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New Delhi [India] : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi praised 18-year-old Sarthak Sidhant and his partner Nisarga for exposing alleged collusion between the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the service provider COEMPT, calling their efforts a victory of youth and a “defeat” for the government.
Sarthak, who raised concerns over discrepancies in the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system used in CBSE Class 12 examinations, managed to bring issues to light that, according to Gandhi, major media houses and investigative journalists failed to uncover.
In a post shared on X, Gandhi wrote, “Sarthak is 18 years old – but in thought, courage, and principles, second to none.
He and his partner Nisarga did what the country’s big media houses and investigative journalists couldn’t – they exposed the collusion between CBSE and COEMPT to the nation.”
The Congress leader asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi prefers the youth to focus on “making reels” and avoid asking questions, but these students challenged the system and found the answers.
“Mr. Modi wants our youth to keep making reels, keep frying pakoras, not ask questions, not open their eyes. But these kids asked questions. And they found the answers too. The country’s 18-year-old kid outpaced the CBI – this victory of the youth is truly the government’s defeat.
This is India’s real youth power – curious, aware, informed. And remember, the country’s future won’t fall for any deception,” the post further read.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports heard Sarthak’s presentation on Monday, examining the issues students faced with the OSM system during the Class 12 exams. CBSE officials responded to queries raised, assuring that re-evaluation portal issues have been addressed and students have adequate time to apply.
Hours after the committee meeting, the Centre formed a one-member inquiry committee, headed by S Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission, to examine procurement-related matters concerning CBSE’s OSM system. The committee has been tasked with submitting its report within a month.
Following the controversies, CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta were transferred, and cybersecurity agencies, including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), have been monitoring the re-evaluation portal for potential attacks.
Digvijaya Singh, Chairman of the Parliamentary panel, said all members were unanimous in seeking improvements to the examination system, including issues related to NEET and CBSE exams.
Singh asserted that the Prime Minister himself had intervened to ensure a resolution, adding that Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should “either tender his resignation or be dismissed” over lapses in handling the matter.
The CBSE portal remains open for students to seek re-evaluation and verification of answer sheets, with a fully digital payment system in place, including UPI, credit/debit card, and net banking options. (ANI)
