CBSE results: day of delay and anxiety

Jhinuk Mazumdar, TT, May 28: Scores of CBSE Class XII examinees in Calcutta, including some school toppers, today spent all day agonising about their results being withheld without any explanation from the authorities. By the time the results were uploaded in the evening, many of these students and their parents were more angry than relieved.

More than 220 out of the 273 examinees at Bhavan's Gangabaux Kanoria Vidyamandir, 100 out of 124 examinees at Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, 79 out of 133 at Apeejay School Park Street, 16 out of 68 at Apeejay School Salt Lake, 37 out of 842 at Delhi Public School Ruby Park, 44 out of 314 at South Point High School and 29 out of 183 at Sushila Birla Girls' School received the "result withheld" message when they checked the CBSE website around 10.30am.

In the absence of any clarity on why this had happened, school administrators and teachers were unable to say or do anything to lessen the torment. There was also no clarity on when the withheld results would be published, if at all today..

The anxiousness added to the challenge of writing entrance tests for some. "When I left home for my MBBS entrance exam at 12.45pm, I didn't know my result. I knew that some of my friends had got their results and that some had not. I finally decided not to let my mind wander to what was happening," said Sunreeta Bhattacharya, the topper in science from DPS Ruby Park with 97.2 per cent.

His parents were able to see his Class XII result online around 5pm. Sunreeta came to know that he had topped the exam from his school at 6.30pm.

Garima Agarwal, of Apeejay School Salt Lake, spent almost the entire day checking the CBSE website. "I was so tense in the morning. I kept refreshing the webpage showing my result every five seconds. Some of my friends had already seen their result by then and I initially wondered whether I was the only one in this situation. It later transpired that there were many," she recounted.

At schools, the phones would not stop ringing. "It is very stressful for students to not get their results and see the 'RW (result withheld)' message against their names. Our teachers received calls from students the entire day," said Rita Chatterjee, principal of the Apeejay schools.

Apeejay had sent an SMS to all parents, asking them not to worry if they saw "RW" against their wards' names on the CBSE website. Several schools could not download the results.

When students individually entered their roll numbers on the result page, only the subject code and name showed up. The marks and grade columns were blank.

"I think it came down to a level of harassment. We were tense about the results anyway and the last thing we needed was uncertainty about when these would be published," said Mitushi Mukherjee of Sushila Birla Girls' School.

In the CBSE system, online results are the only way students get to know their marks immediately. Hard copies of mark sheets usually take seven to 14 days to reach the respective schools, sources said.

Schools attest the downloaded mark sheets available online for students to use until they receive the hard copies. "We attest the downloaded mark sheets so that students can apply for admission. Most colleges accept those," said Sharmila Bose, principal of Sushila Birla Girls' School.

ICSE and ISC mark sheets usually reach the schools in 48 to 72 hours.

Multiple calls to board officials by Metro went unanswered on Sunday. One official took a call but said he was not authorised to comment.

Another source of anxiety for students was the board's decision not to allow "re-evaluation" of answer scripts this year. "No request for re-evaluation will be entertained by the board. The process of verification of marks and providing photocopies of answer books will continue," said a notice issued today.

Until last year, a student who was not satisfied with his or her marks in the board exam had two options: to get the answer scripts re-checked or get the marks added up and the aggregate verified once again to rule out oversight. Both options could be exercised against a fee.