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Guide for principalsCBSE On-Screen Marking: what changed, and how to get your school ready
From the 2026 board exams, CBSE marks Class XII answer books on a screen instead of on paper. The books are scanned, examiners mark them on a computer, and the system adds up the totals. Class X stayed on paper in 2026. Here is what changed, what your school's lab needs, what your teachers do, and what went wrong the first time.
What On-Screen Marking is
CBSE announced it in a circular dated 9 February 2026, addressed to the principals of all affiliated schools. Instead of answer books being carried to evaluation centres, they are scanned and examiners mark them on a computer screen. The system adds the marks, so a total can no longer be added up wrongly.
It is not new as an idea. CBSE tried a version of it in 2013–14 for some subjects; 2026 is the first time it covers all Class XII answer books.
What CBSE says it changes
- No totalling errors. The system adds the marks, which CBSE says removes totalling, posting and uploading mistakes.
- No post-result verification of marks. Because the totals are machine-added, CBSE said that step is no longer needed.
- Teachers stay in school. "Teachers can remain in their schools and continue regular duties," the board said, instead of travelling to a centre.
- Faster, with less handling. Less transport of answer books and less manual coordination.
What your school's computer lab needs
These are the requirements as reported from the circular. Check the circular for your year before buying anything.
| What | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Network | A computer lab with a public static IP address, as the affiliation bye-laws already ask |
| Computers | Windows 8 or later, at least 4 GB RAM, 1 GB free on the C drive |
| Software | An up-to-date Chrome, Edge or Firefox, and Adobe Reader |
| Internet | At least 2 Mbps, reliable |
| Power | An uninterrupted supply: a UPS or an inverter that covers the lab |
The one most schools get wrong: the internet, not the computers
A 2 Mbps line shared by a whole lab, the office and the staff room's phones is not 2 Mbps per evaluator. Test the line at the hour your teachers will actually mark, with the lab full. And ask your provider what happens on the day it drops: the board asks for a static IP, so a backup line without one may not be accepted.
What teachers do
- Evaluators sign in to the board's system. Teachers with an OASIS ID could log in early to get used to it.
- CBSE planned dry runs, training sessions, instructional videos and a call centre for technical problems.
- Marking on a screen is a different habit from marking on paper: reading a scan, zooming into a diagram, entering a mark for each question, and trusting the system's total. A teacher who has practised it on the school's own exams is not learning the tool on the day of board evaluation.
What happened after the 2026 results
After the Class XII results were declared, the pass percentage fell noticeably and many students said they were unhappy with their marks; some blamed the new marking. In a notice on 15 May 2026, CBSE said it "remains committed to a fair, transparent, and equitable evaluation process", that examiners had been trained, and that students could use a two-stage review: first ask for a scanned copy of their answer book, then ask for re-evaluation if they still had concerns.
For a school, the lesson is practical: pupils and parents can now see the scanned book. Marks need to be defensible question by question, not just as a total.
How to practise on your own exams first
The board's system only marks board answer books. The habits it needs can be built on your school's own unit tests and half-yearly exams, where nothing is at stake:
- Scan or photograph a class's answer books.
- Mark them on a computer or a phone, one question at a time, with the page beside the question.
- Let the totals add themselves, and keep a record of every mark that was changed.
- Give pupils a report card that shows where the marks were lost.
Where ProctorSys fits
ProctorSys does exactly this for a school's own exams. Teachers photograph or scan the books; the AI can suggest a mark and a reason for each answer, in pencil; the teacher accepts or changes every mark, and nothing reaches a pupil until the school releases the results. It then prints a one-page report card per child. How ProctorSys marks. Our first school, Mallikarjun School in Pithoragarh, has marked more than 500 handwritten Class X and XII answer books this way since September 2026.
ProctorSys is not CBSE's On-Screen Marking system and is not connected to CBSE. Board answer books are marked only on the board's own system, by its examiners.
Questions principals ask
Which classes does CBSE On-Screen Marking cover?
Class XII board answer books, from the 2026 examinations. CBSE's circular of 9 February 2026 said Class X answer books would continue to be evaluated on paper. Check cbse.gov.in for the circular that applies to your year.
What does a school need for On-Screen Marking?
As reported from CBSE's circular: a computer lab with a public static IP address, PCs or laptops running Windows 8 or later with at least 4 GB RAM and 1 GB free space, an up-to-date Chrome, Edge or Firefox, Adobe Reader, an internet connection of at least 2 Mbps and an uninterrupted power supply.
Do teachers have to travel to an evaluation centre?
No. CBSE said teachers can remain in their schools and continue their regular duties. Evaluators log in to the board's system, and teachers with OASIS IDs could log in early to get used to it.
Can a student see how their answer book was marked?
Yes. In its notice of 15 May 2026 CBSE described a two-stage process: a student first asks for a scanned copy of the answer book, and if they still have concerns, asks for re-evaluation.
Is CBSE On-Screen Marking done by AI?
No. Examiners mark the scanned answer books on a screen and the system adds up the totals. CBSE has described it as digital evaluation by trained examiners, not automatic marking.
How can a school practise On-Screen Marking before board evaluation?
By marking its own unit tests and half-yearly exams on screen: scan or photograph the answer books, mark one question at a time on a computer or phone, and let the totals add themselves. ProctorSys does this for a school's own exams, with an optional AI-suggested mark that a teacher accepts or changes. It is not CBSE's system and is not connected to it.
Sources
- CBSE, circular on On-Screen Marking for Class XII, 9 February 2026: cbse.gov.in. The lab requirements above are as reported from it; we could not open the PDF ourselves when writing this.
- Careers360, CBSE Class 12 answer scripts to be checked via on-screen marking from 2026.
- The Week, What is On-Screen Marking system?, 10 February 2026.
- AACRAO Edge, CBSE to implement on-screen marking for Class 12; schools asked to ensure technical readiness.
- Khaleej Times, CBSE addresses Class 12 board exam result concerns after new On-Screen Marking method.
Try on-screen marking on one of your own exams
One class, one exam. Your teachers mark on screen, with the AI's suggestion in pencil if you want it, and you see the marks and report cards before you decide anything.