The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has finally responded to the controversy surrounding its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, saying it is actively addressing security concerns that were recently highlighted in the public domain. In a post on social media, the board said it is closely monitoring vulnerabilities identified in the OSM portal operated by its service provider and has already initiated steps to strengthen the platform’s security framework.
The statement marks the first detailed response from CBSE since questions began emerging about the security of its digital infrastructure. The board said an expert team comprising cybersecurity professionals from various government agencies and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has been working over the past few days to reinforce the system and prevent any possible misuse.
Cybersecurity experts brought in as board works to secure OSM portal
According to CBSE, the vulnerabilities that were identified have already been contained. The board said efforts are continuing to ensure that no additional exploitable weaknesses remain within the system. As part of the security upgrade process, the OSM portal is also being migrated to a more secure environment.
Reports say that the board stressed that the security enhancement exercise is ongoing and is being carried out with the support of technical experts. CBSE also invited individuals who may have identified any vulnerabilities or security-related concerns to share their findings directly with its security team through the email address secy-cbse@nic.in.
Statement comes amid scrutiny over answer sheet and data security
It comes amid mounting criticism of the board over its digital ecosystem. It started following a complaint from Nisarga Adhikary, a 19-year-old ethical hacker, who pointed out that the answer sheets and exam papers of CBSE stored in AWS bucket could be accessed via the internet.
His allegation only contributed to growing speculations regarding the safety of the On-Screen Marking System of the Board. It prompted heated discussions among students, parents, and even cyber-security experts.
Tender process also faces questions amid growing controversy
Furthering the matter, a student in Class 12 named Sarthak Sidhant carried out what he termed an in-depth analysis of the tender documents for CBSE and the tender relating to the OSM system.
In his analysis, Sidhant noted that CBSE made certain changes by relaxing certain essential criteria and reducing other security-related aspects during the bidding process. This, according to his analysis, would enable Coempt Eduteck, an entity based in Hyderabad, to win the On-Screen Marking tender.
As more concerns have been raised on the matter, CBSE insists that the required corrective action is in place while efforts to enhance the security of the system are ongoing. The organization says its technical teams are still carrying out an analysis of the system as efforts are made to prevent any future risks to the system.
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
