Education Minister Pralhad Joshi reviews CBSE overhaul amid exam evaluation controversy
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi met senior officials of the Department of School Education and Literacy on Monday (August 24, 2026) to review the working of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) amid growing public concern over the board's evaluation and administrative processes.
"The meeting reviewed key priorities for strengthening CBSE's academic, examination and administrative processes, with a focus on greater efficiency, transparency and improved support for students and teachers," Mr. Joshi wrote on X. No concrete decisions or time-bound measures were announced following the meeting.
The review assumes significance as the CBSE, one of the largest school education boards in the world with over 20,000 affiliated schools, has come under scrutiny over its handling of the Class 12 board examinations this year. The controversy centres on the newly introduced on-screen marking (OSM) system, which replaced the traditional paper-based evaluation.
Students who applied for re-evaluation reported that the scanned copies of their answer sheets shared with them actually belonged to other candidates. Additionally, many complained that the scans were blurry or incomplete, with missing pages and unchecked responses. Some also cited errors in the totalling of marks and frequent crashes of the portal, making it difficult to access results or submit applications.
Further, questions have been raised about the credibility of Coempt EduTeck, the vendor chosen to operate the OSM system. The company was previously implicated in the 2019 Telangana intermediate examination, where a similar online evaluation platform malfunctioned and produced erroneous results. This history has led to concerns about the due diligence exercised by CBSE in finalising the contract.
Compounding the evaluation issue are cybersecurity concerns. Independent researchers and ethical hackers have pointed out vulnerabilities in CBSE's digital evaluation infrastructure, including the lack of a robust archival architecture and potential exposure of sensitive student data. The board's response has been to engage expert teams from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Chennai and IIT Kanpur to review its IT ecosystem. These teams have reportedly stated that a long-term security plan is required to safeguard the system.
The practical effects of these failures have been significant. Several students, anxious about securing admission to higher education institutions, have been unable to verify their scores or correct errors before deadlines. The re-evaluation process, intended as a remedy, has itself become a source of anxiety due to the faulty scans. In some cases, students have had to approach courts to seek remedies, though no major judgment has been delivered yet.
The developments have exacerbated a trust deficit between the board and the student community. Parent and teacher associations have called for an independent audit of the evaluation system and greater accountability from CBSE officials. Their demands include clearer communication, a more responsive grievance redressal mechanism, and strict data protection guarantees.
The Union Minister's review is widely seen as the first official acknowledgement at the highest level of the issues plaguing the board. However, the Ministry has not specified a timeline for implementing reforms. The meeting is expected to be followed by consultations with technical experts and stakeholders, with the aim of restoring confidence in the board's examinations.
As one of the largest examination bodies in the country, CBSE's integrity is crucial for the academic futures of millions of students. The ongoing review is an opportunity to address systemic flaws and rebuild trust. A concrete action plan, with clear deadlines and transparent reporting, will be essential in this regard.
