New Delhi: Concerns Rise Over CBSE’s Cybersecurity Failures
The ongoing troubles surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) have intensified, with new allegations of serious cybersecurity issues and administrative mishaps regarding its On Screen Marking (OSM) system. Activists are now urging the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to step in and protect students’ educational rights as disruptions in the board’s processes continue.
This latest controversy emerged when independent developers and ethical hackers revealed that sensitive student data, including scanned answer sheets and exam-related documents, was exposed online due to significant security flaws. Android developer Sidharth took to X to express his concerns, stating, “Almost every single OnMark portal created by EduTek is fundamentally insecure. CBSE is misleading about student data safety. We found default passwords and serious vulnerabilities. Millions of students are at risk.”
In a separate post, 19-year-old software engineer Nisarga Adhikary accused CBSE of leaving its digital storage systems open to the public. He stated that the board had not configured its AWS storage properly, allowing anyone online to access and download numerous scanned answer sheets and question papers from 2026.
Earlier, Adhikary had also highlighted security issues within CBSE’s digital evaluation system, drawing attention to flaws in the OnMark portal. Despite these alarming reports, CBSE stated on Sunday that any vulnerabilities found in the portal managed by its service provider had been addressed.
As the situation unfolds, many are left worried about the safety of students’ information and the effectiveness of CBSE’s digital systems.
