New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): Amid the controversy surrounding the alleged discrepancies in the evaluated Class 12 answer sheets, Delhi Parents Association's representative Aparajita Gautam made an explosive claim that the Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) checked the answer sheets due to a shortage of Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs), which paved the way for such discrepancies.

TGTs teach the students from Class 6 to Class 10, while the PGTs are tasked to teach the students of Class 11 and Class 12. Aparajita Gautam said that TGTs might not have understood the marking scheme, which resulted in the lower marks for the students

'Papers were supposed to be checked by PGT teachers, but due to shortages, TGT teachers were involved. TGTs usually teach up to Class 10, so they may not have fully understood the marking scheme. This could be a reason why some students received lower marks,' she claimed.

Further, Aparajita Gautam said that the issue left many parents and students disappointed due to shortcomings in the On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal.

Speaking to ANI, Gautam highlighted the importance of Class 12th CBSE exams, saying that the future of the students depends upon the results, adding that they remain focused on competitive examinations such as JEE and NEET. However, due to the discrepancies in the OSM portal, the students couldn't achieve the desired result they wanted.

'After the 12th board exams and CBSE results, their future is decided.. Because of shortcomings in OSM (On-Screen Marking), many parents and children are disappointed. Students don't just prepare in Class 12; they've been working for years, knowing their future depends on it. Students remain focused on competitive exams like JEE and NEET. But due to OSM, many didn't achieve the required marks, causing stress for families and children. Now, they question why this was introduced suddenly without a proper test run,' said Gautam.

Furthermore, the DPA representative suspected a higher number of complaints than CBSE's official figure. She also claimed lack of training was given to teachers without any follow-up meetings.

'Now, they question why this was introduced suddenly without a proper test run. On social media, students are voicing complaints, though not all reach us directly, but the frustration is clear. If you check CBSE's Facebook page, you'll see countless complaints. The official figure says 6.5 lakh students raised objections, but I believe the number should be far higher. Out of 18 lakh students, 12 lakh are from government schools, many in rural areas. If metro city students with laptops struggled, imagine the difficulties faced by rural children with limited access,' said Gautam.

'Training was rushed, with follow-ups missing. Teachers had to log in and practise with sample papers, yet no one verified whether they actually did,' she said.

This comes at a time when the CBSE continues to face mounting pressure following reports of technical failures in its post-result portal and OSM discrepancies in evaluated answer sheets. (ANI)