Delhi: What began as a student’s desperate attempt to prove his Physics answer sheet had been mixed up has now snowballed into a larger debate about transparency and trust in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) new digital evaluation system. The latest twist came after Class 12 student Vedant Srivastava shared screenshots of what CBSE claims is his “correct” Physics answer sheet , but the images have raised yet another round of questions.
A few days earlier, Vedant had alleged that the Physics answer script uploaded during the re-evaluation process did not belong to him. He pointed out differences in handwriting, attempted answers, and question patterns, triggering widespread discussion online. Following public outrage and social media attention, CBSE admitted that an answer-sheet mix-up had indeed occurred and later shared what it described as his actual answer booklet.
However, the controversy did not end there.
The newly shared screenshots appear to show traditional red-ink markings, ticks, circles, handwritten notes, and manually awarded marks , features commonly associated with physical evaluation rather than CBSE’s newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. The OSM model was launched to digitise evaluation and improve efficiency by allowing examiners to check scanned copies electronically.
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The presence of visible manual markings has now sparked speculation online about whether the answer sheet was rechecked offline after the controversy became public. Several students and parents are questioning whether all answer sheets this year were truly evaluated digitally or if hybrid methods were used in certain cases.
Despite receiving the corrected copy, Vedant says he is still unhappy with the marking. He has claimed that some answers appear to have been under-marked despite being correct and plans to apply for further re-evaluation.
The issue has also highlighted the emotional toll such errors can have on students. Vedant and his family revealed that while many people supported them online, they also faced trolling and abusive comments for raising concerns publicly.
What started as one student’s complaint is now turning into a larger conversation about accountability, transparency, and the reliability of digital evaluation systems in India’s high-stakes board examinations. With multiple students reporting discrepancies this year, pressure is mounting on CBSE to strengthen its post-result verification process and restore confidence among lakhs of students and parents across the country.