The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is using AI to make its board exam evaluation process more accurate, transparent, and faster. Recently, the board has taken major steps towards adopting
on-screen marking (OSM) and artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems. Gone are the days when teachers used red pens on physical answer sheets. Now, answer sheets are digitally scanned and displayed on a computer screen.
The use of AI is not limited to checking board exam answer sheets; it also monitors the quality of assessment. So how does the system work?
When a teacher checks answer sheets on a digital screen, an active AI system in the backend tracks whether the examiner has given sufficient time to all answers and whether there are any discrepancies in the marking pattern. This technology aims to reduce the time taken for declaration of results as well as completely eliminate errors in re-checking and totalling.
How Copy Checking In Board Exams Changed
Copies from CBSE examination centres are sent directly to regional centres, where they are digitised using high-speed scanners. Each student’s copy is assigned a unique barcode, so the examiner cannot identify the student. This “blind evaluation” ensures fairness. Once digitised, these copies are stored on a cloud server.
How Does On-Screen Marking Work?
Examiners now check answer sheets through a computer login, either at home or at an evaluation centre. The screen displays the student’s answer sheet on one side and the board’s marking scheme on the other. Examiners assign marks to each question. The system does not open the next copy until all pages and all questions in the current copy have been checked.
What Is The Role Of AI In Assessment?
The AI system acts as a supervisor, primarily monitoring the following points:
Irregular marking: If an examiner is checking the copies too fast, the AI sends an alert.
Points calculation: AI automatically adds up points, eliminating the possibility of totalling errors.
Pattern analysis: AI identifies whether all students are scoring unusually low or high marks in a particular question, allowing the marking scheme to be reviewed.
Eliminated Room For Error
The old system often resulted in ‘unevaluated’ answers. This is impossible with the digital system, as the software immediately flags any blank columns or unmarked pages. Furthermore, the process of uploading marks to the main marksheet is automated, eliminating human data entry errors.
The biggest benefit for CBSE students is that their results will now be more reliable. AI and digital systems monitor every step of the way. Therefore, the fear of losing marks due to totalling errors is now a thing of the past, claims the Board. This move by the board is laying the foundation for a fully AI-based autonomous evaluation system in the future.
