Use of Ink or Gel Pen for Filling OMR Answer Sheet

Ideally, a ball point pen or pencil should be used to fill OMR sheets. In case of the ball point pen, blue and black are the preferred colors. You must Use the Color Pen specified on the OMR sheet's instructions section. In case of pencil, a dark 2B or HB pencil should be used as they can create dark impressions on the page, which are required for the OMR software to identify the marks. Although pen and pencil are the preferred tools for OMR sheet filling, some people have queries on the use of ink or gel pen for this purpose. Let us try to find some information about this.

• Gel and ink pen are usually not recommended for Filling OMR Sheets. This is because they do not dry fast and this can create blotting on the paper, thus damaging the OMR sheet.
• Gel pen is sometimes allowed in OMR exams in case the ball point pen stops working. In this case, it is important to make sure that the ink dries properly.
• While using the ink or gel pen, the impressions of the ink do not appear for some time. It is only when the person is half way through the paper that he/she notices the spreading or smudging on the other side of the sheet. But then nothing could be done.
• Although gel pen can be used in certain cases, ink pen should never be used for filling OMR sheets.

The Use of Ink or Gel Pen on OMR Sheets should be avoided as much as possible. When you have no other option because of some problem with your ball point pen, consult your invigilator to find a solution.