CBSE Class 12 Physics Paper Evaluation Sparks Controversy

Evaluation Issues in CBSE Class 12 Physics Paper

This year, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) implemented the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for assessing Class 12 answer sheets. Following the announcement of results, students received scanned copies of their answer sheets for potential re-evaluation, which unveiled several discrepancies. Notably, the Physics examination has been highlighted as particularly problematic by both students and educators.

**Concerns Raised by Students**

Numerous students have expressed dissatisfaction regarding the evaluation of the Physics paper, pointing out issues such as inadequate assessment, neglect of supplementary answer sheets, and misattribution of answer sheets to different students.

Harshita, a student from Delhi, reported that upon applying for re-evaluation of her Physics paper, she received a scanned copy that included pages belonging to another student, except for the first page. She observed that the handwriting on the inner pages did not match hers, and the other student had left many answers incomplete, resulting in a mere 12 marks and her failure in the subject.

Harsh, another student who qualified for the JEE, took to Twitter to express his disappointment, stating he received only 73 marks in Physics when he anticipated over 85. He claimed that the supplementary answer sheet attached to his main booklet was not evaluated, leading to his low score.

Ansh Srivastava from Gurugram reported receiving only 18 marks in Physics, despite scoring above 80 in all other subjects. He mentioned, "I received zero marks for the entire set of answers."

Madhavi Shetty, a principal from Pune, shared that one of her students found that the answer sheet linked to his roll number was not his. The student noted significant differences in handwriting, language, and presentation style. Shetty stated, "Upon noticing the complaint online, CBSE acknowledged the mistake and provided the correct answer script."

Diana D'Souza, a student from Mumbai, criticized the evaluation process for Physics as "extremely strict," indicating that marks were not awarded even when the formulas and steps were correctly presented.

Avni Sharma from Delhi discovered she received no marks for her attempted paper, despite asserting that her answers were not entirely incorrect. Vanshika Krishna from Bengaluru claimed her mathematical answers were accurate, but the evaluator failed to grade them according to the established step-wise marking procedure.

CBSE's data indicates a significant number of complaints, reflecting a decline in grading standards. The A1 cut-off for Physics is currently set at 79 marks, a decrease from 82 in 2025 and 84 in 2024. In Chemistry, the A1 cut-off has fallen to 87 from 89 last year and 92 in 2024. Mathematics has seen a drop to 85 from 86 in 2025 and 88 in 2024. Biology remains the only science subject with an unchanged cut-off of 91 marks compared to the previous year.

CBSE counselor Vishal Mehta noted that these alleged irregularities are impacting students who are eager to finalize their admission processes for undergraduate programs.