New Delhi: The Union government has appointed senior IAS officer Prashant Sitaram Lokhande as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), marking a significant leadership transition at a time when the board is facing intense scrutiny over its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.
Lokhande’s appointment comes shortly after the transfer of former CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta. The changes in the board’s top leadership coincide with mounting criticism surrounding the digital evaluation process used for Class 12 examinations and concerns over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the OSM framework.
Who Is Prashant Sitaram Lokhande?
Prashant Sitaram Lokhande is a 2001-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre. Prior to his appointment as CBSE Chairperson, he was serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Home under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to the government order approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Lokhande will continue to enjoy the rank and pay scale of an Additional Secretary while serving as the head of the CBSE.
Over the course of his administrative career, Lokhande has held several key positions, including Deputy Commissioner, Counsellor, Private Secretary, Director, and Joint Secretary. His contributions to public administration have earned him the State Award (Gold) on two occasions for exemplary service.
Academically, Lokhande brings a strong technical background to the role. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Pune University and a postgraduate diploma in Industrial Engineering from the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai.
Appointment Comes Amid OSM Controversy
Lokhande takes charge at a crucial juncture for the CBSE, which has come under criticism over the implementation of its digital evaluation system.
The On-Screen Marking (OSM) framework was introduced to streamline the assessment process for board examinations. However, the system has recently been at the centre of controversy after students and parents raised concerns over alleged answer-sheet mismatches, evaluation discrepancies, and technical issues that may have affected the marking process.
Several complaints surfaced claiming that scanned copies of answer sheets uploaded on the portal did not belong to the students who had requested them. Questions were also raised about technical glitches, blurred answer-sheet images, payment failures, and inconsistencies in the evaluation mechanism.
The controversy intensified after whistleblower allegations highlighted potential irregularities in the procurement and implementation of the digital evaluation system.
Centre Orders Probe Into OSM Procurement
In response to the growing concerns, the Centre has ordered an inquiry into the procurement process associated with the OSM platform.
A one-member committee has been constituted under the leadership of S Radha Chauhan to examine the matter. The panel has been tasked with reviewing the procurement process, evaluating how vendors were selected, and investigating operational and technical challenges associated with the system.
The committee has also been authorised to seek assistance from officials and departments as required during the course of its investigation.
The inquiry is expected to focus on issues related to transparency, technical reliability, vendor selection procedures, and the overall functioning of the digital evaluation platform.
Key Challenge Ahead
As the new CBSE Chairperson, Lokhande’s immediate challenge will be restoring confidence in the board’s examination and evaluation systems. With the OSM controversy drawing attention from students, parents, educators, and policymakers, his leadership is likely to be closely watched in the coming months.
The outcome of the ongoing inquiry and the corrective measures implemented by the CBSE will play a crucial role in determining how the board addresses concerns over transparency, accountability, and fairness in the examination process.