In a major administrative shake-up amid mounting controversy over the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) on-screen marking (OSM) system, the Union government on Tuesday transferred CBSE chairman Rahul Singh and secretary-cum-chief administrative officer Himanshu Gupta and ordered a formal inquiry into the procurement of services for the digital evaluation platform. The government later appointed senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Prashant Sitaram Lokhande as the new chairperson of the board. The government has also appointed Varun Bhardwaj, a 2008-batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer and director in the department of higher education, as the new secretary of CBSE.
The move follows growing criticism from students, parents and education stakeholders over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the OSM system, introduced this year for the evaluation of Class 12 board examination answer scripts.
The government has constituted a one-member inquiry committee headed by S Radha Chauhan, chairperson of the capacity building commission, to examine issues related to the procurement of OSM services by CBSE. According to an official memorandum issued on 2 June 2026, the committee has been asked to submit its report within one month.
The inquiry panel has been empowered to seek assistance from officers and experts, as required, while the capacity building commission will provide secretarial support.
The government's decision signals a tougher stance on allegations surrounding the tendering and implementation of the digital evaluation system which has remained under intense scrutiny in recent weeks.
The controversy erupted after students reported multiple issues linked to the OSM platform, including blurred scans of answer sheets, missing pages and, in some cases, alleged instances of candidates gaining access to answer scripts belonging to other students during the post-result verification process.
Concerns intensified as students and parents questioned the transparency and reliability of the newly adopted digital evaluation mechanism. The issue also drew the attention of Parliament's standing committee on education, women, children, youth and sports which recently heard submissions from Class 12 student Sarthak Sidhant regarding alleged discrepancies in the OSM tendering process.
The Union ministry of education is also understood to have been examining allegations related to the procurement process, along with potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the digital evaluation ecosystem.
According to media reports, experts from premier institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), were consulted after technical glitches surfaced during the answer-sheet verification process. Several students reportedly faced difficulties accessing answer books and making online payments for verification requests.
CBSE, however, has maintained that the procurement process was conducted in accordance with government financial rules and established tendering procedures. Board officials have denied any wrongdoing in the award of contracts related to the OSM system.
Meanwhile, in an apparent effort to address student grievances, CBSE on Tuesday opened its re-evaluation portal. The facility became operational on 2nd June and will remain open until 6 June 2026.
The board said students who have already obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books can apply for verification of discrepancies and seek re-evaluation of specific answers if they believe their responses have not been assessed correctly.
The OSM system marked a significant departure from the traditional method of evaluating physical answer scripts. Under the new framework, examiners assess digitised copies of answer books through a centralised online platform.
While CBSE has described the initiative as a step towards modernising examination processes, critics argue that the nationwide rollout may have been undertaken without adequate pilot testing and safeguards.
The findings of the Radha Chauhan committee are expected to determine whether there were lapses in the procurement process and whether corrective measures or accountability proceedings are warranted.
CBSE On-screen Marking Row Reaches Parliament; Class 12 Student Sarthak Sidhant Presents Findings to Standing Committee
Moneylife Digital Team
02 June 2026
The controversy surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) on-screen marking (OSM) system escalated on Tuesday after Class 12 student Sarthak Sidhant appeared before a Parliamentary standing committee and presented...
From First-generation Lawyer to Supreme Court Judge: Justice V Mohana’s Historic Ascent
Moneylife Digital Team
02 June 2026
When justice V Mohana took the oath as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on 2 June 2026, it was more than a personal milestone. It was the culmination of nearly four decades of perseverance, hard work and faith in the legal...
People Will Obey Laws Only If Punishment Like Chopping Hands and Legs Is Imposed: Karnataka HC
Siddesh MS (Bar
and
Bench)
01 June 2026
People are committing crimes casually and in a routine manner because offenders are not dealt with firmly enough under the law, the Karnataka High Court recently observed while refusing to grant bail to a 23-year-old rape accused...
CBSE Contains OnMark Portal Vulnerabilities as OSM Row Deepens; Parliament Panel To Review Evaluation Glitches
Moneylife Digital Team
01 June 2026
After remaining in denial mode for nearly a week, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has said that security vulnerabilities identified in the OnMark portal used for its digital evaluation process have been contained. The...
