According to one embodiment, a centralized information processing apparatus includes an information acquisition unit configured to acquire image data, sorting destinations arranged in a descending order of scores obtained by character recognition and score information items thereof, and sorting information, a recognition-rate processing unit configured to provide information related to a recognition rate for each sorting destination, a changed parameter value acquisition unit configured to acquire a new parameter value, a simulation executing unit configured to execute a simulation of a character recognition process for the image data by using the changed parameter value, a difference list providing unit configured to form and provide a difference list indicating different content between new sorting information obtained as the simulation result and original sorting information, and a parameter changing unit configured to change the parameter value to the new parameter value.