Patna, June 13: Hunger strike may not have helped Baba Ramdev’s cause but CBSE Class XII passouts, who observed a fast today, did manage to force the board to concede to their demands.

The CBSE board has agreed to verify the answer sheets of Class XII passouts who claim that they got less-than-expected marks in their board exams. S.U. Sorte, joint secretary-cum-regional officer said this evening that the answer sheets of students, whose names and roll numbers had been submitted by the protesters outside the CBSE regional office, would be sent to Delhi for verification.

“A committee of experts in each subject has been formed in Delhi,” Sorte said, adding that it was not possible to send all the answer sheets to Delhi office and only those students, whose name featured on the list, would benefit from the verification.

Sorte also helped the protesters break their fast by offering them fruit juice.

Upset over the alleged anomalies in the results, students went on a hunger strike this morning. A few social welfare organisations such as Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association and Private Schools and Children Welfare Association also came out in support of the students. Arun Kumar Singh, a parent and social worker, Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association president D.K. Singh, vice-president Sanjay Sahay, secretary R.S. Sharma and Private Schools and Children Welfare Association president Shamael Ahmad also took part in the protest. The protesters had decided to go on infinite hunger strike from Wednesday if their demands were not met. A delegation also met Sorte to put forward its demands.

Students claim they got far less than expected marks in the exam. Abhishek Kumar, a passout of Shivam Convent, got 836th rank in the OBC category in AIEEE but managed only 17 in mathematics in CBSE. He has been denied admission in National Institute of Technology, Patna, as he failed in the subject.

“I had expected at least 50 in mathematics but scored just 17. The marks I got in other subjects are testimony to the fact that I am a good student,” Abhishek said.

Sourav Shashwat, a commerce student and a passout of Dr D Ram DAV Public School, Gola Road, Khagaul, also got far less than what he expected in mathematics, his additional subject. He said: “I should have got at least 50 in the subject.” He got only 11. The youth is also unhappy about the marks he got in other subjects.

Pranita, a youth who had turned up at the spot to support the protest said: “This is sad. At a time when students should be concentrating on their studies, they have to go on a protest.”