A trio of determined teenagers has brought to light significant systemic flaws within the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India's prominent education board. Vedant Shrivastava, Nisarga Adhikary, and Sarthak Sidhant leveraged the power of social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to conduct citizen-led investigations that traditional media outlets had largely overlooked.
The Paper Swap: Challenging Evaluation Accuracy
The initial investigation began with 17-year-old Vedant Shrivastava, who questioned his exam marks and sought a re-evaluation from CBSE. To his astonishment, the board sent him a Physics answer sheet belonging to an entirely different student. Shrivastava publicly shared this evidence on X, which was met with a coordinated online smear campaign attempting to discredit him. Despite the backlash, his persistence compelled the CBSE to acknowledge and address the deep-seated errors within its evaluation processes.
The Security Breach: Uncovering Data Vulnerabilities
As the CBSE grappled with evaluation discrepancies, 19-year-old Nisarga Adhikary shifted focus to the board's digital infrastructure. Adhikary successfully identified and exploited a critical vulnerability on the CBSE website, which left sensitive student data exposed. He initially reported this flaw directly to CBSE officials, but after receiving no response or corrective action, he made his findings public on X. His detailed exposé clearly demonstrated the board's inadequate digital security measures and the potential risks to student information.
The Tender Discrepancy: Scrutinizing Financial Operations
The final blow came from 18-year-old Sarthak Sidhant, who delved into the CBSE's administrative and financial dealings. Sidhant conducted a thorough audit of a CBSE Online Screen Marking (OSM) tender, subsequently publishing a comprehensive thread on X. His investigation detailed how the tender conditions allegedly favored a specific vendor, COEMPT. Sidhant went beyond social media, presenting his factual evidence directly to mainstream media, publicly explaining the procurement anomalies. Together, these three young individuals showcased the immense power of citizen journalism and digital activism in holding large institutions accountable for systemic failures.