For the first time, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be used to evaluate Higher Secondary examination answer sheets. From this academic year, the Higher Secondary examination has been divided into two semesters. The first semester, referred to by the Higher Secondary Education Council as the third semester, since students had already appeared for two semesters in Class XI, was completed before Durga Puja. The final semester examination will begin in February.
How will the answer scripts be checked?
The third-semester examination was conducted using OMR sheets, and the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) is using AI to evaluate these answer sheets. The primary objective, according to the Council, is to minimise errors and ensure more accurate assessments.
This year, several complaints have already surfaced regarding examinations conducted through OMR sheets. The Council repeatedly warned students, guardians, and teachers to strictly follow OMR guidelines, as the sheets are evaluated by computers. Any mistake, such as marking multiple circles for one answer, stains caused by water or other substances, or folding of the OMR sheet, can prevent machine reading. In such cases, the answer sheet or OMR sheet may have to be cancelled.
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AI incorporation in evaluation
Despite repeated cautions, sources say that certain issues have still arisen that could create problems in OMR evaluation. To address such cases, the Council has decided to take the help of AI. Council President Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said, “A company has developed an AI system according to our specific requirements. This system will not be available elsewhere. It has been trained through extensive trial-and-error methods to ensure accurate evaluation.”
The AI system incorporates Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. OCR is a technology that scans printed or handwritten text and converts it into digital text, enabling the characters in an image to be recognised and stored as editable data on a computer.
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Will multiple markings lead to the cancellation of answer sheets?
On the OMR sheet, students were required to write their roll number and registration number by hand in two separate places and also fill in the corresponding numbers by darkening circles. Earlier, any mismatch or error in this process could lead to cancellation of the answer sheet. However, with the introduction of this technology, the answer sheet will no longer be cancelled as long as either the handwritten entry or the filled-in circles are correct.
Often, while selecting the correct answer, students accidentally darken more than one option. Under normal circumstances, the machine would reject such responses. But according to Bhattacharya, AI will now assist in such cases. “The system will analyze probabilities. It will assess which of the two markings has been darkened more clearly or with greater pressure. That option will be considered the intended answer,” he explained.
In many cases, a student may have lightly marked an incorrect option by mistake and then clearly marked the correct one. The AI system will identify and select the correct response. Additionally, if any other issues arise, a human operator will be present to take appropriate action.
As for concerns about whether increased use of AI in evaluation could gradually reduce the role of teachers, the Council does not agree. According to the Council, when it comes to evaluating descriptive or detailed answers, “human intelligence” will remain the most reliable and indispensable factor.
