{
  "id": 15724424,
  "title": "'Wrong Section, Zero Marks': CBSE Tightens On-Screen Marking Rules For Class 10, Warns Students Against Misplacing Answers In Subject Sections",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/wrong-section-zero-marks-cbse-tightens-on-screen-marking-rules-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T08:46:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/wrong-section-zero-marks-cbse-tightens-on-screen-marking-rules-for-class-10-warns-students-against-misplacing-answers-in-subject-sections"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is enforcing new rules for Class 10 students to avoid losing marks due to incorrect placement of answers in their answer booklet. These rules are part of the digital On-Screen Marking system that the board employs for evaluating students' performance. Separate sections for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Social Science are designated in the science stream, while History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics fall under Social Science.\n\nIf a student's answer is placed in the wrong section, it will receive zero marks, irrespective of its accuracy. This decision cannot be reversed through post-result verification or re-evaluation. CBSE city coordinator UK Jha explained that answers deemed misplaced will not be seen by the examiner responsible for that subject, as the digital system scans, digitizes, and categorizes answer booklets accordingly.\n\nSchool principals and educators are actively working with students to ensure they understand the importance of placing answers in the correct sections. Teachers are guiding students through mock tests, teaching them to carefully manage their answer sheets, maintain clear section headers, and leave ample space for unanswered questions. They advise students not to leave questions for the end of the booklet, as this can lead to them being misplaced and subsequently graded as zero.\n\nPreparing for examinations under this new system can be stressful, and students often resort to leaving questions to the end. However, this practice could lead to the loss of crucial marks. Board instructions stipulate that candidates must adhere to the section headers printed on the question paper, start each section on a new page, and clearly indicate section headers.",
  "summary": "Indore: Schools across Indore began intensive preparations to align Class 10 candidates with strict section-wise answer-placement protocols mandated by the Central Board of Secondary Education under its On-Screen Marking digital evaluation system. Also Watch: Board officials warned that answers written outside their designated subject sections will automatically receive zero marks, regardless of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}