CBSE Class XII Results 2026: PIL in Allahabad High Court Alleges On-Screen Marking Caused Large-Scale Evaluation Errors

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Allahabad High Court alleging that the Central Board of Secondary Education’s newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system caused large-scale discrepancies in Class XII Board examination results for the 2025-26 academic session.

The petition, filed by advocate Mohit Ashok, seeks judicial intervention against CBSE’s digital evaluation mechanism, claiming it was implemented hastily without adequate pilot testing, evaluator training, or technical preparedness, resulting in unusually low marks for students across the country.

CBSE Class XII results 2026

The controversy surrounding CBSE’s OSM system began after the declaration of the 2026 Class XII Board results, when students, parents and teachers across the country alleged unusually low marks, particularly in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. Several students claimed that despite qualifying competitive examinations like JEE Main, they had scored unexpectedly low or even failed in corresponding Board subjects. Social media was flooded with complaints about blurred scanned answer sheets, unchecked diagrams, portal glitches and inconsistent marking.

Amid mounting criticism, CBSE defended the OSM system as a transparent and standardised digital evaluation mechanism meant to reduce human error and improve uniformity in marking.

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CBSE’s OSM system

The plea contends that CBSE abruptly shifted from physical evaluation of answer sheets to a digital on-screen assessment model while the Board examination process was already underway. According to the petition, CBSE issued the circular introducing OSM on February 9, 2026, followed by an online orientation session for evaluators on February 13 and a mock training session on February 26. The petitioner argues that the system was rolled out without any prior pilot programme or comprehensive evaluator preparation.

The petition alleges that evaluators were suddenly required to assess scanned answer sheets on digital screens despite having decades of experience with physical evaluation methods. It claims this transition occurred without adequate technical support, infrastructure, or fallback mechanisms.

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Problems with the CBSE XII results

The petitioner has pointed to a sharp fall in high scores and complaints from students regarding inconsistent marking patterns. The plea claims that only 5.3% students scored above 90%, while merely 0.97% crossed the 95% mark, allegedly the lowest such figures recorded in recent years.

The petition also refers to complaints from students who successfully cleared competitive examinations such as JEE but secured unexpectedly low marks in the corresponding CBSE Board subjects. It alleges that science stream students, particularly those studying Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, were disproportionately affected.

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The PIL cites media reports and statements of educators discussing concerns over blurred answer sheets, digital scanning issues, and inconsistencies in evaluation under the OSM system.

The petition argues that defective evaluation violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution by denying students a fair and competent assessment process. It further contends that the right to education includes the right to honest and accurate evaluation of answer scripts, and that arbitrary implementation of an untested digital system has prejudiced lakhs of students nationwide.

The reliefs sought

The petitioner has sought constitution of an independent expert committee comprising academicians, technical experts and educationists to investigate the implementation of the OSM system and identify alleged failures in the evaluation process.

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The plea further seeks directions for comprehensive re-evaluation of answer sheets of affected students free of cost. It challenges CBSE’s decision to charge ₹100 per question for re-evaluation, arguing that students should not be forced to bear the financial burden of correcting institutional errors allegedly caused by the Board itself.

The petition also requests the court to direct universities and higher educational institutions to protect admission opportunities of affected students pending final correction of results. Additionally, it seeks directions that any future deployment of digital evaluation systems should occur only after proper pilot testing, structured training programmes, and stakeholder consultation.

Case Title: Mohit Ashok vs Union of India and Others