CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh Transferred Amid OSM Contract Controversy | Major Inquiry Ordered
CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh Transferred: Centre Cracks Whip Amid OSM Evaluation Controversy
New Delhi: In a major administrative shake-up, the Centre on Tuesday transferred CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta, while ordering a high-level inquiry into the procurement of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for board exam evaluation.
The sudden move comes amid escalating controversy over the 2026 board examination processes, including complaints of blurred answer sheet images, missing pages, and delays in re-evaluation services.
New CBSE Chairman Appointed
The Cabinet Secretariat has appointed Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, a 2001-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, as the new CBSE Chairman. Lokhande was previously serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Home, Ministry of Home Affairs.
One-Member Inquiry Committee Formed
The government has constituted a one-member committee headed by S. Radha Chauhan to examine the OSM services procurement. The panel has been given one month to submit its report to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). It can seek assistance from other departments, with secretarial support from the Capacity Building Commission.
Background of the CBSE Controversy
Students and parents across India raised serious concerns after the declaration of Class 10 and Class 12 results. Issues included technical glitches in accessing scanned answer books and questions over the transparency of the digital evaluation platform.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged on X that the company awarded the OSM contract, Coempt Edu Teck, had links to a firm (formerly Globarena) involved in a similar controversy in Telangana in 2019. He called it a “deliberate conspiracy”.
CBSE strongly rejected the allegations, stating that the contract was awarded following all government procurement norms through a Request for Proposal (RFP) floated on the Central Public Procurement Portal on August 28, 2025. The Board maintained full compliance with General Financial Rules.
Profile of Outgoing Officials
- Rahul Singh (1996-batch IAS, cadre): Served as CBSE Chairman since March 13, 2024. He played a key role in implementing National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and initiatives like the Career Guidance Dashboard. He has been transferred as Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- Himanshu Gupta (2012-batch IAS, AGMUT cadre): CBSE Secretary since November 2023. An IIT Delhi alumnus, he also held additional charge of NCERT Secretary.
Sources indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally monitoring the CBSE row along with the NEET paper leak case.
This decisive action by the Centre signals strong intent to restore transparency and accountability in the country’s premier education board responsible for millions of students every year.
The new leadership is expected to focus on resolving pending student grievances and strengthening the examination ecosystem for future sessions.
