UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — What can be done to address the CBSE evaluation controversy?
Q1. In the context of the evaluation of CBSE Class XII board answer scripts in the 2026 examination cycle, the term 'On-Screen Marking' refers to which one of the following arrangements?
- A. Candidates write the examination directly on computer terminals and their typed responses are then marked on-screen by examiners.
- B. Answer scripts are auto-scored by optical recognition software, with examiners intervening on-screen only on scripts flagged by the software.
- C. Physical answer scripts are scanned and uploaded to a digital platform on which examiners assess them and award marks.
- D. Examiners mark physical answer scripts as before and subsequently enter the awards on an on-screen marks-capture portal.
Q2. Which one of the following was selected as the technology vendor operating the digital evaluation platform used by CBSE for the 2026 Class XII cycle?
- A. National Informatics Centre, the Government's in-house IT services provider
- B. Coempt Edu Teck, a Hyderabad-based examination-solutions provider
- C. Tata Consultancy Services, a long-standing examination-services contractor
- D. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, an autonomous R&D organisation
Q3. Consider the following features reported in connection with the digitised Class XII answer scripts in the 2026 CBSE examination cycle:
1. Blurred or poor-quality scans of the evaluated answer scripts.
2. Missing pages and missing supplementary sheets in the digitised scripts.
3. Dispatch of answer scripts to the residences of examiners for evaluation.
4. Answers appearing under an incorrect roll number.
Which of the above is/are NOT among the defects reported by students in the 2026 cycle?
- Blurred or poor-quality scans of the evaluated answer scripts.
- Missing pages and missing supplementary sheets in the digitised scripts.
- Dispatch of answer scripts to the residences of examiners for evaluation.
- Answers appearing under an incorrect roll number.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 3 only
- D. 1 and 3
Q4. Consider the following statements comparing CBSE's 2026 Class XII evaluation cycle with the arrangement it replaced:
1. Before the 2026 cycle physical answer scripts were sent out to examiners for evaluation, whereas in 2026 the scripts were scanned and assessed on a digital platform.
2. In the 2026 cycle roughly 4 lakh students applied for scanned copies of their evaluated answer books, out of over 11 lakh post-result applications received in all.
3. Because of poor scan quality, about 70,000 answer books had to be shifted to physical evaluation, while roughly 15,000 had to be rescanned.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Before the 2026 cycle physical answer scripts were sent out to examiners for evaluation, whereas in 2026 the scripts were scanned and assessed on a digital platform.
- In the 2026 cycle roughly 4 lakh students applied for scanned copies of their evaluated answer books, out of over 11 lakh post-result applications received in all.
- Because of poor scan quality, about 70,000 answer books had to be shifted to physical evaluation, while roughly 15,000 had to be rescanned.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. In the public interest litigation concerning CBSE's digital marking system, the Supreme Court in July 2026 called for a status report on the remedial measures being taken, through which one of the following law officers of the Union?
- A. The Attorney General for India
- B. An amicus curiae appointed by the Court
- C. The Additional Solicitor General of India
- D. The Solicitor General of India
Q6. The Supreme Court Bench which in July 2026 observed that there were systemic problems in CBSE's digital evaluation process was presided over by which one of the following?
- A. Justice Joymalya Bagchi
- B. Justice V. Mohana
- C. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
- D. Justice Manmohan
Q7. On the instructions of the Union Education Minister, technical experts from which one of the following pairs of institutions were engaged to help CBSE fix the portal stability, authentication and payment-gateway failures in its post-examination services?
- A. IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur
- B. IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay
- C. National Informatics Centre and C-DAC
- D. IIT Roorkee and IIIT Hyderabad
Q8. The inquiry committee headed by S. Radha Chauhan, set up in June 2026 to examine CBSE's procurement of on-screen marking services, was required to submit its report within how long of its constitution?
- A. One month
- B. Two months
- C. Three months
- D. Six months
Q9. The Central Board of Secondary Education, which conducts the Class X and Class XII board examinations and affiliates schools in India and abroad, functions under which one of the following?
- A. The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
- B. The National Council of Educational Research and Training
- C. The National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education
- D. The Department of School Education and Literacy
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the NEET-UG 2026 episode, often compared with the CBSE evaluation controversy:
1. The examination held on 3 May 2026 was cancelled by the National Testing Agency amid allegations of a paper leak, and a re-test was held on 21 June 2026.
2. More than 20 lakh candidates appeared for the June 2026 re-test.
3. Following the row, it was announced that the examination would be conducted in computer-based mode from 2027.
4. The re-examination passed off without any complaint whatsoever from candidates, since the security arrangements ensured entirely smooth conduct at every centre.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The examination held on 3 May 2026 was cancelled by the National Testing Agency amid allegations of a paper leak, and a re-test was held on 21 June 2026.
- More than 20 lakh candidates appeared for the June 2026 re-test.
- Following the row, it was announced that the examination would be conducted in computer-based mode from 2027.
- The re-examination passed off without any complaint whatsoever from candidates, since the security arrangements ensured entirely smooth conduct at every centre.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 3 and 4 only
Q11. Consider the following statements about CBSE's post-result services for the Class XII 2026 examination:
1. Under re-evaluation, the entire answer book is re-assessed rather than only those questions which the candidate has selected.
2. A candidate must first obtain the scanned copy of the evaluated answer book before applying for verification of marks or re-evaluation in that subject.
3. The re-evaluation fee is charged per question, whereas the fees for the scanned copy and for verification of marks are charged per subject.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Under re-evaluation, the entire answer book is re-assessed rather than only those questions which the candidate has selected.
- A candidate must first obtain the scanned copy of the evaluated answer book before applying for verification of marks or re-evaluation in that subject.
- The re-evaluation fee is charged per question, whereas the fees for the scanned copy and for verification of marks are charged per subject.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3