CBSE row: Student faces ‘anti-national’ abuse after alleging answer sheet mix-up

A class 12th CBSE student who requested for a re-evaluation after scoring an unexpectedly low score soon escalated into a controversy, sparking debate over answer sheet transparency, the board’s Online Script Monitoring (OSM) system, and the pressure students face during evaluations, as per reports.

The controversy reportedly began when a student named Vedant Srivastava claimed that the Physics answer sheet uploaded by CBSE during the re-evaluation process did not belong to him. Taking to social media on May 23, he expressed shock over the alleged discrepancy after receiving unexpectedly low marks in the subject.

As per reports, Vedant said the mismatch could seriously impact his marks and future college admissions. He also questioned whether flaws in CBSE’s newly introduced OSM evaluation system may have led to such errors.

As the issue gained attention online, the student’s family reportedly said they became targets of trolling and abuse. Vedant’s brother, Siddhant Srivastava, revealed that the family was labelled “anti-national” and “Pakistani” for publicly raising concerns against the board.

Clarifying the situation, Siddhant said Vedant did not even use social media and that the family had created an account solely to seek help regarding the issue.

Following widespread attention, CBSE officials reportedly contacted the family and later shared what Vedant confirmed was his actual Physics answer sheet. In a post on X, the student stated that the board had acknowledged the mix-up and sent the correct copy.

Despite receiving the revised answer sheet, Vedant maintained that he would still apply for re-evaluation, claiming marks had been deducted despite correct answers.

The episode has intensified scrutiny of CBSE’s OSM system amid growing complaints from students over evaluation discrepancies and digital assessment practices. While the board has clarified that only the mode of checking shifted from physical copies to digital screens, concerns over transparency and accountability continue to grow.

The controversy also triggered political reactions, with leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal criticising the Centre and demanding accountability over student grievances.