#2 transferred & an Inquiry Committee constituted to probe procurement of OSM System
Amidst the embarrassment faced by the Ministry of Education and the Union Education Minister over the controversy surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) digital evaluation system, the Central Government has transferred the Board’s Chairperson and Secretary and has constituted a committee to investigate the procurement of services for the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.
This action follows weeks of criticism and growing concern regarding irregularities in CBSE’s evaluation process, the online answer-book access system, and the declared results—issues that have impacted millions of students and parents across the country.
The Central Government has transferred both CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta, as both officials held responsibilities for various examination reforms, the Board’s core operations, administration, affiliation matters, and finance.
Furthermore, in the wake of student outrage and attacks from opposition parties, a one-member committee has been constituted by the Cabinet Secretariat to inquire into matters relating to the procurement of services for the On-Screen Marking System by the CBSE. This committee will be chaired by S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. She is empowered to seek the assistance of officers from other offices, as deemed necessary. Secretarial assistance to the committee will be provided by the Capacity Building Commission. The committee is mandated to submit its report to the Department of Personnel & Training within one month.
The controversy intensified following the declaration of the CBSE Class 12 Board examination results, when numerous students encountered difficulties in accessing scanned copies of their answer sheets via the online portal. Many candidates alleged that the images within the uploaded answer books were blurred, pages were incomplete, and certain sections were missing entirely. Additionally, many students and parents lodged complaints regarding technical glitches and delays in the re-evaluation and verification processes. These concerns rapidly garnered attention on social media, as students, teachers, and education experts raised questions regarding the reliability and transparency of the digital evaluation system.
As the controversy escalated, doubts began to surface regarding the On-Screen Marking (OSM) platform and the company responsible for executing the process. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi went so far as to question the very decision to award the tender for the OSM system to this specific company. Questions were raised concerning the vendor selection process, cybersecurity standards, technical preparedness, and whether proper procurement guidelines were adhered to during the awarding of the contract.
Although the Central Government has transferred two CBSE officials and constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the procurement of the OSM system, it remains to be seen—one month later—whether millions of students will ultimately receive justice, or if this inquiry committee will amount to nothing more than a mere formality.
