New Delhi, Nov. 2 -- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) collected Rs.16.47 crore (unaudited) from students seeking scanned copies of evaluated Class 12 answer books, verification of marks and re-evaluation after its 2026 board examinations, according to an October 14 reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by HT on August 22. The board said its finance division had not received any "sanction order" for payment to its on-screen marking (OSM) vendor, Coempt Edu Teck, for scanning Class 12 answer books, and that the finance section had no information on penalties imposed on the company. CBSE disclosed Rs.3.57 crore (unaudited) in refunds to candidates whose marks increased following reevaluation, equivalent to 21.68% of the combined collections. However, it did not disclose the number of beneficiaries, the total number of unique students who applied for the three services or subject-wise changes in marks. Several students told HT they received no refund despite an increase in their marks. CBSE did not respond to HT's queries seeking clarification on the figures, refunds, vendor payments and penalties. "OSM evaluation and re-evaluation was a big mess. I have never seen so much chaos in my decades of experience as a teacher and a school administrator," said a principal of a CBSE-affiliated school in Gurugram, requesting anonymity. One student who usually topped a subject saw his marks rise by 30 after reevaluation, the principal said....