The problem with the OSM method used by the CBSE has grown into a major political fight. Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress party, attacked Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan very harshly. Gandhi has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fire Pradhan because he is accused of wrongdoing with the digital testing system used for Class 12 board exams.
A number of students and parents grumbled about grade discrepancies, grading errors, and technical problems with the new OSM system, bringing the issue to the public’s attention. The issue fastly went from a routine problem to a national political discussion, with opposing parties saying the government was messing up pupils’ futures.
Rahul Gandhi is questioning the contract given to COEMPT
Rahul Gandhi raised major concerns about the CBSE OSM contract being awarded to a company called COEMPT, formerly known as Globarena. Gandhi said the company had a history of trouble, and he asked why it was chosen for such a significant teaching project.
Gandhi made a strong public statement that proper background checks were either not conducted at all or not conducted properly before the contract was awarded. He also asked if there were any ties between the government and the people who ran the company.
The head of the Congress party said that the government was messing with the futures of about 18.5 lakh kids who took the board exams. Besides that, he said that problems with the testing process worried students and adults all over the country.
Gandhi made his criticisms even stronger by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have fired Dharmendra Pradhan for failing to hold the education system accountable.
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The education minister admits mistakes and promises to fix them
As complaints grew, Dharmendra Pradhan, the Minister of Education, admitted there were problems with the way the On Screen Marking method was being used. But he supported the technology based plan, saying it was a step forward that would make the review process more open and efficient.
Pradhan told the kids that he would look into every issue and that steps were already being taken to fix things. He said that technology experts and institutions, such as IIT teams, were working together to fix problems with the system.
The minister also promised harsh punishments for anyone found to have made mistakes on purpose or through carelessness. Government statements say that protecting students’ interests and ensuring the grading process is fair remain top priorities.
At the same time, Pradhan said that the opposition was politicizing a technical issue, and he claimed that India should continue to adopt technological changes in education, even if they are hard to implement at first.
CBSE denies the claims, calling them misleading
Rahul Gandhi made some claims about the OSM contract and the review process, but CBSE has strongly rejected them. The board said the claims were “misleading” and that all the necessary steps were taken in accordance with the rules for government spending and purchasing.
Officials from CBSE say that the contract for digital review was awarded after following the proper bidding process. The board said the right steps were taken to select the body responsible for the system.
CBSE also supported the On-Screen Marking program, saying that the technology was implemented to clarify processes, reduce hand-made mistakes, and bring the board test process up to date.
Even though the problem has been clarified, party leaders’ criticism and students’ concerns have kept it in the public eye.
Read also: Rahul Gandhi Targets PM Modi Over ‘Strategic Autonomy’ After Attack on IRIS Dena
More and more people want a judicial investigation
As the debate grows, opposition leaders have begun calling for a separate court investigation into the case. Rahul Gandhi has asked for a Special Investigation Team to look into the whole process of awarding the contract and the results that were said to be different.
The Congress party says the problem isn’t just technical, but could be a sign of carelessness and lack of responsibility at a higher level. Gandhi said that the problem with the issue is part of a bigger trend of bad leadership that affects kids and schools.
In the meantime, students and parents are still trying to get more information about test mistakes and how to review them. The processes of re-evaluating and verifying have already begun, and officials say they are working hard to ensure that no student is harmed by computer problems.
The government and the opposition are still trading charges, so the political fight over the CBSE OSM system is likely to worsen in the next few days. The problem has become one of the biggest in education in recent months because it affects so many kids.
The Center says steps are being taken to fix the problem, but the opposition keeps calling for accountability, transparency, and a full investigation into what happened.
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