Schools pressured to defend CBSE's OSM? Reddit post, PM Shri school videos spark debate

A fresh debate has erupted around CBSE’s controversial On-Screen Marking (OSM) system after students alleged that schools are forcing them to publicly defend the digital evaluation process online.

A Reddit post by a student claimed that teachers were asking students to upload Instagram stories and posts declaring they had “no problem with OSM checking” despite the ongoing controversy around the system.

The post read: “My school teachers are forcing us to post publicly on Instagram that I’m (name) and I have this percentage under CBSE board in this stream and I have no problem with OSM checking.”

The student further alleged feeling “traumatised” even after passing the examination.

PM SHRI SCHOOL VIDEOS ADD TO THE DISCUSSION

Around the same time, two videos were shared by a PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya school in Jaipur on X in which one student and a teacher are praising the CBSE OSM system and highlighting positive student experiences with digital evaluation.

The student, who scored 96%, said in the video, "After getting my result, I felt that the marking was fair and transparent. My expected marks and my final marks are almost similar."

He added that his marks reflect the OSM checking system has accurate evaluation of answer sheets.

He further said in the video, "One major benefit of the OSM is that the checking process becomes more systematic and less biased because answers are evaluated digitally, adding that the examiners can read them clearly, reducing counting mistakes and skipped questions.

Calling transparency another key benefit of the OSM system, the student added that it gives confidence to students because marks are awarded strictly on the basis of what is written in the answer sheet.

Digital evaluation makes the system faster and more efficient. It encourages fair checking and reduces unnecessary errors," he said.

The timing of the video has now drawn attention online, especially as complaints related to answer-sheet discrepancies continue surfacing across platforms.

A PM SHRI Hindi teacher, who praised CBSE’s OSM system, said she worked as an AHE during the copy-evaluation process and found the system highly beneficial.

“In my opinion, there were only advantages to it. I could not find any negative impact. It also saved a lot of time,” she said in the video.

The teacher explained that under the earlier manual system, evaluating 25 answer sheets would take nearly nine to 10 hours. This time, however, the same number of copies was checked in just five hours.

Calling the system eco-friendly, she further said that the scanned answer sheets were clear and accurate. “I did not come across any blurred or faded copies. I believe answer sheets should be evaluated digitally every year, as students are unlikely to face any negative impact from it,” she added, describing it as a positive step by CBSE.

WHAT IS THE OSM CONTROVERSY?

CBSE’s On-Screen Marking system is a digital evaluation process in which scanned answer sheets are uploaded online and assessed on screens instead of being physically checked.

The system came under scrutiny after several students reported issues during the post-result verification process.

Students alleged problems such as blurred scanned pages, missing answer-sheet pages and answer script mismatches.

In one case, two students' answer sheets were mixed-up, raising concerns over the handling and mapping of scripts in the digital system.

A BIGGER CONVERSATION ON TRUST

What began as complaints about answer-sheet glitches is now turning into a wider conversation about transparency, accountability and student trust.

The claims made in the Reddit post could not be independently verified. CBSE has also not issued any official statement regarding allegations that schools are asking students to publicly endorse the OSM system.

For many students, the concern is not just about marks but also about whether they can openly question a system without feeling pressured to publicly defend it.

As digital evaluation becomes more common in India’s education system, the latest controversy has once again highlighted the importance of clear communication, technical reliability and institutional accountability in high-stakes board examinations.