The Government Schools Teachers’ Association (GSTA) has urged Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood to withdraw show-cause notices issued to teachers over the decline in CBSE Class 12 Board examination pass percentage, arguing that the drop was linked to flaws in the newly introduced On Screen Marking (OSM) system rather than teachers’ performance.
In a letter addressed to the minister, the association said the OSM system was implemented this year without adequate preparation, training or practical assessment and had created several technical difficulties during evaluation.
According to GSTA, teachers and evaluators encountered problems such as blurred scanned answer sheets, incorrect uploading of answer booklets, missing pages and difficulties in reading poorly scanned handwritten responses.
The association claimed that due to these issues, evaluators adopted “excessive caution” during assessment, resulting in stricter marking in several cases.
GSTA stated that it had earlier recommended that the OSM system should first be introduced on a pilot basis before full implementation across schools. The association said its suggestions were not adequately considered.
The teachers’ body also pointed out that following the declaration of the Class 12 results, many students and parents expressed dissatisfaction over marks that were allegedly lower than expected. It added that several students also faced difficulties during the re-evaluation process.
Referring to the overall decline in CBSE Class 12 results at the national level this year, GSTA argued that teachers alone should not be blamed for the outcome.
The association alleged that several teachers had received show-cause notices and memorandums and were also threatened with adverse remarks in their Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs), which it said had created stress and anxiety among teachers.
GSTA General Secretary Ajay Veer Yadav said teachers consistently work to improve students’ academic performance through remedial classes, extra sessions and regular interaction with parents, but examination outcomes ultimately depend on multiple factors, including students’ individual performance and evaluation systems.
“The teaching community should be supported instead of being subjected to pressure and punitive action,” the association said in its letter.
The association requested the Delhi government to declare all notices and memorandums issued to teachers in connection with the Class 12 results as “null and void” and called for a constructive and supportive academic environment to help improve future performance.
The issue has triggered wider discussions within the education sector regarding the implementation of digital evaluation systems in board examinations. Education experts have argued that while digital assessment can improve efficiency and transparency, proper infrastructure, training and quality checks are necessary to avoid technical errors that could impact students’ results.
The CBSE introduced the On Screen Marking system in a phased manner to streamline evaluation and reduce manual handling of answer sheets. Under the system, answer booklets are scanned and uploaded digitally for evaluators. However, several teachers’ organisations across states have reportedly raised concerns over technical glitches, screen fatigue and inconsistencies in scanned copies during this year’s evaluation process.
