Summary
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the state has become the first board in the country to adopt an end-to-end digital evaluation system, marking what he described as a transformative shift in the assessment process
PSEB will introduce the OSM system in one subject of the matriculation (Class 10) examination this year, with plans for phased expansion in subsequent cycles
After the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has announced the introduction of an on-screen marking (OSM) system for the March 2026 board examinations.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the state has become the first board in the country to adopt an end-to-end digital evaluation system, marking what he described as a transformative shift in the assessment process.
Sharing details of the initiative, Bains said teachers will evaluate scanned answer sheets on computers, with marks calculated automatically by software to ensure faster and more accurate results.
The minister noted that the system has already proven effective during the PSEB supplementary examinations held in September 2025, where 23,000 answer scripts were evaluated accurately using the digital process.
The Punjab Board Class 12 examinations for 2026 will be conducted from February 17 to April 4, while Class 10 exams are scheduled from March 6 to March 27.
PSEB will introduce the OSM system in one subject of the matriculation (Class 10) examination this year, with plans for phased expansion in subsequent cycles. Each page of the redesigned answer sheet will feature a distinct QR code to enable secure scanning and digital processing.
Under the new system, answer sheets will be scanned and uploaded to a centralised dashboard. Teachers will assess them online using structured marking schemes, automated score calculation, and real-time progress tracking.
“It is not just an upgrade; it’s a complete overhaul of evaluating our children’s future. It will ensure every student gets fairness, speed, and accuracy in examinations,” Bains said.
PSEB Chairman Amarpal Singh said the initiative aligns with a student-first approach and will be streamlined across the board. “The OSM system carries the guarantee of Punjab’s commitment to its students,” he added.
Meanwhile, CBSE has also introduced on-screen marking for Class 12 examinations and for the division of Class 10 Social Science papers. However, the board has clarified that Class 10 answer scripts will continue to be evaluated in offline mode.
Last updated on 14 Feb 2026
