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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the launch of its portal for verification and re-evaluation of Class 12 answer sheets, pushing the date from May 29 to June 1, 2026.

Under the OSM system, 98.6 lakh answer sheets were assessed without printing them or transporting physical papers to checking centes. (Representational image)In a statement posted on X on Friday, the board said the decision was taken to ensure a transparent and glitch-free process for students seeking verification and re-evaluation of their answer books through the Post-Result Activities portal.

"To ensure a transparent and glitch-free process for verification and re-evaluation of answer books of students who intend to submit their applications on the Post-Result Activities portal, it has been decided that the designated portal will now be operational from 1st June 2026. This is to ensure the highest standards and protocols of evaluation," CBSE said.

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The board also advised students with queries to contact the CBSE Tele-Counseling Helpline at 1800 11 8004 or email resultcbse2026@cbseshiksha.in.

Confirming the development, a CBSE official told Hindustan Times that the portal would not open on Friday as earlier expected.

"CBSE will share an update on restarting of the portal. The portal will not open today. It will open on June 1 because we are still strengthening the website," the official said.

The verification and re-evaluation facility is available only to candidates who have already applied for and obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books.

Education Ministry officials said the reopening of the portal on June 1 will mark the next stage of the post-result review process under CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.

According to officials, students who had earlier obtained scanned copies of their answer books will now be able to raise question-wise objections if they believe they have not been awarded appropriate marks.

"The portal will reopen for the objections round. Students can challenge specific questions where they are not satisfied with the marks awarded. These questions will then be evaluated again and any change in marks, if warranted, will be notified subsequently," an Education Ministry official said.

Officials explained that candidates will challenge individual questions rather than seek a blanket review of the entire answer script.

Under the process, students can seek re-evaluation and then raise objections regarding question-wise marking. Once objections are submitted, the identified answers will be assessed again through the OSM system by subject experts. If discrepancies are found, marks will be updated and the revised score communicated to the student, officials added.

As per CBSE guidelines, applicants will have to refer to the marking scheme of the concerned subject, which is available on the board's website along with the question paper. Candidates can then submit applications for re-evaluation of specific questions along with reasons supporting their claim.

Students have been advised to compare their responses against the official marking scheme and clearly identify cases where marks may not have been awarded despite answers matching or substantially corresponding to the prescribed scheme.

The board has also asked candidates to provide information in a manner that can be easily understood and identified so that their requests can be addressed appropriately.

For verification of marks, candidates are required to pay ₹500 per answer book, while re-evaluation requests carry a fee of ₹100 per question.

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The current review process was introduced after concerns were raised by some students and teachers following this year's Class 12 results, which were evaluated entirely through the newly expanded On-Screen Marking system.

To address student concerns, the Ministry of Education and CBSE earlier announced a substantial reduction in post-result charges and assured students that fees would be refunded if their marks increased after review. Education Ministry Secretary Sanjay Kumar had said the move was aimed at ensuring that "no child feels, for any reason whatsoever, that they have received lower marks than they deserve."

Under the revised structure announced earlier this month, the fee for obtaining a scanned copy of an evaluated answer sheet was reduced from ₹700 to ₹100 per subject, verification charges were cut from ₹500 to ₹100, and the fee for re-evaluation was reduced from ₹100 to ₹25 per question. The ministry also promised full refunds if marks increased after review.

Unlike the earlier system, where students first applied for verification and then waited for copies of their answer books, the new OSM-based process begins with students obtaining scanned copies of their evaluated scripts. They can then compare them with official marking schemes, identify discrepancies and submit question-wise objections for expert review.

The changes come amid debate over the impact of OSM after the Class 12 pass percentage fell to 85.20 per cent this year from 88.39 per cent in 2025, the sharpest decline in seven years. Some students and teachers questioned whether the new evaluation system had affected marking standards.

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CBSE and Education Ministry officials, however, have defended the system, stressing that answer scripts were evaluated entirely by trained teachers and that no artificial intelligence was used in the marking process. According to CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh, around 77,000 teachers participated in the evaluation exercise after undergoing large-scale training.

Officials have also maintained that OSM improves transparency by digitising answer books, eliminating calculation errors through automated totaling and enabling answer scripts to be evaluated across regions. The board has indicated that the digital evaluation mechanism is likely to continue in future examinations despite the controversy.

CBSE is expected to keep the verification and re-evaluation portal open for at least two days after the final scanned copy of an evaluated answer book is made available to applicants.