CBSE breaks silence on OSM fiasco: ‘Monitoring security issues’
Board says it is working with cybersecurity experts to strengthen protections on its marking platform
Amid growing concerns over the security of its digital answer-sheet evaluation system, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued its first detailed response regarding vulnerabilities reported in the On-Screen Marking (OSM) platform.
In a statement posted on social media, the board said it is actively monitoring security issues identified in the OSM portal operated by its service provider.
Also read: CBSE revaluation portal hit by cyberattack, around 50 students affected: Report
CBSE stated that a team of cybersecurity experts drawn from government agencies and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has been examining the system over the past several days to strengthen its security framework.
Security upgrade
According to the board, the vulnerabilities that were brought to its attention have been addressed, and additional checks are being carried out to identify any remaining weaknesses that could potentially be exploited. As part of the security upgrade process, the portal is also being migrated to a more secure infrastructure.
Also read: CBSE OSM row takes new turn amid claims of students being pressured to defend it online
CBSE acknowledged the role played by ethical hackers and concerned citizens who flagged possible flaws in the system. The board said it has reached out to some of them directly and appreciated their efforts in helping improve the platform's security. It has also invited others who may have discovered vulnerabilities to share details with its security team through an official email channel.
CBSE’s OSM system
The clarification comes as questions continue to be raised about the OSM system, which was introduced to digitise the evaluation of Class 12 answer sheets. Under the process, physical answer scripts are scanned and assessed digitally by examiners.
The controversy gained momentum after 19-year-old ethical hacker Nisarga Adhikary claimed that answer sheets and question papers linked to the evaluation process were accessible through a publicly exposed cloud storage location.
Also read: CBSE OSM row: Student alleges rule changes in tender to favour Coempt over TCS
His allegations sparked a wider debate about the robustness of CBSE's digital infrastructure.
Contract process under scrutiny
Separately, a Class 12 student, Sarthak Sidhant, drew attention to the issue after examining tender documents related to the OSM project. He alleged that certain eligibility and security requirements had been diluted during the bidding process, paving the way for Hyderabad-based Coempt Eduteck to secure the contract.
While CBSE has maintained that corrective measures are underway, the episode has intensified scrutiny of the technological safeguards surrounding one of India's largest examination systems.