‘Are Students A Joke?’: CBSE Faces Backlash Over Poorly Scanned Answer Copies, Portal Chaos And Payment Issues

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has extended the deadline for students applying for scanned copies of Class 12 answer sheets after many reported technical issues on the official portal. Along with portal glitches and payment-related complaints, another issue has now grabbed attention online, blurry scanned copies that students say are almost impossible to read.

Several students and parents have taken to X to share screenshots of scanned answer sheets where the handwriting appears unclear and heavily blurred. The images have triggered criticism online, with users questioning how students are expected to apply for verification or re-evaluation if the copies themselves cannot be properly read.

People Share Blurry Scans Online

A number of posts on X showed screenshots

of scanned answer sheets where the text looked faded, unclear and difficult to understand. Many users claimed they had already paid the required fee but were either unable to access the copies properly or received scans of very poor quality.

A post read, “Dear @cbseindia29, Are students a joke? Copies have been scanned so poorly that in many places, students themselves can’t read their own writing… So how can we expect that teachers would check them accurately?”

The user further said that blurred pages and confusion during the evaluation process were affecting students’ marks and future. The post also demanded “15–20 grace marks” for students, arguing that they should not suffer because of flaws in the system.

Dear @cbseindia29,

क्या students मज़ाक हैं? 💔

Copies इतनी खराब scan हुई हैं
कि कई जगह students खुद अपनी writing नहीं पढ़ पा रहे…
फिर teachers से कैसे उम्मीद की गई
कि वे accurately checking कर देंगे?

Blurred pages, unclear scans, OSM confusion —
और इसकी कीमत लाखों बच्चों के… pic.twitter.com/uRlXBr9eVc

— Anurag Tyagi (@TheAnuragTyagi) May 21, 2026

Another user wrote, “Dear @cbseindia29, are we a joke? Copies were scanned so badly even we can’t read them, yet 50+ teachers are expected to check them accurately. Just give 15–20 grace marks to all and end this.”

The viral posts included images where the scanned answer sheets appeared almost unreadable.

Dear @cbseindia29, are we a joke? Copies were scanned so badly even we can’t read them, yet 50+ teachers are expected to check them accurately. Just give 15–20 grace marks to all and end this. It’s a waste of time and money for everyone.#graceuscbse pic.twitter.com/6r9WKB7tjj

— Yash Jain (@YashTheML) May 21, 2026

Portal And Payment Issues Add To Frustration

Apart from the poor-quality scans, students also complained about technical problems on the CBSE portal. Some said the website showed “service unavailable” messages, while others claimed payments had been deducted but were not reflecting on the portal.

CBSE later issued an official notice extending the last date for applying for scanned copies from May 22 to May 23, 2026. The board said the extension was given after students faced technical issues while using the post-verification portal.

Earlier, many students had also expressed confusion about the differences among obtaining scanned copies, verifying marks, and re-evaluation.

The board clarified that the current application process is only for obtaining scanned copies of evaluated answer sheets. Applications for verification of marks, discrepancy reporting and re-evaluation will begin later between May 26 and May 29, 2026.

Social Media Reacts Strongly

The issue sparked heated reactions online, with many users demanding relief for students.

“Yes CBSE please be human and not a dictator. Save the future of children’s, gave them grace marks of 10-15 marks and pass all on the border line,” a user wrote.

Another commented, “Sir toppers atleast passed by boarder marks…think about the situation of average students and passing students…if they do correction like this how they can get pass.”

Another user questioned why students were being held responsible for spotting errors in the evaluation system. “Why would STUDENTS pay for something that CBSE failed to do at their end? Why are we penalized and asked to check,” the comment read.

Some users, however, also questioned whether all the viral screenshots were genuine. A person wrote, “I don’t think anyone has got scanned answer sheets after applying for photocopy yet. I have doubt on the authenticity of the pictures doing rounds on social media.”

CBSE Comments On Evaluation Process

Earlier, CBSE Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj had reportedly said that minor errors may happen because the board evaluates nearly 1.25 crore answer sheets every year. The board has also stated that marks may either increase or decrease after verification, depending on what the expert panel finds during the re-checking process.