Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded an independent judicial probe and a Special Investigation Team into alleged irregularities in the CBSE OSM tender process.

The demand follows reports from a student blogger suggesting that eligibility rules were eased to favor a specific private firm. If verified, the allegations suggest a breach of procurement integrity within one of India's largest educational boards.

Gandhi said these statements on May 27, 2024 [1], targeting the government's handling of the contract. He questioned why a firm with a described "dodgy background" was awarded the contract in the first place [1].

Referring to the situation as an "entire scam," Gandhi said there were "massive irregularities" in how the tender was managed [1]. The opposition leader used the phrase "no accountability, no shame" to describe the current state of oversight regarding the procurement process [1].

The controversy centers on the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. The student blog that first raised the concerns highlighted a potential pattern of rule-easing that allowed the winning firm to bypass standard requirements.

Gandhi said the formation of a Special Investigation Team is necessary to uncover the full extent of the irregularities. He called for the probe to determine if political influence played a role in the selection of the private contractor [1].

The opposition continues to press for transparency in government contracting, arguing that the lack of a judicial inquiry allows systemic corruption to persist within public institutions.

“"massive irregularities"”

This development signals an escalation in the political battle over government procurement transparency in India. By leveraging a student-led exposé, the opposition is attempting to link administrative irregularities in the education sector to broader claims of systemic corruption, putting pressure on the CBSE to justify its vendor selection process.