Public anger over this year’s Grade 12 examination results has intensified, with thousands of students questioning the accuracy of the published scores and demanding the resignation of Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel.

What began as an online campaign has now spilled onto the streets, as students accuse the government and the National Examination Board of negligence and recklessness in publishing results that they say have jeopardised their academic futures.

On Thursday, a group of students gathered at Maitighar in Kathmandu to protest against what they described as serious flaws in the evaluation process. Demonstrators claimed answer sheets were checked hastily in a bid to publish results quickly, resulting in marks that do not reflect students’ actual performance.

The controversy erupted immediately after the National Examination Board published the Grade 12 results on June 19. Social media platforms popular among young people, particularly TikTok and Reddit, have since been flooded with complaints, personal testimonies and calls for accountability.

Hashtags such as ‘Resign Sasmit Pokharel’ and ‘Grade12Unfair’ have gained traction online. Students have also created dedicated social media accounts demanding action from the education minister, who also serves as the government spokesperson.

Several viral videos accuse authorities of sacrificing accuracy for speed. One widely shared TikTok post questioned whether government officials felt any remorse for what the creator described as “playing with the future of thousands of students in their rush to release results.”

Another video, viewed more than 334,000 times within a short period, criticised both the minister and the examination system. The creator wrote: “We made him powerful, but he turned against us. Destroyed our future, investment and hard work. Resignation, resignation, resignation.”

Many of the videos circulating online show students breaking down in tears as they recount receiving grades far below their expectations. One video posted by a user named Anjum was viewed more than 537,000 times and raised serious concerns about the conduct of both the examination board and the ministry.

“Does checking papers quickly mean checking them carelessly?” she asked. “Now students are being charged between Rs500 and Rs1,000 per subject for rechecking. Has examination evaluation become a business?”

“I looked at my marksheet and could not believe it,” she said. “Students who consistently achieved top grades and had never scored below an A suddenly received a C-plus. Neither my family nor my teachers can believe the results. These marks are not just numbers on paper. They represent the future, dreams and years of hard work of thousands of students.”

Similar frustrations have surfaced on Reddit. In the online community NepalPlusTwo, users questioned the government’s celebration of releasing results within 35 days.

One user criticised what he described as a publicity-driven approach. “The authorities proudly claimed they had set a record by publishing results in just 35 days. What is the point of that if the evaluation itself is flawed?” the user wrote. “Students generally know how they performed and develop expectations accordingly. Charging Rs1,000 for retotaling under these circumstances feels like exploitation.”

The dissatisfaction has been amplified by concerns raised after this year’s Secondary Education Examination (SEE) results. SEE results were published on May 11, just 30 days after examinations ended, with an overall pass rate of 65.98 percent.

Following the SEE results, around five percent of candidates applied for retotaling, significantly higher than the roughly three percent recorded in previous years. The issue became more controversial after reports emerged that around 1,000 answer sheets submitted for retotaling had gone missing.

Against this backdrop, many students say they have little confidence in the reliability of the Grade 12 evaluation process.

As criticism mounted, Minister Pokharel attempted to reassure students and guardians through a five-point clarification posted on his official Facebook page on Saturday. He insisted that no errors had occurred in the publication of results and defended the examination process.

However, the statement appears to have fuelled rather than calmed public anger.

Responding to the minister’s post, social media user Samip Khanal questioned why students’ futures were being risked in a race to publish results quickly.

“My sister was expected to achieve a GPA above 3.8 and had consistently performed at that level in pre-board examinations,” he wrote. “How did she end up with only 3.58? She is now suffering severe panic and mental stress.”

Another user, Gauraj Raj Bista, argued that students should not bear the financial burden of correcting possible mistakes made during evaluation.

“Human errors can occur while marking answer sheets,” he wrote. “But if a student’s result changes after retotaling, the fee collected should be refunded. Requiring students to pay again when the mistake is not theirs is unfair.”

Kriti Bhusal echoed similar concerns, saying fairness and credibility mattered far more than rushing results. “We place years of hard work, dreams and future plans in these results,” she wrote. “Questions raised by students cannot be dismissed simply because results were published quickly or because the pass rate improved. We are not asking for special treatment. We are only seeking fair evaluation and accountability from responsible institutions.”

Bowing to the mounting criticism, the Ministry of Education has announced the formation of an investigation committee. In a social media post on Thursday, Minister Pokharel said the committee would include under-secretaries from the ministry and the Curriculum Development Centre. The panel has been tasked with conducting sample-based verification of answer sheets and reviewing examination marks and data-entry procedures.