UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC seeks Centre’s status report on CBSE OSM glitches

Q1. With reference to the Supreme Court proceedings of July 2026 on the alleged CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) glitches, consider the following: 1. The Bench hearing the matter was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. 2. Justice Joymalya Bagchi was one of the judges constituting the Bench. 3. Justice V. Mohana was one of the judges constituting the Bench. 4. The Bench directed that only the Central Bureau of Investigation should file the status report on remedial steps. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The Bench hearing the matter was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
  2. Justice Joymalya Bagchi was one of the judges constituting the Bench.
  3. Justice V. Mohana was one of the judges constituting the Bench.
  4. The Bench directed that only the Central Bureau of Investigation should file the status report on remedial steps.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q2. The three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court that in July 2026 directed the Centre to file a status report on the CBSE OSM glitches was headed by which one of the following?

  • A. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
  • B. Justice Joymalya Bagchi
  • C. Justice V. Mohana
  • D. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta

Q3. With reference to CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system as compared with the traditional evaluation method, consider the following statements: 1. Under OSM, scanned answer books are evaluated online by examiners, whereas the traditional method relied on manual checking of physical scripts. 2. For the 2026 examinations, OSM was applied to Class 12 answer books while Class 10 answer books continued to be evaluated in the physical mode. 3. OSM entirely removed the need to transport physical answer booklets, as scanning is carried out within each affiliated school. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under OSM, scanned answer books are evaluated online by examiners, whereas the traditional method relied on manual checking of physical scripts.
  2. For the 2026 examinations, OSM was applied to Class 12 answer books while Class 10 answer books continued to be evaluated in the physical mode.
  3. OSM entirely removed the need to transport physical answer booklets, as scanning is carried out within each affiliated school.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. In the 2026 examination cycle, CBSE's newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system was applied for the first time to the answer books of which one of the following?

  • A. Class 12 only, while Class 10 continued in the physical mode
  • B. Class 10 only, while Class 12 continued in the physical mode
  • C. Both Class 10 and Class 12
  • D. Class 12 practical examinations only

Q5. With reference to the inquiry committee constituted in 2026 to examine the CBSE OSM matter, consider the following statements: 1. It is a one-member committee. 2. It is headed by S. Radha Chauhan, who is also the Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. 3. It was directed to submit its report to the Ministry of Education. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It is a one-member committee.
  2. It is headed by S. Radha Chauhan, who is also the Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission.
  3. It was directed to submit its report to the Ministry of Education.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. The one-member inquiry committee set up in June 2026 to examine the procurement of services for CBSE's OSM system was headed by S. Radha Chauhan, who concurrently holds which one of the following positions?

  • A. Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission
  • B. Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission
  • C. Director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training
  • D. Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education

Q7. In the CBSE OSM public interest litigation, the Supreme Court directed the Union Government, through its law officer, to place a status report on record. This report was to be filed by which one of the following?

  • A. The Solicitor-General of India
  • B. The Attorney-General for India
  • C. The Advocate-General of Delhi
  • D. The Registrar of the Supreme Court

Q8. The matter concerning CBSE's OSM glitches reached the Supreme Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). In Indian constitutional practice, a PIL is best defined as which one of the following?

  • A. Litigation initiated to protect the interest of the public or a class of persons, in which the petitioner need not be personally aggrieved
  • B. Litigation that can be filed only by a person who has personally suffered a legal injury and seeks relief for that injury
  • C. A private dispute between two parties referred to the Supreme Court for arbitration
  • D. An appeal filed by the government against an adverse verdict of a lower court

Q9. The Capacity Building Commission, whose Chairperson is heading the CBSE OSM inquiry, functions under which one of the following?

  • A. The Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
  • B. The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education
  • C. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
  • D. NITI Aayog

Q10. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), whose OSM evaluation is under judicial scrutiny, is an autonomous body functioning under which one of the following Union ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Education
  • B. Ministry of Human Resource Development
  • C. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
  • D. Ministry of Women and Child Development

Q11. Over 17 lakh students appeared for the CBSE Class 12 examinations in 2026, and a 'pass percentage' was subsequently declared. In this context, the pass percentage is best defined as which one of the following?

  • A. The proportion of students who appeared in the examination and were declared passed
  • B. The proportion of students who registered for the examination and were declared passed
  • C. The proportion of affiliated schools all of whose students were declared passed
  • D. The proportion of students who scored above 90 per cent aggregate marks