The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is facing growing scrutiny over the implementation of two major initiatives: the On Screen Marking (OSM) system for board exam evaluation and the rollout of the three-language policy, with questions being raised about planning, preparedness, and decision-making within the board.
The OSM system, introduced for the evaluation of Class 12 answer sheets, has come under the spotlight following reports that the final contract awarded for the project was significantly more expensive than earlier estimates.
“Reports have raised questions over an increase of nearly Rs. 10 crore in the final contract value compared with earlier estimates, despite what critics describe as a broadly similar scope of work." The procurement process itself has drawn attention.
The CBSE reportedly issued three separate tenders before finalising a vendor.
While the first tender failed to attract any bids, the second did not result in a technically qualified bidder. The board then revised several technical requirements in a fresh tender issued in August 2025.
Following this process, Hyderabad-based Coempt Edu Teck was selected over Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) after financial bids were evaluated. Questions have also emerged over the manner in which the system was introduced nationwide.
“According to reports, the CBSE’s governing body had recommended pilot projects across regional offices before a nationwide rollout." The concerns were not limited to administrative recommendations.
“According to reports, some teachers who participated in trial runs said the system required more preparation before nationwide implementation." Further debate has centered on changes made to the tender conditions. Among the revisions were modifications to scanning specifications, the removal of a requirement related to robotic scanners, and adjustments to certification criteria. Critics argue that these changes widened the eligibility pool, while the CBSE has maintained that the revisions were made in line with procurement norms after earlier tenders failed to yield successful outcomes.
The issue gained greater prominence after some students reported discrepancies during the post-result verification process, including alleged answer sheet mismatches and scanning-related errors. While acknowledging complaints, the CBSE has stated that such cases represented a small fraction of the nearly 9.9 million answer books processed through the system.
The matter has now reached the attention of the Union Education Ministry, which has sought explanations from the board and initiated inquiries into the tendering and implementation process. No finding of wrongdoing has been made against the CBSE or any official, and inquiries ordered by the Education Ministry are ongoing.
At the same time, the CBSE is facing criticism over the rollout of its revised three-language framework. Reports indicate that the board’s governing body had earlier favored implementing the policy only after essential academic requirements, including textbooks and related infrastructure, were in place. However, schools were subsequently instructed to begin implementation during the current academic session.
Under the revised curriculum announced in April 2026, a third language became mandatory from Class 6 onwards. Schools were advised to begin teaching the language immediately, even as dedicated learning materials were still being developed. The policy was later extended to Classes 9 and 10, with the CBSE directing schools to ensure that students study three languages from July 2026.
Under the framework, at least two of the languages must be Indian languages, while assessment of the third language will be conducted internally rather than through the board examination system. The timing of the rollout has sparked concern among school administrators and educators because dedicated textbooks and teaching resources for several language combinations are yet to be fully developed. Schools have been asked to rely on interim materials and local resources until official textbooks become available.
