Amid a crisis of confidence over the Class 12 results, the Centre has transferred CBSE leadership and launched a probe into the controversial On-Screen Marking system.
Amid an escalating controversy surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) Class 12 Board exam results, the Union Government has taken decisive administrative action. Officials confirmed on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, that the Centre has decided to transfer both Rahul Singh, the Chairman of CBSE, and Himanshu Gupta, the Secretary. This move comes as the board faces intense scrutiny over the functionality and accuracy of its newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among students and parents regarding the evaluation of answer scripts.
The decision to transfer the top officials follows a period of significant turmoil for the board. The controversy gained traction after the release of the Class 12 results, where discrepancies in the evaluation of answer scripts became a focal point of public criticism. Many students expressed a widespread sense that their received marks did not align with their expectations, fueled by technical glitches and the malfunctioning of the re-evaluation process. The situation was exacerbated by technical failures, including the crashing of the post-results verification portal due to the sheer volume of requests for answer book copies.
For those students who managed to access their scanned answer books, the experience was reportedly disheartening. Many reported discovering blurred or missing pages, unmarked answers, and in some shocking instances, receiving answer books belonging to other students. These technical and administrative failures have severely impacted the credibility of the board’s examination reforms.
In response to the growing outrage, the Centre has formed a one-member committee to conduct a thorough inquiry into the procurement of services for the On-Screen Marking system by the CBSE. The committee, issued via a memorandum by the Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday, will be chaired by S. Radha Chauhan, the Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. Ms. Chauhan has been empowered to seek assistance from officials of other departments as necessary, while the Capacity Building Commission will provide secretarial support to the panel. The committee is mandated to submit its report to the Department of Personnel and Training within one month.
The political response to the crisis has been swift. Earlier in the day, the Parliamentary Committee for Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, summoned top officials of the CBSE and the Ministry of School Education to address the issue. The memorandum addressing Ms. Chauhan’s appointment was also shared with the Department of School Education and Literacy and the Department of Personnel and Training, highlighting the multi-departmental nature of the investigation.
Statistical data released alongside the results further fueled the debate. The CBSE’s pass percentage for the current year dropped to 85.29%, a noticeable decline from the 88.39% recorded the previous year. Additionally, the number of students scoring above 90% has decreased, adding to the narrative that the new marking system may have adversely affected performance metrics. The editorial perspective on the situation, titled "Score board: On the CBSE’s credibility, its examination reforms," underscores the broader implications of these events for the board’s reputation.
The transfer of leadership and the initiation of a high-level inquiry signal a critical juncture for the CBSE. The combination of statistical declines, technical failures in answer book distribution, and the procedural scrutiny of the On-Screen Marking procurement suggests that the board is facing a systemic credibility crisis. If the inquiry led by S. Radha Chauhan uncovers procedural lapses or procurement irregularities, it could lead to broader structural reforms in how the board manages large-scale examinations. The summoned officials from the Ministry and the board must now navigate a complex landscape of political scrutiny and public distrust, as the long-term impact on the board's authority and the trust of students will depend heavily on the transparency and thoroughness of the upcoming report.
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