Company used for CBSE on-screen marking linked to controversies, alleges Rahul

1. At a Glance

• CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) was introduced for Class XII board evaluation in 2026; the vendor Coempt Edu Teck Pvt Ltd was accused by LoP Rahul Gandhi of being a renamed version of Globarena Technologies, a firm linked to the 2019 Telangana Intermediate results fiasco [S1][S2].
• Tests governance, accountability, and vendor due-diligence in public examination systems — a recurring UPSC theme (transparency, PPP/outsourcing risk, education administration).
• Relevant for GS-II (governance/education policy) and GS-IV (ethics — public accountability, whistleblowing).

2. Why in the News

• On 28 May 2026, Rahul Gandhi alleged Coempt (which conducted CBSE's OSM exercise) was earlier "Globarena," implicated in Telangana Board exam controversies of 2019 and 2023, and demanded a judicial inquiry and SIT probe [S1][S3].
• He linked earlier OSM-based errors in Telangana to 23 student suicides, and questioned the "hidden" relationship between Coempt's management and the Union government [S3].
• CBSE rejected the allegations as "erroneous, misleading and not based on facts" but did not disclose the vendor selection details [S1][S2].

3. Background & Evolution

• 9 February 2026: CBSE circular mandated OSM for Class XII answer books, replacing manual evaluation [S4].
• Roughly 98.66 lakh answer sheets scanned and evaluated digitally by about 70,000 evaluators nationwide [S4].
• 13 May 2026: Class XII results declared; pass percentage fell from 88.39% (previous year) to 85.2%, triggering complaints [S4].
• Corporate lineage traced: Globarena Technologies Pvt Ltd → Globarena iTeknowledge Pvt Ltd → Coempt Edu Teck Pvt Ltd [S1].
• Globarena was earlier scrutinised in the 2019 Telangana Intermediate results controversy, involving discrepancies, missing scores, and wrongful "absentee" markings [S1][S2].

4. Core Static Facts

Sources for table: [S1] [S2] [S3] [S4]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Administrative - Highlights weak vendor vetting in outsourcing critical public examination functions; CBSE did not disclose bidder identity publicly [S1][S2]. - Grievance-redressal breakdown: technical glitches, high fees for photocopies/re-evaluation before corrective rollback [S4].

Legal/Governance - Demand for SIT/judicial probe raises questions on accountability mechanisms for autonomous bodies like CBSE [S3]. - Alleged reputation-management tactics — CBSE reportedly issued a "toolkit" to schools to counter negative publicity, raising propriety concerns [S4].

Technological - Security lapses reported: examiner accounts allegedly accessible via exposed passwords; AWS server misconfiguration allegedly exposed answer sheets/question papers [S4]. - Reflects risks of rapid digitisation of examination evaluation without adequate cybersecurity audit.

Social/Ethical - Historical linkage to student suicides in Telangana (2019) underscores high-stakes consequences of evaluation errors on adolescent mental health [S3]. - Trust deficit between examination boards and stakeholders (students, parents, teachers) [S4].

Economic/Federal - Same private vendor reportedly operating across state (Telangana) and central (CBSE) examination systems — recurring EdTech vendor dependency in India's exam ecosystem [S1][S2].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 9 Feb 2026: CBSE circular introduces OSM for Class XII [S4].
• 13 May 2026: Results declared; pass percentage drop and complaints surface [S4].
• Mid-late May 2026: Ethical hacker claims and AWS server exposure reported [S4].
• 28 May 2026: Rahul Gandhi's public allegation video on X; demands judicial/SIT probe [S1][S3].
• CBSE issues rebuttal calling allegations "erroneous, misleading" [S1][S2].
• CBSE slashes photocopy/verification/re-evaluation fees in response to public backlash [S4].

7. Prelims Hooks

• CBSE's OSM system was mandated via circular dated 9 February 2026.
• Approximately 98.66 lakh answer sheets were evaluated under OSM 2026.
• CBSE Class XII pass percentage fell from 88.39% to 85.2% in 2026.
• The vendor at the centre of controversy is Coempt Edu Teck Pvt Ltd, alleged successor to Globarena Technologies.
• Globarena was earlier linked to the 2019 Telangana Intermediate results controversy.
• Rahul Gandhi demanded a judicial inquiry and SIT (Special Investigation Team) probe into the CBSE OSM issue.
• CBSE reduced re-evaluation fee from ₹100 to ₹25 per question after public pressure.
• Alleged security flaw: examiner data reportedly exposed on a misconfigured AWS server.
• CBSE functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
• The Telangana OSM controversy is separately linked (per allegations) to 2019 and 2023 exam cycles.

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Governance — transparency, accountability of statutory/autonomous bodies (CBSE); issues in outsourcing of public functions.
• GS-III: Science & Technology — cybersecurity of e-governance/digital public infrastructure in education.
• GS-IV: Ethics — public accountability, whistle-blowing (ethical hacker disclosure), institutional integrity.
• Possible question stems: 1. "Discuss the governance challenges arising from the outsourcing of critical public functions (e.g., examination evaluation) to private vendors in India." (GS-II) 2. "Digitisation of examination systems promises efficiency but exposes new vulnerabilities. Discuss with reference to recent controversies in India." (GS-III) 3. "Examine the ethical obligations of public institutions in ensuring transparency in vendor selection for sensitive public services." (GS-IV)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Right to Education & examination reforms — links to systemic issues in Indian school evaluation.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) governance — parallels with Aadhaar/UPI security frameworks.
• Data protection & cybersecurity law (DPDP Act, 2023) — relevance to leaked examinee/evaluator data.
• Public procurement norms / GFR (General Financial Rules) — vendor selection accountability.
• Student mental health and suicide prevention policy — linked to examination stress and evaluation errors.
• Autonomous bodies and accountability (CAG audit, RTI applicability to CBSE) — institutional oversight.
• Telangana Intermediate Board 2019 crisis — precedent case for AI/algorithm-based evaluation failure.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Don't confuse CBSE (Union-level, under Ministry of Education) with State Boards like Telangana Board of Intermediate Education — the vendor link is between the two, not institutional merger.
• Avoid conflating On-Screen Marking (OSM) with online examinations — OSM concerns digital evaluation of scanned answer sheets, not the exam-taking mode.
• Do not misstate the corporate chain — it is Globarena → Coempt, not a simple rebrand within the same fiscal year; occurred over several years/entities.
• The pass percentage drop (88.39%→85.2%) is a Class XII 2026 figure — don't generalize to Class X or other years without checking.
• Distinguish factual allegation (Rahul Gandhi's claim) from CBSE's official rebuttal — both should be represented, as CBSE denies the linkage narrative's implications.

11. Sources

• [S1] Telangana Inter Fiasco Firm Coempt Now Linked to CBSE OSM Row — https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/telangana-inter-fiasco-firm-now-linked-to-cbse-osm-row-1959643 — (tier: 4)
• [S2] CBSE OSM controversy: Rahul Gandhi questions COEMPT, seeks accountability — https://news.careers360.com/rahul-gandhi-cbse-osm-controversy-coempt-globarena-telangana-class-12-result-answer-sheet-row — (tier: 4)
• [S3] Misleading, Erroneous: CBSE Response To Rahul's Allegation OSM Contract Given To Scam-Infested Firm — https://www.etvbharat.com/en/bharat/cbse-response-to-rahul-allegation-osm-contract-given-to-scam-infested-firm-enn26052706647 — (tier: 4)
• [S4] 2026 CBSE On-Screen Marking controversy — Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_CBSE_On-Screen_Marking_controversy — (tier: 3)
• [S5] Today's Paper — The Hindu (article excerpt, primary source) — https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2026-05-28/th_international/articleGKCG1N9EI-14741322.ece — (tier: 4)