The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) is set to launch an on-screen marking system for the upcoming March examinations, announced Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. This move positions Punjab as one of the pioneering state boards to embrace end-to-end digital evaluation, revolutionizing the assessment of answer sheets. The new digital system will empower teachers to assess scanned answer sheets on computers, with marks automatically calculated by software, ensuring quicker and more precise results.
Encouraged by the success of evaluating 23,000 answer sheets swiftly and accurately during the September 2025 supplementary exams, the PSEB plans to introduce on-screen marking for one subject in the matriculation examination this year, with a gradual expansion in subsequent cycles. Minister Bains elaborated on the technical safeguards, highlighting the incorporation of unique QR codes on each page of the redesigned answer sheets to facilitate secure scanning and seamless digital processing. Under the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, scanned answer sheets are assessed in a secure environment and uploaded to a centralized dashboard for online evaluation by examiners, featuring automated totaling, structured marking schemes, and real-time progress tracking.
Describing the reform as more than just a technological advancement, Education Minister Bains emphasized that it signifies a comprehensive transformation in how students’ futures are evaluated. This overhaul aims to ensure fairness, speed, and accuracy in examinations for every student. PSEB Chairman Amarpal Singh emphasized the benefits for students, including reduced result timelines, standardized marking, and enhanced transparency in evaluation. Singh also highlighted the advantages for teachers, who will now engage with a streamlined digital interface ensuring consistency and systematic record-keeping. All technical and administrative preparations for the March rollout of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system have been finalized, reflecting Punjab’s commitment to its students.
