A significant wave of UAE-based Class 12 students is seeking re-evaluation of their CBSE board marks this year, driven by widespread frustration over lower-than-expected results. This trend is largely attributed to a mix of new assessment methods, the shift toward competency-based questions, and the introduction of On-Screen Marking. Because high board marks are essential for qualifying for elite engineering institutions like the IITs—where a minimum of 75 percent is often mandatory—many students find themselves in a precarious position. The situation has been further complicated by the disruption of exams due to regional conflicts, leading to a hybrid assessment approach that has left many families questioning the consistency of the final grading.

The sheer volume of re-evaluation requests has been so substantial that the CBSE portal recently struggled to manage the traffic, necessitating technical intervention. School administrators note that while the process is a standard recourse, the current surge is unprecedented. Principals are now playing a vital role in counseling families, advising them to review their answer sheets carefully before committing to a formal re-evaluation, which carries the risk of marks potentially decreasing. While educators acknowledge the CBSE's goal of modernizing the testing system, many suggest that a phased, pilot-based implementation could have helped students and teachers adapt more smoothly to these challenging changes.