NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court has declined to direct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to reopen its online re-evaluation portal for Class 12 students seeking verification of marks evaluated under the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Under the OSM framework, examiners evaluate digitally scanned copies of handwritten answer scripts on computer screens rather than marking physical paper sheets.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana dismissed the petition, stating that extending the deadline would set an unsustainable precedent and invite a flurry of fresh applications. Addressing the petitioner’s counsel, the Chief Justice remarked that the submission window was open to all candidates for a stipulated timeframe, and failing to utilize the designated period meant missing the opportunity.
Legal counsel representing the aggrieved students argued that technical glitches and server crashes prevented numerous candidates from submitting their verification requests on time, requesting a brief one-week extension to accommodate affected applicants. The plea also raised broader objections to the implementation of the OSM system, alleging scanning errors, illegible uploads, and instances where pages went unevaluated.
Opposing the petition, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing CBSE, informed the court that the portal functioned effectively, recording successful applications from over 168,000 students during the official timeline. Mehta also noted that a similar petition challenging the process had already been rejected by the Delhi High Court.
