The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) faced a significant development on Tuesday as the central government transferred its chairman and secretary and ordered a formal inquiry into the procurement of services for the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. The move intensifies scrutiny over the digital evaluation system, which has been embroiled in controversy since its introduction for Class 12 board examinations this year.
Inquiry Committee Formed
An official order announced the constitution of a one-member committee headed by S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. The committee will examine matters related to the procurement of services for the OSM system. It has been tasked with submitting its report to the Department of Personnel and Training within one month. The order empowers Chauhan to seek assistance from officers of other offices as required, with secretarial support provided by the Capacity Building Commission.
Transfer of Top Officials
CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta were transferred on Tuesday. According to IANS, the action follows growing concerns among students and parents over alleged irregularities linked to the OSM system. Singh served as CBSE chairman, while Gupta held the additional charge of Chief Administrative Officer. Neither the government order constituting the inquiry committee nor the transfer orders publicly linked the transfers to any specific findings, but the timing has raised questions.
Background of the Controversy
The OSM system, introduced for Class 12 board exams, allows evaluators to assess scanned copies of answer sheets instead of physical copies. What began as student complaints over discrepancies in digital answer sheet evaluation has expanded into questions about procurement, oversight, and accountability. Class 12 student Sarthak Sidhant, a prominent voice in the controversy, has alleged that eligibility and qualification criteria in successive tenders were modified to benefit a particular vendor. CBSE has not publicly accepted those allegations.
Parliamentary Panel Review
On the same day, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports reviewed concerns related to the OSM system. According to ANI, the committee heard a presentation from Sidhant and examined issues relating to evaluation practices and transparency. Committee chairman Digvijaya Singh stated that the panel would consider both the issues raised by students and CBSE’s responses, with a decision expected after further deliberation.
Re-evaluation Portal Opens
Coinciding with these developments, CBSE opened its re-evaluation portal for students seeking review of their results. The portal became operational on June 2 and will remain open until midnight on June 6. Students who have obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books can apply for verification of issues and seek re-evaluation of specific answers. CBSE has fixed the fee at Rs 100 per answer book for verification requests and Rs 25 per question for re-evaluation.
Cybersecurity Measures
Education Ministry sources told ANI that cybersecurity agencies, including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), are monitoring cyberattacks targeting the OSM re-evaluation portal. Additionally, government agencies and experts from the Indian Institutes of Technology have been deployed to strengthen the platform's security infrastructure.
With a parliamentary committee examining the issue and a government-appointed inquiry now underway, attention is expected to shift from individual result disputes to how the OSM system was introduced and managed. The coming weeks will likely see further scrutiny of procurement processes and accountability within CBSE.
