The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a clarification stating that students applying for the re-evaluation of their Class 10 and Class 12 board examination results are not required to possess an account with a public sector bank for fee payments. This announcement, made following reports of confusion among candidates and parents, aimed to streamline the application process for students seeking mark verification, photocopies of answer books, or re-evaluation of specific questions.

The clarification addresses a misconception that had arisen during the application period for post-result services. Some applicants had interpreted the payment guidelines as mandating the use of public sector bank accounts, creating an unnecessary hurdle for those without such accounts. CBSE emphasized that no such condition exists, reassuring students that they could use any bank account, whether public or private, to complete the necessary transactions.

The payment system for these services is designed to accommodate various digital methods. Students can utilize debit cards, credit cards, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), or net banking facilities from any financial institution. This flexibility ensures accessibility for the approximately 39 lakh students who appeared for the CBSE Class 10 and 12 board examinations in 2024, the results for which were declared on May 13, 2024. The board's stance from the outset has been to facilitate payments through diverse banking channels, and the recent clarification served to re-emphasize this policy.

The re-evaluation process is a multi-stage system for students who are dissatisfied with their awarded marks. Each stage incurs a specific fee:

  • Verification of Marks: Rs 500 per subject.
  • Obtaining Photocopy of Evaluated Answer Book: Rs 500 per subject.
  • Re-evaluation of Marks: Rs 100 per question.

The application windows for these services were scheduled consecutively following the result declaration:

  • Applications for verification of marks were accepted from May 17 to May 21, 2024.
  • Requests for obtaining photocopies of evaluated answer books were open from May 22 to May 26, 2024.
  • The final stage, re-evaluation of marks, had an application window from May 30 to May 31, 2024.

The CBSE’s clarification aims to ensure that no student faces an impediment to exercising their right to these post-result services due to a misunderstanding regarding payment methods. By explicitly stating that all bank accounts and common digital payment platforms are acceptable, the board reinforces its commitment to fair and accessible examination procedures for all candidates across India.