CBSE OSM Row: Errors in scanning, marks spoiled, results ruined, why did children and parents take to the streets against CBSE?

Protests are taking place against CBSE.

This year the Central Board of Secondary Education is in controversy regarding the examination results. When the board solves one problem, another one appears in front of it. There is anger among the students regarding the functioning of the board. The board is making serious efforts to resolve all the problems but the noise is still not stopping. This year, about 44 lakh students, including class 10th and 12th, have appeared for the examination. Only intermediate students have become victims of the new system. In such a big system, even small mistakes appear big. This time the complaints are coming together because many processes were going on at the same time. Examination, scan copy, upload numbers, result, then give the scanned copy and re-evaluation.

Let us go to the root of this whole matter and try to understand why the board is not able to get out of the problems? Where did so many problems come together suddenly?

What was the arrangement this time?

In fact, this time the board decided that it will do the work of checking copies digitally. In such a situation, centers were set up like before but the copies were checked online. This means that every copy was scanned. Uploaded to the system. Passed through the server and reached in front of the teacher. The minor mistakes made here weigh heavily on each student. This time this is what happened.

A teacher associated with the copy checking process said that the colleagues who are not well versed with computers have also done average marking this time. Another teacher said that the problem was also that many pages were missing. This clearly means that there was a mistake somewhere in the setting that was to be done after scanning. Those children who are complaining about B copy not being checked, it is possible that both their copies have not been scanned together and uploaded on the system.

Trust dropped from OSM to results

Students and parents say confidence has diminished. The reason is that the process has become digital this time. Transparency is not that clear. If results are not as expected, students immediately look for reasons. When the answer is not received quickly, suspicion increases. Then people question the entire system. This falling trust is a separate problem in itself. Because as soon as trust decreases, every technical problem starts looking like a conspiracy.

Students face difficulty in getting scanned copy.

Many students said that they are facing problem in viewing or downloading the scanned copy. Possible reasons for this include excessive traffic on the portal, low server capacity or lack of proper load management, technical glitches in OTP login, payment or document link, etc. When students are not able to see the scanned copy on time, their stress increases. Then they are not even able to prepare for re-checking.

Why did the students’ claims increase the controversy?

Some students claim that the scanned copy they received does not seem to be theirs. This allegation is very serious.Such claims usually arise when there is a bundling or tagging error at the time of scanning. There is a miss match in roll number, barcode, serial mapping. The scanned image gets linked to the wrong profile. Things related to identity should not be clearly visible on any page. It is not necessary that the copy has actually changed in every case. But it is also true that if the trace and audit in the system is not strong, then such complaints increase. And trust breaks fast.

Why does this complaint arise?

Many students say that they had taken supplementary or additional sheet, but that part is not visible in the scanned copy. In such a situation, the common reason could be that the supplementary sheet gets separated from the main copy. Failure to scan the entire copy by the scan operator. Page numbering and attachments not correct. Some pages missing in upload after scan. Quality check is most important here. If page-counting and matching is done strictly after scanning, such problems can be reduced.

Why this discussion that science students get less marks?

Some students and parents feel that the marks obtained are less than expected, especially in the science stream. This kind of talk often spreads when the question paper seems difficult. There is less time. The deduction may have been higher as per the answer key or marking scheme. There was difference in marking strictness of different examiners. It is also possible that people may draw a conclusion by comparing some schools. But without solid data it is difficult to call this the final truth. Nevertheless, the board should come forward and talk about such allegations, so that confusion does not spread.

Applications for re-evaluation are not available, portal stalled

When the portal crashes again and again, students feel helpless. This problem usually arises when lakhs of people come together in a limited time frame. Lack of preparation for server scaling. Downtime in payment gateway or OTP services. Backend database may be slow. This directly impacts the rights of the students. Because if time passes then you may miss the opportunity to apply. Therefore, it becomes not a technical issue but a justice issue.

What is the root of the problem?

If we look at all these issues together, then some main things are visible at the root. It is not easy to handle the data and documents of millions of students simultaneously. If the load test and backup plan of each phase is not strong, the portal may fail. Even a small error in scanning, mapping, uploading becomes a big complaint. If students do not see a reliable method of tracking, doubt increases. At many places, external agencies may be involved in scanning and IT operations. If the layers of quality checks and accountability are weak, then there is a delay in catching the mistake.

Lack of communication is also the reason for the crisis, pressure of time-line

When the board does not provide clear information on time, rumors take place. What’s the problem? When will she get better? What should students do? If direct answers to these questions are not given, resentment increases.Result, Admission, Counselling, Competitive Exams. Everyone’s deadline is close. Under this pressure, processes move faster and the scope for error increases.

Haste is the root of all problems

JM Rawat, former Deputy Commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, says that haste is the root cause of all the problems. When the Board decided to check the digital copy for the first time, it had to be limited to a few centers as a sample for the first time. It does not seem appropriate to involve the entire country, lakhs of students and thousands of teachers in the new system simultaneously. They say that no one has intentionally committed any wrongdoing but the Board does not have the resources to digitize millions of copies. The agency that was given this work may certainly be an expert in scanning, but were the employees it employed to upload the students’ copies on the system also expert? Probably not. If there were, then the first and second copy of the students would have been uploaded together.

A multi-layered problem

CBSE’s current troubles were not caused by a single mistake. This is a combined challenge of scale, technology, process and communication. When problems in scanning copies, claims for replacement of copies, complaints of missing additional sheets, disputes over marks less than expected and problems with the re-evaluation portal come together, people feel that the system is out of control. The solution will also be multi-tiered. Strong servers, better audits, strict quality checks, clean information and timely support. Only then will trust be built back.

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