CBSE breaks silence around On-Screen Marking, admits security gaps
CBSE on Sunday spoke about the controversy around the On-Screen Marking (OSM) issue. CBSE said the vulnerabilities that were flagged have been brought under control, while experts continue to examine the system for any additional exploitable weaknesses.
National Students' Union of India (NSUI) members stage a protest over the CBSE's OSM (On-Screen Marking) system in New Delhi. PTI
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday broke its silence on the controversy around the On-Screen Marking issue. Responding to concerns raised publicly, the board stated on X that it is actively monitoring vulnerabilities found in the OSM portal managed by its service provider.
CBSE stated that an expert panel comprising cybersecurity professionals from government agencies and IITs has been actively working to bolster the system's defences against potential threats.
CBSE said the vulnerabilities that were flagged have been brought under control, while experts continue to examine the system for any additional exploitable weaknesses. As part of the security upgrade, the portal is also being moved to a more secure infrastructure.
CBSE thanks ethical hackers
The board commended vigilant citizens and ethical hackers for alerting it to possible security flaws. According to CBSE, some of these individuals have already been contacted, and their assistance in improving the system's cybersecurity has been highly valued.
The board has also invited others who may have identified vulnerabilities or security concerns to share their findings with its security team via email at secy-cbse@nic.in.
Rahul Gandhi meets Vedant Shrivastava
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday met Class 12 student Vedant Shrivastava, who is in the middle of a controversy regarding the on-screen marking (OSM) system. Srivastava went viral on social media platform X after he got the wrong answer sheet from CBSE as part of its on-screen marking (OSM) system.
Gandhi and Srivastava along with others discussed how they were both being called anti-national, deep state agents and even Pakistani. They also joked about being branded "Soros agents", a label linked to George Soros, who is often portrayed by Hindutva right-wing groups as a backer of left-wing causes and activism.
Addressing Vedant, his brother and other students in a 90-second clip, Gandhi asked, "Were you also called 'terrorists'? Tell me." The clip seems to have been taken from a longer recording that had not been made public by May 31.
To this, Vedant's elder brother Siddhant Srivastava responds with a smile, "Yes, yes!" He went on to explain how, after there was public uproar over the CBSE's mistake, "To shut us up they [said] we are some 'deep state agents trying to create unrest in India'."
Gandhi laughs along, and tells the cameraperson, "Seventeen-year-old 'deep state agents'! Show their faces... Come on, show the faces of these 'terrorists'!"
Rahul Gandhi shared his moments with the students on social media platform X. "A revealing chat with my fellow 'anti-national Soros agents'," he wrote. "Vedant and his friends are brilliant, brave young Indians who asked CBSE and the Modi government simple questions but got insults instead of answers. They deserve a bright and secure future. We will make sure they get it," he added.
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