The controversy surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) on-screen marking (OSM) system has intensified, shifting focus from technical glitches to the involvement of a private firm, Hyderabad-based Coempt EduTeck Pvt Ltd. The company is now under intense scrutiny amidst allegations of irregularities and potential conflicts of interest in the digital evaluation infrastructure.
Coempt EduTeck Identified as Key Vendor
While CBSE has not publicly disclosed the vendor responsible for its digital evaluation system, a 19-year-old ethical hacker named Nisarga Adhikary identified Coempt EduTeck as the company linked to the "OnMark" digital evaluation platform used by the board. Official documents reportedly indicate that the 2026 system operated through OnMark, with its infrastructure connected to Coempt EduTeck. This identification has sparked further questions regarding the transparency of the contract awarding process.
A History of Controversies
Coempt EduTeck, formerly known as Globarena Technology Pvt Ltd, has faced scrutiny in previous digital evaluation projects. The company was reportedly questioned over its execution and subcontracting practices during the CHSE Odisha Plus II e-evaluation and the 2019 Telangana Intermediate Board results controversy. These past incidents lend weight to the current concerns surrounding the CBSE OSM system.
Political Backlash and Calls for Inquiry
The unfolding fiasco has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly accused the CBSE board of massive irregularities in the results, questioning the awarding of the contract to Coempt EduTeck. He demanded an independent judicial inquiry and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), alleging that errors in the on-screen marking system contributed to student suicides in Telangana in the past. Gandhi further questioned the absence of background checks on the company and its relationship with the government, describing the situation as a "calculated conspiracy" affecting nearly 18.5 lakh students.
The Congress party has also called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, intensifying its criticism of the government's handling of the matter.
Technical Flaws and Student Complaints
Concerns about the OSM system's vulnerabilities were reportedly raised months before the current controversy, with Adhikary claiming to have alerted CERT-In. A cybersecurity expert described Coempt's technology as outdated, questioning its capacity to handle large user loads. Issues were also noted with the payment gateway and the underlying coding structure of the platform.
Following the release of results, students reported numerous problems accessing and scrutinizing their answer sheets. Complaints ranged from blurred scans and missing pages to incorrect sequencing and complete answer-sheet mismatches. In at least one documented instance, CBSE admitted to mixing up a student's Physics answer sheet and subsequently corrected the error, highlighting the significant operational failures within the system.