India's education system rarely finds itself at the centre of a national controversy overnight. But in recent weeks, CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system has come under intense scrutiny.
What began as a student's complaint about an answer sheet soon snowballed into questions about digital evaluation, cybersecurity, and the procurement process behind a system used by millions of students.
As concerns spread, attention shifted to the digital infrastructure behind the OSM platform and the contract awarded to Hyderabad-based Coempt EduTeck, which manages parts of the process.
At the centre of the debate are three Gen Z students who approached the issue from very different angles: one questioned his answer sheet, another examined procurement documents, and a third probed the platform's cybersecurity.
Meet the three students who raised questions
Vedant Shrivastava: The student who started the conversation
Vedant Shrivastava was simply reviewing his Class 12 result when something seemed off.
According to Vedant, the Physics answer sheet shared with him by CBSE did not appear to match his handwriting or the way he typically wrote exams.
He took to X to share his concerns, and the post quickly gained traction, crossing 2.5 million views.
I am a CBSE Class 12 student.
— VEDANT (@VEDANTSHRIV17) May 23, 2026
After receiving unexpectedly low marks in Physics, we applied for photocopies of my answer sheets through the CBSE reevaluation process.
Today we received the copies.
And I am shattered because the Physics answer sheet uploaded by CBSE is not mine
CBSE responded by stating that it had reviewed the matter, confirmed that the correct answer sheet had been sent to his registered email address, and said his result would be revised if required.
As the controversy grew, Vedant also became the target of online misinformation. A viral social media post wrongly identified him as Pakistani before its author later apologised.
What began as a personal query had now become a national conversation.
Sarthak Sidhant: The student who examined the system
While most attention was focused on individual answer sheets, Sarthak Sidhant started asking bigger questions.
The Class 12 student began documenting what he believed were structural issues within CBSE's On-Screen Marking system.
Through blog posts and public analysis, he examined both the evaluation process and the digital infrastructure supporting it.
His attention eventually turned to procurement documents linked to Coempt EduTeck.
Sarthak alleged that eligibility criteria in the tender process had been modified in a way that appeared to benefit the company, raising broader questions about transparency and fairness in procurement.
His findings circulated widely online and drew attention from policymakers and observers following the controversy.
Nisarga Adhikary: The ethical hacker who tested the platform
Nisarga Adhikary, a 19-year-old ethical hacker, approached the issue from a completely different perspective.
Rather than focusing on evaluation discrepancies, he looked at the platform's cybersecurity.
In public posts, Nisarga claimed to have identified exposed pathways connected to scanned answer-sheet storage and alleged that parts of the cloud infrastructure lacked sufficient access controls.
According to him, these weaknesses could have potentially exposed sensitive student data and examination records.
The claims expanded the controversy beyond marking discrepancies and raised concerns about whether exam-related information was being stored securely.
CBSE later acknowledged that vulnerabilities had been flagged by security researchers and said corrective measures were being implemented to strengthen security safeguards.
When student findings met institutional scrutiny
As concerns around the OSM system intensified, the issue moved beyond social media and into the national spotlight.
Students, parents, educators, and policymakers began questioning the reliability and transparency of a digital evaluation system that processes answer sheets for millions of candidates.
The developments also coincided with administrative changes within CBSE, including new appointments to key leadership positions.
Meanwhile, an inquiry panel was constituted on 2 June to examine reported irregularities related to the On-Screen Marking system and submit its findings within a month.
Its conclusions are still awaited.
But regardless of what the investigation ultimately finds, the episode marks a notable shift in how institutions are being scrutinised.
These students were not policymakers, investigators, or industry experts. Yet by questioning, testing, and analysing a system that affects millions, they helped trigger a debate about transparency, accountability, and trust in India's education infrastructure.
