CBSE to issue refunds for technical glitches during Class 12 re-evaluation process after Education Minister seeks report | Mint

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday said it will issue refunds to students who faced technical glitches during the re-evaluation process. The decision comes a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought a detailed report from the CBSE after several students and parents raised complaints regarding excess money being deducted, while several others reported that the process was not completed.

In a notice, the CBSE said that on May 21 and 22, technical issues led to incorrect fee deductions in some cases while students were applying for scanned copies of evaluated answer sheets.

“In some instances, excess payment was deducted, while in others, lesser amounts were charged,” it said.

The CBSE said the “exact excess amounts shall be refunded to the same payment method which was used for payment”.

“Similarly, in cases where lesser payment was deducted, candidates shall be informed separately regarding payment of the balance amount, if required,” it said.

“Scanned copies of the evaluated answer books shall be provided in all such cases, without candidates being required to submit fresh requests,” it added.

What action was taken after complaints were raised?

Pradhan on Wednesday took serious cognisance of issues related to server downtime, payment gateway glitches, and operational lapses reported during the process, sources said.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Central Board of Secondary Education said it was monitoring all reported issues and taking corrective measures, including extending timelines and implementing technical interventions.

It further said, “Parents and students are requested not to feel anxious if they have encountered such issues. The very purpose of the verification and re-evaluation mechanism is to address genuine concerns in a structured and fair manner.”

The CBSE had opened the window for obtaining scanned copies of evaluated Class 12 answer books from May 19 to May 22. The Board had earlier begun the process for re-evaluation and verification of answer sheets following concerns raised by some students and parents over the On-Screen Marking system.

Students who apply for scanned copies will be able to access them between May 26 and May 29.

The CBSE has also revised the fee structure this year. Students can obtain scanned copies of answer books by paying ₹100 instead of ₹700 earlier.

The fee for verification of the answer sheet has been reduced to ₹100 from ₹500, while re-evaluation will cost ₹25 per question.

The board also noted that due to exceptionally high traffic on the portal, some technical disruptions were experienced during peak periods.

The Class 12 examinations were conducted from February 17 to April 10, while results were declared on May 13.

(With inputs from agencies)