Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday, May 29, 2026, raised serious questions about the procurement process followed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, alleging that technical eligibility standards were progressively lowered across three tender rounds until a single firm could qualify.

Context

In a post on X, Gandhi urged followers to read the account of the CBSE OSM tender process 'carefully.' He alleged that CBSE floated the tender three times: the first round drew zero bids, the second produced no qualified bidder, and by the third round, the technical bar had been reduced until a firm identified as COEMPT could clear it. Gandhi specifically cited a cut in scanning resolution, the dropping of a robotic scanner requirement, and a relaxation of CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) certification standards as examples of the alleged dilution.

The post was accompanied by an image, the contents of which appear to document the tender sequence. Gandhi did not name a ministry official or provide tender reference numbers in the public post itself.

Policy Backdrop

CBSE began piloting On-Screen Marking for select Class 10 and Class 12 subjects from 2013 onward, as part of a broader shift toward digitised, paperless evaluation of high-stakes board examinations. The system involves scanning physical answer scripts and having evaluators mark them on-screen, reducing manual handling and aiming to improve consistency and transparency.

Public procurement for scanning and evaluation technology has drawn scrutiny in the past across multiple government digitisation initiatives. Allegations that eligibility criteria are adjusted mid-process — through successive re-tenders — have surfaced in other document-management and e-governance contracts in the education sector as well. Technical benchmarks such as scanning resolution and CMMI certification levels are standard quality markers in such procurements, and their relaxation in successive rounds can attract questions about competitive fairness.

Stakeholders and Impact

The OSM system directly affects millions of Class 10 and Class 12 students whose answer sheets are evaluated through the platform, as well as the tens of thousands of evaluators who use it. The integrity and technical robustness of the scanning and marking infrastructure has a direct bearing on result accuracy and the credibility of one of India's most consequential public examinations.

Vendors in the education-technology and document-management space also have a stake: procurement norms that shift between tender rounds raise questions about a level playing field. The Ministry of Education, which oversees CBSE, will face pressure to clarify the rationale for any changes in technical specifications across the tender rounds Gandhi has described.

What's Next

The allegations are likely to prompt demands for official disclosure of the tender documents and a formal response from CBSE or the Ministry of Education. With the Parliament Monsoon Session approaching, opposition members may raise the matter through questions or adjournment motions on the floor of the House. Observations by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on examination-digitisation expenditure, if any, could add further weight to the scrutiny. Gandhi's post, framed as a call to read a documented account rather than a direct allegation, signals a sustained opposition focus on procurement governance in the education sector.