CBSE Under Review Following Allegations of Flaws in OSM Portal by Teen Researcher, Claims Potential Class 12 Marks Manipulation

A cybersecurity researcher, 19-year-old Nisarga Adhikary, has brought to light potential security vulnerabilities in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal. Adhikary contends that these flaws could enable unauthorized access for examiners, facilitate password resets without proper security protocols, and potentially manipulate students marks.

These allegations have emerged during a period of increased scrutiny regarding CBSEs digital evaluation system, with past incidents including the mishandling of answer sheets and technical issues within the portal causing concern among stakeholders.

Adhikary reported these security concerns to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in February 2023, yet he claims that several of the identified vulnerabilities have not been addressed. The OSM portal has since been temporarily taken offline for maintenance and security assessments.

The CBSE, which oversees school examinations in India, has faced criticism for its digital processes, particularly as education increasingly shifts towards online platforms. The effectiveness and reliability of such systems are critical for maintaining the integrity of academic evaluations. Further developments regarding the CBSEs response to these allegations and the ongoing evaluation process are anticipated as stakeholders await updates.