Jairam Ramesh Targets Education Minister Over CBSE Marking Controversy, Demands Accountability

The Congress party has launched a sharp attack on the Central Government over alleged irregularities in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s online marking system. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of failing to take responsibility for the controversy and questioned his continuation in office.

In a detailed post on social media platform X, Ramesh claimed that new information was emerging about alleged misconduct linked to the management of the system. Referring to media reports, he alleged that a company named Qeempt secured a CBSE contract after submitting questionable cybersecurity certification documents during the tender process.

According to the reports cited by the Congress leader, the certificates were allegedly linked to another user. One of the documents had reportedly expired two years earlier, while the second was said to have been audited on a temporary application rather than the actual system used for operations.

Ramesh further alleged that despite these concerns, the company was awarded a major educational contract at higher rates instead of facing scrutiny. He also referred to claims that ethical hackers had identified cybersecurity weaknesses in the platform in February 2025. According to him, CBSE initially rejected those findings before later acknowledging security issues within the portal.

He stated that the board has since stopped using the platform for the re evaluation process and has reportedly developed a separate website to handle those functions.

The controversy has raised concerns among students and parents, many of whom depend on the board’s examination and evaluation systems. Critics argue that any shortcomings in the marking and review process can affect confidence in the education system and create uncertainty for students awaiting results.

The issue has also triggered political debate, with opposition parties demanding a thorough investigation into the tendering process and the decisions made by officials involved. Calls for greater transparency and accountability have grown louder as the matter continues to attract public attention.

Concluding his remarks, Jairam Ramesh strongly criticised the Education Minister, alleging administrative failures within the ministry. He argued that better oversight and transparency could have prevented the situation and protected students and their families from unnecessary stress and confusion.