The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will implement an ‘on-screen marking’ (OSM) system for its March 2026 board examinations. This marks Punjab as the first state board in India to adopt a fully digital evaluation process.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced the initiative. He stated that teachers will assess scanned answer sheets on computers. Software will automatically calculate marks, leading to faster and more accurate results.
The system was tested during the PSEB supplementary exam in September 2025. It successfully evaluated 23,000 answer scripts accurately.
PSEB Board Exams 2026 Schedule
Class 12 examinations are scheduled from February 17 to April 4, 2026 . Class 10 exams will run from March 6 to March 27, 2026 .
Implementation Details
For the 2026 matriculation exams, PSEB will use OSM for one subject. The system will expand in subsequent exam cycles. Each page of the new answer sheets will feature a QR code for secure digital scanning.
Under OSM, answer sheets are scanned and uploaded. Teachers access these digital copies on a central dashboard. They will use structured marking schemes and track progress in real-time. The minister described the system as an overhaul ensuring fairness, speed, and accuracy.
PSEB Chairman Amarpal Singh stated the new system aligns with a student-first approach. He assured it demonstrates Punjab’s commitment to its students.
CBSE’s Digital Evaluation
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also introduced on-screen marking for Class 12 exams. CBSE is dividing Class 10 social science papers for evaluation. However, Class 10 papers will still be checked using the offline method.
The new digital system aims to eliminate common errors and reduce delays associated with manual checking. CBSE Class 10 and 12 exams will take place from February 17 to April 10, 2026, at over 8,000 centres nationwide and abroad.