NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday admitted that "technical issues" had resulted in incorrect fee deductions during the Class 12 post-result process, and assured students that excess amounts charged due to the glitches would be refunded.
The move comes a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought a detailed report from the board amid widespread complaints of abnormal fee spikes on its re-evaluation portal.
In an official notice dated May 24, issued on the last day of the application window for obtaining scanned copies of Class XII answer sheets, the board admitted that between May 21 and 22, some candidates were charged more than the prescribed fee, while others were charged less.
"Certain technical issues led to incorrect fee deductions in some cases," the notice stated. It added that all excess payments would be automatically refunded to the original mode of payment, while those who were undercharged would be notified separately to pay the balance, if required.
The clarification comes in the wake of a major controversy surrounding the CBSE re-evaluation process since it started on May 19, where students had alleged that the portal was either compromised or malfunctioning.
As per CBSE norms, students were required to pay Rs 100 per subject to access scanned copies of their evaluated answer books. However, several users reported being asked to pay amounts ranging from Rs 8,000 to as high as Rs 67,000 and even Rs 69,420 per subject.
Screenshots of these fluctuating figures had gone viral on social media, triggering panic among students and parents. Many claimed they had either been overcharged or were unable to complete payments despite repeated attempts.
While CBSE did not confirm any hacking attempt, it had earlier cited "unprecedented traffic" and "attempts of unauthorised interference" as reasons for disruptions on the portal.
The board had also extended the deadline for applications twice, with the final extension ending on May 24.
Meanwhile, the board clarified that affected students would not need to submit fresh requests for scanned copies. "Scanned copies of the evaluated answer books shall be provided in all such cases," it said.
Despite the assurance, concerns remain among students who had already made payments during the glitch period and are awaiting refunds or confirmation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the CBSE had said that it was monitoring all reported issues and taking corrective measures, including extension of timelines and technical interventions.
"Parents and students are requested not to feel anxious if they have encountered such issues. The very purpose of the verification and re-evaluation mechanism is to address genuine concerns in a structured and fair manner," the statement said.
It had said that due to exceptionally high traffic on the portal, some technical disruptions were experienced during peak periods.