the year regarding mock evaluation and monitoring of the digital evaluation process for Class 12 answer books.
The Supreme Court's latest order does not reopen the portal, but the hearing has brought renewed attention to concerns raised by students about the evaluation process. CBSE's submission that approximately 1.68 lakh students successfully applied during the notified period was also placed before the court.
For future examinations, students are likely to pay closer attention to official verification and revaluation deadlines. Candidates who receive scanned copies of their answer books should carefully examine them and use the available official mechanisms within the prescribed time if they identify any issue.
Overall, the Supreme Court has declined to direct CBSE to reopen the Class 12 verification and revaluation portal. The decision follows a plea concerning alleged irregularities associated with the On Screen Marking system and a request for additional time for students to submit applications.
The court noted that the portal had already been available for a specified period, while CBSE reported that around 1.68 lakh students had successfully used the facility. For now, the existing deadline remains applicable, and students should monitor official CBSE communications for any further developments.