The controversy surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system intensified on Tuesday as Class 12 student Sarthak Sidhant appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports. The student, who has emerged as a prominent voice raising concerns about the digital evaluation mechanism, presented his findings before lawmakers and senior education officials, alleging irregularities in the procurement and implementation of the OSM system.

Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman Digvijaya Singh said the panel would examine the concerns raised by students after hearing Sarthak’s presentation. The hearing comes amid growing scrutiny of the CBSE’s new evaluation process, which has faced criticism from students following the declaration of Class 12 examination results. The committee is expected to review the issues raised before deciding on any further course of action.

During his presentation, Sarthak highlighted several alleged irregularities related to the tendering process for the OSM project. Among the issues flagged were reported changes in tender conditions concerning poor performance clauses, blacklisting provisions, financial eligibility requirements, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) criteria, and project qualification norms. The student argued that these changes warranted closer examination to ensure transparency and accountability in the procurement process.

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The presentation was attended by senior officials from the education sector, including CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar. Their presence underscored the significance of the matter, which has attracted national attention in recent weeks. The interaction provided an opportunity for both the student and CBSE officials to present their perspectives before members of the parliamentary panel.

In response to the concerns raised, CBSE submitted a report to committee members outlining the board’s position on the issues encountered by students. According to officials, the board informed the panel that technical glitches reported on its online portal had been rectified. The CBSE also assured lawmakers that students would continue to have sufficient opportunity to seek review of their examination results through the established re-evaluation process.

The parliamentary hearing marks another important development in the ongoing OSM controversy, which has sparked debate over the use of technology in large-scale examination systems. As the committee reviews the submissions made by both the student and CBSE officials, stakeholders across the education sector will be closely watching for any recommendations or findings that could influence future evaluation practices and procurement procedures within the board.

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