CBSE OSM Controversy: Why Was a Firm with a Tragic Past Given Charge?

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is currently facing intense scrutiny over its Online Screening and Marking (OSM) system used for Class XII answer-sheet evaluations. This technical shift, intended to streamline the process, has instead sparked a massive controversy that echoes a dark chapter in India's academic history.

At the heart of the storm is Coempt Edu Tech, the firm responsible for the online evaluation platform. Investigations reveal that this company is essentially a rebranded version of Globarena Technologies—the same agency involved in the 2019 Telangana Intermediate examination fiasco. That incident was marked by massive technical errors in marks delivery, leading to tragic consequences as several students took their own lives due to faulty results.

Students, parents, and teachers across the country are now reporting significant issues with the current CBSE portal. Complaints range from the system crashing mid-evaluation to examiners receiving blurred scans of answer sheets. Despite these red flags, reports suggest the platform was adopted in a hurry, bypassing warnings about the need for more rigorous testing.

Political leaders have also stepped in to demand answers. The primary question being asked is how a firm with such a controversial track record was selected to handle the futures of millions of students, especially when it reportedly beat out established industry leaders like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for the contract.

The situation has raised serious concerns about accountability within the education ministry. Critics argue that the trustworthiness of the technology should have been the top priority before implementation. As the evaluation process continues, the focus remains on whether the system can be corrected in time to ensure fair and accurate results for students waiting for their final scores.

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