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CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) System Glitches: Class 12 Pass % Drops to 85.29%, Fee Slashed from ₹700 to ₹100

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
25 May 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:85.29% pass percentage98 lakh answer books₹700 to ₹100 fee reduction13,000 illegible books
Bodies:CBSEIIT KanpurIIT MadrasBank of IndiaBank of BarodaCanara BankIndian Bank
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.CBSE introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12 exams, but students reported blurred answer sheets, missing pages, and portal glitches.

2.The pass percentage dropped from 88.39% (2025) to 85.29% (2026), and CBSE slashed answer book copy fees from ₹700 to ₹100 after public outcry.

3.Examiners will test the governance failure, the role of IITs in fixing technical issues, and the concept of digital evaluation in public exams.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The CBSE's new digital evaluation system for Class 12 board exams, On-Screen Marking (OSM), is facing severe criticism due to technical glitches causing blurred answer sheets, payment portal failures, and a drop in pass percentage. This highlights systemic challenges in India's digital governance of high-stakes examinations, directly impacting millions of students and raising questions about technological overhauls in public services.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Class 12 Pass % (2026)85.29%
Class 12 Pass % (2025)88.39%
Answer Book Copy Fee (Original)₹700
Answer Book Copy Fee (Reduced)₹100
Answer Books Evaluated98 lakh
Illegible Books (Manual Eval)13,000

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Class 12 Pass % (2026): 85.29%
  • ›Class 12 Pass % (2025): 88.39%
  • ›Target this Data: Class 12 pass percentage dropped to 85.29% in 2026 from 88.39% in 2025.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The CBSE Governing Body is the highest decision-making authority that approved the OSM system.
  • ›Target this Remedial Step: IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras were roped in to fix technical glitches in the portal.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which is the highest decision-making authority of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) that approved the On-Screen Marking system?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) system:

1. It was implemented for the first time in the 2026 Class 12 board examinations.

2. The system automatically calculates the total marks, and examiners must mark each step for submission.

3. A dry run of the system was conducted in January 2026 in five schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

What was the pass percentage for CBSE Class 12 students in the 2026 board examinations, as mentioned in the article?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was the primary reason cited by the CBSE and Education Ministry for defending the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system despite the glitches?

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