Ranchi: On Tuesday, the Centre transferred the CBSE chairman and secretary amid the controversy over the OSM-based evaluation system. Sarthak Siddhant, the 17-year-old from Ranchi who played a pivotal role in exposing gaps in the tendering process that allowed the hiring of the allegedly tainted firm Coempt Edu Tech, said his fight is far from over. Speaking to ASRP Mukesh over phone from Delhi, Siddhant clarified that his actions were not driven by personal vendetta against CBSE but purely by curiosity. Excerpts:
Now that the government has initiated action, are you happy?
It is not about me being happy or sad. It is a question of the future of lakhs of students in the country. I will not be satisfied until I get answers to the questions I have raised through my blog, which highlighted discrepancies in the tendering process by CBSE to favor a particular firm for the OSM system. Yes, the government has transferred the top bosses of CBSE, but that is not proper action. All I am demanding is fixing accountability and transparency. If something goes wrong, one must take accountability and explain what, where, and why things went wrong. I am sure that in another couple of months, after the one-member committee finishes its probe, proper action will follow.
What prompted you to begin probing CBSE roping in Coempt Edu Tech?
Let me make it clear that I did not act out of any vendetta towards CBSE or anyone. It was more of a curiosity amid the entire mess. When the results came, I was not happy with my scores as I knew I could have done better. Meanwhile, one of my long-time friends, Nisarg Adhikari, who is an ethical hacker, had been posting about scores of vulnerabilities in CBSE's OSM platforms in our common group chats. That prompted me to dig deeper.
How much did you score in CBSE XII?
I do not wish to share it. It was not that bad, and my mother was happy too. But I had a feeling that the score could improve further, which is why I have decided to go for re-evaluation now.
When did you begin your probe? How long did it take to detect alleged discrepancies?
On May 22, I began scanning the tender documents through various sources, including the CBSE website related to OSM. I collaborated with Nisarg and a few journalist friends to study them. It took about six days, after which I decided to publish my findings on my blog.
Did you realize it would get such attention?
Honestly, no. Whatever I did was solely due to my inquisitive nature. But as I went through around 500-odd documents, I saw clear signs of how the tendering process kept changing to suit a particular firm.
You appeared before the Parliament standing committee...
I submitted my findings, which are already mentioned in my blog. I am not supposed to reveal much about it.
Are you in favor of OSM?
Personally, I am not against it. We must always welcome innovations. Having said that, it should be done in a proper manner so that the public can benefit.
You have your own website...
I am a tech enthusiast and love coding, writing, and developing websites. That is my passion.
What is your future plan?
I want to pursue computer science engineering.
About the Author: ASRP Mukesh holds over 15 years of journalistic experience. He covers government, politics, and human interest stories from Jharkhand.
