Failed

 The controversy surrounding CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system is not merely about a technical glitch. It is about the dangerous consequences of rolling out poorly-tested digital systems in institutions that determine the future of millions of students.

Technology, when used responsibly, can improve transparency, efficiency and speed. But blind digitisation without preparedness can become deeply damaging. The recent chaos surrounding CBSE’s digital evaluation process has exposed exactly that.

Students reported blurred scans, missing supplementary sheets, incorrect page totals and even answer sheets belonging to someone else. Many who had successfully cleared highly competitive examinations like JEE Mains were left shocked by inexplicably poor board results. For anxious students and parents, this was not just a software failure. It was a collapse of trust.

Even more alarming are the cybersecurity concerns now emerging. A 19-year-old student reportedly identified vulnerabilities in the OSM portal months before the controversy exploded and informed CERT-In, only to be ignored. Another teenager later alleged irregularities in the tendering process itself. If young students could identify such glaring loopholes, what were the highly-paid experts and authorities doing?

The issue goes beyond CBSE. It reflects a worrying national trend where digital transformation is treated as a fashionable administrative slogan rather than a serious institutional responsibility. Public systems handling sensitive educational data cannot function like experimental start-ups. Capacity, scalability and cybersecurity are not optional add-ons; they are the backbone of any credible digital infrastructure.

The Centre’s decision to order an inquiry and transfer top CBSE officials is welcome, but accountability cannot stop at symbolic action. Students who lost marks, opportunities and peace of mind deserve answers.

India’s youth already battle enormous academic pressure. The least institutions can offer them is competence, fairness and reliability. Technology should strengthen education, not turn it into a gamble.