The Central government on Tuesday took decisive action in the ongoing controversy surrounding the on-screen marking (OSM) system used for Class XII examinations by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta were transferred with immediate effect. Lokhande Prashant Sitaram has been appointed as the new Chairman of the CBSE, while Varun Bhardwaj, Director in the Department of Higher Education, will serve as the new Secretary.
New Appointments and Transfers
Rahul Singh, who previously held the position of CBSE Chairman, has been reassigned as Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Education Ministry for the premature repatriation of Himanshu Gupta to the Ministry of Home Affairs, his parent cadre, on administrative grounds. Gupta will be subject to an extended cooling-off period and will be eligible for another central deputation only after December 12, 2030. Singh was responsible for overseeing the board's operations and examination reforms, while Gupta supervised administrative functions, including finance. Notably, the government had extended Rahul Singh's tenure as CBSE Chairman until November 2027 only last year.
One-Member Committee to Investigate OSM Procurement
The Cabinet Secretariat has notified the constitution of a one-member committee to probe matters relating to the procurement of services for the OSM system by the CBSE. The committee will be chaired by S Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. According to an official memorandum, the chairperson is empowered to obtain assistance from officers of other offices as required. Secretarial assistance to the committee will be provided by the Capacity Building Commission, and the committee is required to submit its report within a month to the Department of Personnel and Training.
Political Reactions
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that the unceremonious exit of the CBSE leadership and the constitution of the one-member committee to investigate the OSM system procurement prove that irregularities were committed. He praised Gen Z students for exposing the scandal online and briefing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, chaired by Digvijaya Singh. Ramesh demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, noting that Rahul Singh had been given a two-year extension as recently as November 2025. He accused the government of attempting to distract and fix accountability on bureaucrats rather than political leadership.
Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke announced a peaceful protest in Delhi on June 6, demanding Pradhan's resignation over alleged examination failures. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk confirmed his participation, stating on social media that any self-respecting minister should resign if things go so wrong, considering the effect on millions of young lives and India's future.
