Policy for Accurate Reading of OMR bubbles on sheet

Case

Employee or a patient feedback form where they are asked to tick the appropriate rating.

MCQ exam where the students are asked to fill the bubbles properly.

Strict Policy

Accept only proper tick marks that have been made in proper location and of proper size.

Accept marks made as per instruction with reasonable variation within very tight range due to human factor. Read only bubbles that are completely or nearly completely filled, ignore others.

Default Policy is kept relaxed to the extent possible to keep it convenient for the respondents. Generally Strict policy is not applied in case of Feedback because purpose is subjective.

Default policy is kept strict so that only clear and evident, intentional and purposeful marking is accepted to avoid contentions. Generally Relaxed policy is not applied in case of Test because objective and outcome of test is crucial.

Reason
for different policy for different cases…

Why small tick marks are allowed in feedbacks? Feedback is an activity seeking voluntary participation and honest responses. If you make it compulsory or tedious for the respondent, it will demotivate a user to give honest responses.
One cannot expect or dictate a sick patient or a busy employee to put in extra effort to color the circles. Their honest response is important. So to facilitate the user, he is allowed to make convenient marks on the sheet. Moreover, the user has no direct advantage of filling the sheet, so they can be allowed to mark in their own style.

Why small marks are NOT allowed in MCQ exams? Why only full bubbles filling is expected?
Since there is high stake in exams, the candidates try to make all sorts of attempts to take advantage. If we have a relaxed policy to read marks of all sizes, then if the candidate is not sure of the answer, he might intentionally create ambiguity by making a small mark in one of the options. Now if he gets the answer right by fluke, he will expect the mark to be read, and will claim that this is his marked answer. On the other hand, if the answer he marked is wrong, he might argue that, the mark on his sheet was an unintentional slip, or maybe and impression of other sheet in the stack, but he did not mark it.

1. Use only blue/ black ball point pen to fill the circles.
2. Use of pencil is strictly prohibited.
3. Circles should be darkened completely & properly.
4. Cutting and erasing on this sheet is not allowed.
5. Do not use marker or white fluid to hide the mark.
6. Do not use any stray marks on the sheet.

1. Mark boxes like this [==-=] with a thick solid black line. Hide the letter in the box completely. Do not make a thin line. 
2. Use a dark HB or No.2 pencil only.
3. Rub out any errors thoroughly.
4. Mark within the given box, Do not cross margins.
5. Do not use any stray marks on the sheet.