The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued an important circular regarding the Mandatory Mass Mock Evaluation of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. The initiative is aimed at preparing schools and teachers for the upcoming digital evaluation process for CBSE Board examinations.
If you are a CBSE principal, teacher, or student, here’s all that you need to know.
CBSE Mandatory Mass Mock Evaluation Notification
What is the OSM Mass Mock Evaluation?
CBSE is transitioning towards digital evaluation of answer sheets through On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Under this system, answers are scanned and evaluated online instead of being checked physically by teachers.
The mass mock evaluation is a nationwide practice conducted to:
- Familiarise teachers with the digital marking platform and ensure that they have saved their log in credentials for the actual evaluation.
- Test system readiness and load capacity.
- Identify technical or operational issues in order to fix them before the actual evaluation.
- Ensure smooth implementation during actual evaluations.
Who Can Participate In The OSM Mass Mock Evaluation?
- CBSE has made participation mandatory for all affiliated schools.
- All teachers of Classes 11 and 12 must log in to the OSM portal.
This practice session is crucial to ensure that the evaluators are fully prepared before the actual answer sheet checking begins.
Important Instructions To Be Followed During OSM Mass Mock Evaluation
Teachers are required to follow the below mentioned guidelines carefully:
- Log in strictly during the allotted regional time slot.
- Access the system only from their respective schools.
- Complete evaluation of one answer script.
- Note any technical glitches or difficulties faced.
- Report issues to the school principal for further submission to CBSE.
CBSE has clearly advised teachers not to access the system beyond the assigned time window.
Responsibilities of Principals and Teachers
School principals play a crucial role in the success of this initiative. Therefore principals must:
- Ensure 100% participation of eligible teachers.
- Monitor teacher login and completion status through the provided dashboard.
- The teachers must note down issues, if any and report it to the principal. The principal must compile feedback received from teachers and submit in on the email ID: [email protected]
Date And Schedule for Mass Mock Evaluation
The Mass Mock Evaluation for OSM is scheduled to take place on 26 February, 2026. Only 2.92 lakh exams will be conducted across the globe.
The region-wise schedule for the mock evaluation is as follows:
| Sr. No. | Region | Time |
| 1. | Prayagraj, Trivandrum, Dehradun, Vijayawada | 08:30 a.m. to 09:00 a.m. |
| 2. | Noida, Patna, Lucknow, Raipur | 09:15 a.m. to 09:45 a.m. |
| 3. | Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh(Ludhiana), Delhi- East (With foreign schools) | 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. |
| 4. | Ajmer, Pune, Guwahati, Panchkula | 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. |
| 5. | Ahmedabad, Ranchi, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai | 12:30 p.m. to 01:00 p.m. |
| 6. | Delhi-West, Gurugram | 02:00 p.m. to 02:30 p.m. |
Note: Start and end time of the examination has been excluded to ensure smooth functioning of the examination.
Why This Matters for Students
While students will continue to write exams offline, the evaluation process is becoming fully digital. This will help teachers as well as students in the following ways:
- Faster result processing
- Improved accuracy in marking
- Better transparency
- Reduced chances of calculation errors
- Enhanced security of answer sheets
For students, this means a more reliable and efficient Board exam result system in the coming years.
Final Word
The OSM mass mock evaluation announced by CBSE is not just a routine drill, it is a critical readiness exercise before the large-scale roll-out of digital evaluation system for Board exams.
Source:
Official Notice by CBSE, 25 February, 2026: click here to read.
Kindly note that any and all information is subject to change as per CBSE, Education Ministry, and Government of India.
