Following the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 result 2026 declaration on May 13, lots of students have complained about scoring poor marks especially in Science subjects - Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. The pass percentage of CBSE's 12th exam this year was dropped by 3.19 per cent to 85.20 per cent and marks the lowest pass rate in seven years (lowest since 2019).
The students and teachers have pointed on CBSE's new evaluation system (OSM) digital evaluation for the poor pass rate and students' low marks in Class 12 exam. Meanwhile, CBSE has defended the OSM evaluation process and advised students to apply for re-valuation. CBSE has also provided opportunity for students to get a "scanned copy of the evaluated answer book."
CBSE 12th result 2026: Last 5 years' pass percentage
| 2026 | 85.20% |
| 2025 | 88.39% |
| 2024 | 87.98% |
| 2023 | 87.33% |
| 2022 | 92.71% |
"There is a possibility that even after taking so many steps students are not satisfied with their declared performance. In such a scenario, CBSE is providing a facility to the students to get their evaluated scanned answer book and themselves check the same," read the CBSE notification.
According to CBSE, students will be provided scanned answer books of the desired subjects, and they may check their answer books and inform CBSE if they find any
issues that are identifiable.
Students can apply for the following -
- Can request for the scanned answer book of the desired subject/ papers.
- Verification of issues observed
- Re-evaluation of answers.
CBSE 12th re-evaluation process: How to apply for scanned answer book
- Students requesting for scanned copy of "evaluated answer book" need to submit application by self
- Applicants will be provided a scanned copy of the Answer Book in their login, from where they can download the same
- Efforts will be made to provide the scanned copy of the answer
- book on first-come, first-served basis, which implies that if a candidate has applied on the first date of application, the applicant will receive the scanned copy first, and so on and so forth
- A candidate may choose to apply for a single or multiple subjects when making an application for a scanned copy of answer books. However, the application will only have to be made at one go and not in parts
- If the candidate desires to challenge the marks awarded in any particular subject, the candidate may have to apply for the next steps of re-evaluation, as per CBSE.
Expert's take on CBSE's OSM evaluation process
Praneet Mungali, Educationist and Trustee, Sanskriti Group of Schools, Pune - "The OSM adoption has introduced more rigour in the process of evaluation. This has reduced the human error and is probably the reason for the change in the pass ratio. However to come up with a definitive conclusion we would need to study the trend for at least the next few years and compare them with the average pass ratios for a few years before the introduction of the OSM.
This will allow us to make a firm conclusion about the real pattern. It is important to highlight at this juncture that the OSM introduction is the right way forward."
Also Read : CBSE 12th result 2026: 85.20% students pass in Class 12; girls excel
