Coempt Eduteck breaks silence on CBSE OSM controversy, records open for scrutiny
Synopsis
Coempt Eduteck, the edtech firm behind CBSE's On-Screen Marking system, broke its silence on 18 June — defending its scanners, attributing the wrong-answer-sheet incident to manual error rather than a software flaw, and insisting no student data was breached. With 2 crore booklets processed annually across 35+ institutions, the stakes of this controversy extend well beyond one exam cycle.
Key Takeaways
Coempt Eduteck issued a clarification on 18 June , stating its records are open for scrutiny by government bodies.
The company said scanners are 'standard, industry-grade models' upgraded annually, rejecting allegations of substandard hardware or altered tender conditions.
The wrong-answer-sheet incident was attributed to manual oversight in the physical scanning process, not a software glitch; Coempt said it has identified the individual responsible.
Nearly 95 per cent of students who applied for answer sheet access have received their documents despite isolated delays.
A 19-year-old ethical hacker's breach affected only an internal test server with dummy data and public access — not any client-facing system, the company said.
Coempt processes nearly 2 crore answer booklets annually and serves more than 35 universities and institutions across India.
Coempt Eduteck, the Hyderabad-based edtech firm at the centre of the CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) controversy, issued a detailed clarification on Thursday, 18 June, defending its scanning infrastructure, data security, and operational integrity. The company stated that its records are open for examination by government bodies and denied that tender conditions were altered to accommodate substandard equipment.
On Scanning Quality and Hardware
Coempt asserted that the scanners deployed by it are 'standard, industry-grade models utilised across the sector,' with annual hardware upgrades to maintain high-resolution output. 'We upgrade our hardware year-on-year, and the scanning resolution is perfect,' the company said in its statement. The firm rejected allegations that it had manipulated tender specifications to favour inferior scanning equipment.
The Blurred Images and Wrong Answer Sheet Incident
Addressing the controversy over blurred answer sheet images — an issue first flagged by a student that triggered national attention — Coempt said the cases are being 'systematically reviewed in coordination with relevant evaluation authorities.' On the specific incident where a CBSE student reportedly received another candidate's answer sheet, the company clarified that the problem stemmed from the physical scanning process rather than a software glitch, suggesting preliminary findings point to manual oversight. 'We have identified the location and the individual who conducted the scanning. We have verified 100 per cent that, technologically, there is no error in this case,' the company stated.
Delivery Status and Security Breach Claims
Despite what Coempt described as 'isolated bottlenecks,' the company said answer sheets have been successfully delivered to nearly 95 per cent of students who applied for access. On the reported breach by a 19-year-old ethical hacker who allegedly penetrated the Coempt platform's security protocols, the firm clarified that the server accessed was a test environment used exclusively for internal purposes with dummy data and public access — never deployed for any client operations. 'It's used for internal purposes, with dummy tests and has public access,' the company said. Coempt maintained that its operational systems remain entirely secure and that no student data or technical infrastructure was compromised.
Scale of Operations and Background
The controversy has put a spotlight on a company that handles significant academic infrastructure. Coempt currently serves more than 35 universities and institutions across India, processing nearly 2 crore answer booklets annually through services spanning digitisation, on-screen marking, AI-assisted evaluation, and question-paper management. The firm came under scrutiny after alleged irregularities and security vulnerabilities were reported in the system used for evaluating Class 12 answer sheets under CBSE's OSM framework.
What Comes Next
With Coempt having opened its records to government scrutiny, the onus now shifts to regulatory and examination authorities to independently verify the company's claims. The outcome of the ongoing review of blurred-image cases and the physical scanning lapse will likely determine whether the OSM framework requires structural reform ahead of the next examination cycle.
Point of View
The wrong-answer-sheet delivery, to human error at the scanning stage rather than systemic failure, which conveniently limits liability. But the company has not explained why quality-control protocols failed to catch a manual error at scale, nor has it detailed what corrective safeguards are now in place. Inviting government scrutiny is a credibility move, but it only counts if the scrutiny is actually independent and time-bound. With CBSE's OSM framework now under a national spotlight, the real question is whether examination authorities have the institutional capacity to audit a vendor that processes 2 crore booklets a year — or whether they have been too dependent on that vendor to do so objectively.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CBSE OSM controversy involving Coempt Eduteck?
The controversy centres on alleged irregularities in CBSE's On-Screen Marking system, which is managed by Coempt Eduteck. Issues reported include blurred answer sheet images, a case where a student received another candidate's answer sheet, and a reported security breach by an ethical hacker — raising questions about the firm's hardware quality, data security, and tender practices.
What did Coempt say about the wrong answer sheet sent to a student?
Coempt clarified that the incident resulted from a lapse in the physical scanning process rather than a software or technology error. The company said it has identified the location and the individual who conducted the scanning and confirmed there was no technological fault on its end.
Was student data compromised in the ethical hacker breach?
Coempt said the hacker accessed only an internal test server used for dummy tests with public access, which is never used for client operations. The company maintained that its operational systems and all student data remain entirely secure.
How many students have received their answer sheets so far?
According to Coempt, nearly 95 per cent of students who applied for answer sheet access have already received their documents, despite what the company described as isolated bottlenecks in the process.
How large is Coempt's role in Indian education infrastructure?
Coempt Eduteck serves more than 35 universities and institutions across India and processes nearly 2 crore answer booklets annually through services including digitisation, on-screen marking, AI-assisted evaluation, and question-paper management.
