Pradhan stated that the administration stands accountable for any distress caused, adding that this was not a time for political confrontation. He appealed that no remarks or actions should further increase the pressure on students and examinees.
Separately, the Education Minister chaired a high-level meeting with CBSE officials at the board headquarters to address technical and payment-related issues emerging during the re-evaluation and verification process. He noted that CBSE had already initiated the re-evaluation process for Class 12 examinations.
According to the minister, approximately 17 lakh students participated in the examination cycle, involving nearly 98 lakh answer copies and around 40 crore scanned pages. He highlighted that CBSE has introduced a digital evaluation system for the first time to ensure greater transparency and student-centric reforms. Under this system, students are allowed to access scanned copies of their answer sheets, verify marks, and raise objections. So far, around 4 lakh students have accessed nearly 11 lakh answer sheets.
Pradhan further stated that leading institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology in Kanpur and Madras, have been engaged to supervise the technological framework. In addition, four public sector banks—State Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Canara Bank—have integrated payment gateways to support the process. He acknowledged that certain discrepancies had emerged and said the government accepts responsibility, promising corrective measures and full accountability at every level to ensure that no student grievance remains unresolved.
The controversy began after several students alleged that scanned answer sheets provided during the re-evaluation process did not match their handwriting. A Class 12 student also claimed on social media that vulnerabilities were discovered in a CBSE-linked On-Screen Marking testing portal.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha accused the central government of remaining silent over alleged irregularities in the CBSE On-Screen Marking system and demanded an independent judicial investigation into the matter. In response, the CBSE clarified that there had been no breach in the actual evaluation system and stated that the online portal in question was an internal testing platform containing sample data, not the live examination assessment system.
Earlier, allegations were also raised by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who questioned the procurement process of the company involved in the digital evaluation system and cited its past controversy in Telangana. The CBSE responded that all procurement procedures and General Financial Rules were strictly followed while awarding the contract to Coempt Edutech.
In a sharp political response, Pradhan also stated that Rahul Gandhi appeared frustrated due to repeated electoral defeats and alleged that he has consistently opposed scientific and technological initiatives, including Electronic Voting Machines, Digital India, and Special Intensive Revision processes. He reiterated that any proven irregularity would lead to strict action without exception.
The developments have intensified scrutiny over CBSE’s digital evaluation framework, even as authorities maintain that corrective measures are underway and student concerns remain the central focus.
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