Lucknow: Seeking to reduce longstanding manual errors, improve transparency and build a secure and future-ready evaluation system, the on-screen marking (OSM) system was introduced in Uttar Pradesh in 2016 and is running successfully in state universities since then.The system was introduced by Prof Vinay Pathak during his stint as AKTU VC in association with the current vice-chancellor, Prof JP Pandey, who was then the controller of examination.Prof Pathak, who is currently the vice-chancellor of CSJM University, Kanpur, said that three things — OSM-compliant (QR code on each page, including the cover page) answer copies, high-resolution scanning of answer copies and on-screen evaluation workflow; training of teachers — create an unbroken digital chain of custody from the examination hall to the declaration of results, which makes fraud practically impossible at every stage.“An OSM-compliant answer copy is the foundation of a secure system,” Pathak said, adding the variable QR code on each inner page is a critical anti-tampering feature.“If any inner pages are substituted, added or removed after the examination, the QR chain will show a break during scanning. The supplier of answer copies is contractually responsible for furnishing a data file,” Pathak said.According to AKTU VC Prof JP Pandey, a glitch-free digital evaluation requires less human intervention and constant monitoring.“OSM does totalling of marks automatically, prevents skipped answers, reduces clerical mistakes, ensures faster processing and greater secrecy in handling answer scripts. The marking scheme remains unchanged as evaluators — not computers — assess the copies,” Prof Pandey said.The process begins once examination centres dispatch answer copies to the central scanning facility. On receipt, the barcode on each answer copy cover is scanned and matched against the dispatch manifest from the examination centre.The physical count is reconciled against both the dispatch count and the examination hall capture data already synced to the server.“Any discrepancy like a missing script, an unregistered barcode, a count mismatch is flagged immediately and escalated before the script enters the scanning queue,” Prof Pandey said.Stating that the on-screen evaluation is the core of the OSM system, Prof Pathak said the examiners were allocated digital answer scripts through the system, without knowledge of the candidate’s identity, institution or region.“Evaluators can reject any page of a copy that is blurred and not readable. The system will automatically re-scan and send the readable image,” Pathak said.“The OSM requires adequate training of teachers before it is rolled out. When we launched the system, we created a YouTube video and circulated it to our faculty, and training of teachers was done. So, teachers were familiar with the on-screen evaluation, which helped in keeping the process error-free,” Prof Pandey said.
