On-screen marking
On-screen marking system for university answer books
On-screen marking (OSM) is the evaluation of scanned answer books on a computer instead of on paper. AutogradeX is an OSM system for universities and examination boards: evaluators open each scanned script in the browser, annotate it, enter marks per question against a published marking scheme, and submit. Moderation, results and audit records follow automatically.
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How does on-screen marking work in AutogradeX?
Answer books are scanned and checked first. Once a script passes quality control it is allocated to one or two evaluators, who mark it in the browser. Marks are saved as they work, and a script can only be submitted after every page has been viewed.
- Coordinators publish the marking scheme: questions, maximum marks, model answers and rubrics.
- Scripts are allocated to evaluators by subject panel, either single or double evaluation.
- Evaluators mark each question beside the scanned pages, with annotations on the page.
- Large differences between two evaluators, or between an evaluator and the AI proposal, open a moderation case.
- Results export as CSV, Excel or PDF, or as checksummed packages for the university ERP.
What can evaluators do on the marking screen?
The marking screen puts the answer book and the marks side by side. Evaluators never handle paper, and every mark is tied to the pages they viewed.
- Page viewer with zoom, rotation, page thumbnails and keyboard shortcuts.
- Tick, cross, comment and query marks, plus a freehand pen in four colours, an eraser, and undo and redo.
- A compact marks panel that stays usable with 30 or more questions, with a question map and Enter to move to the next mark.
- The question paper, model answers and answer key in a drawer beside the script.
- An optional AI proposal per question, with its reasoning and the pages it relied on. The evaluator decides every mark.
Can evaluators mark on a tablet or phone?
Yes. AutogradeX installs as an app from the browser on Windows, macOS, Android and iPad, with no app store. On tablets and phones the screen switches between the script and the marks, and evaluators can annotate with a finger or a stylus. A stylus on the page does not leave stray marks from the palm.
How does OSM keep marking fair and consistent?
Fairness comes from rules the system enforces, not from reminders.
- Evaluators work from the anonymised student code; the roll number and exam centre recorded at scanning are not shown to them.
- Every page must be viewed before submission, and the system records which pages were seen.
- Double evaluation compares two independent totals; a gap above the subject's threshold goes to a moderator.
- Random moderation samples a set share of scripts per subject.
- Totals are validated against the marking scheme, so a question can never exceed its maximum.
On-screen marking compared with paper evaluation
OSM changes where the work happens and what can be checked afterwards.
| Paper evaluation | On-screen marking with AutogradeX | |
|---|---|---|
| Moving answer books | Bundles travel to every evaluator | Bundles stay at the hub; evaluators receive scans |
| Totalling errors | Manual addition by the examiner | Computed from per-question marks |
| Unmarked pages | Hard to detect | Submission blocked until every page is viewed |
| Re-evaluation | Retrieve the physical booklet | Open the same scan with its marks and annotations |
| Audit trail | Registers and signatures | Time-stamped, hash-chained custody and activity records |
| Result processing | Re-typed from mark sheets | Exported directly to the result system |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between OSM and digital evaluation?
The terms are used for the same process: marking scanned answer books on screen. Digital evaluation usually also covers the steps around marking, such as receiving bundles, scanning, quality control, moderation and results. AutogradeX covers that whole workflow.
Is on-screen marking used by examination boards in India?
Yes. CBSE introduced on-screen marking for its Class XII Board Examinations in 2026, and many universities use it. AutogradeX is built for university examinations, including single and double evaluation and moderation.
Do evaluators need training to use AutogradeX?
Very little. Evaluators sign in with their institutional account and an authenticator app, open their queue and mark. The marking screen works with a mouse, a touch screen or a stylus.
Related
- ScanningScan bound answer booklets at the exam centre or hub with a phone, a USB document camera or an overhead scanner, without cutting the spine.Read
- AI evaluationAutogradeX reads handwritten answers with OCR, has several AI models mark them against your rubric, and leaves every final mark to an evaluator.Read
- SecurityHow AutogradeX protects examination data: multi-factor sign-in, role-based access, a tamper-evident custody ledger and storage in your own cloud.Read
See AutogradeX on your own answer booklets