Summary
It is a 'reality check' for students and makes the system more transparent, say several school principals
The CBSE is giving students the option to request scanned board exam answer scripts before they choose to go for re-evaluation of marks or answers.
It is a “reality check” for students and makes the system more transparent, several school principals said.
Students often feel they deserve more marks, but when they see the answer scripts, they understand the gaps, a principal said.
But if there are errors in the evaluation, a student will feel more confident in seeking verification of marks or a re-evaluation once they have seen the answer script. It will not be based on their hunch.
The CBSE said that in 2025, students can request the “scanned answer book of the desired subjects” in the first stage. In the second stage, students can apply for verification of marks, re-evaluation, or both.
Till 2024, students could first ask for verification of marks, followed by obtaining a (scanned) photocopy of the evaluated answer script and re-evaluation.
“If students see what they have written, it gives them a reality check, and they can assess whether a paper is worthy of being sent for review. It also shows transparency on the board’s part,” said Koeli Dey, principal, Sushila Birla Girls School.
Across several schools, many students have applied for the scanned answer scripts, principals said.
The application has to be made individually by the students, but many of them consult their teachers.
“We have many students who have requested a scanned copy of the answer script. An assessment is not just to gain marks but to assess one’s preparation and performance, and it will help a student in the future,” said Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal of The Newtown School.
The CBSE has said that the change is aimed at giving students “more transparency and control over the examination results, allowing them to better understand their performance and challenge errors in the evaluation process”.
“One can analyse and objectively see their mistakes. Students will also not be in doubt or scared of asking for a verification of marks,” said Bhattacharjee.
Arun Dasgupta, principal of Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir, said such a move might reduce the number of students opting for verification of marks or re-evaluation.
“If a student sees the answer script and compares it with the board’s standard marking scheme, then deciding on a verification request or re-evaluation is easier. So, the number of students requesting reviews might go down,” Dasgupta said.
“There are layers of checking, and it gives students satisfaction to know that this is what they wrote and this is why their marks are being deducted,” said Loveleen Saigal, the principal of Birla High School.
The change makes the system more transparent, said Madhumita Sengupta, principal, BDM International.
“It is one level up on transparency. It also reinforces more faith in the system that there has been no bias in the evaluation,” said Sengupta.
Last updated on 27 May 2025
