Lokhande Sitaram named CBSE chief, Varun Bhardwaj Secretary after OSM row
The Centre on Tuesday appointed senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), replacing Rahul
The Centre on Tuesday appointed senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), replacing Rahul Singh, while also naming Varun Bhardwaj as the board's new Secretary in place of Himanshu Gupta, hours after the government ordered a probe into the controversial on-screen marking (OSM) system that has triggered complaints from students and parents. Read Full Story The leadership overhaul comes amid growing scrutiny of the OSM system used in CBSE board examinations and follows the Centre's decision to constitute a one-member inquiry committee to examine the procurement of services related to the digital evaluation process. According to an order approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Lokhande Prashant Sitaram, a 2001-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Home under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been appointed Chairperson of CBSE in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary. He replaces Rahul Singh, a 1996-batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, who has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
OSM ROW IN BACKDROP The leadership change comes against the backdrop of growing controversy surrounding the implementation of the OSM system in CBSE board examinations. The Centre recently constituted a one-member committee headed by S Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission, to examine matters relating to the procurement of services for the OSM system. The panel has been asked to submit its report within one month. The move followed complaints from students and parents who raised concerns over technical issues, payment-related problems and delays in obtaining verification and re-evaluation results under the digital marking framework. NEW CBSE SECRETARY APPOINTED The government has also appointed senior bureaucrat Varun Bhardwaj as the new Secretary of CBSE. According to the order, Bhardwaj, an Indian Information Service officer of the 2008 batch and currently Director in the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, has been posted as Secretary of CBSE on deputation under the Central Staffing Scheme. He replaces Himanshu Gupta, an AGMUT cadre IAS officer of the 2012 batch.
Bhardwaj will serve in the role until September 19, 2027, as part of his combined five-year tenure under the Central Staffing Scheme. WIDER RESTRUCTURING AT CBSE The simultaneous appointment of a new chairperson and secretary marks one of the most significant administrative changes at CBSE in recent years. While the government order does not explicitly connect the transfers to the OSM controversy, the reshuffle comes on the same day that the Centre announced an inquiry into the procurement of OSM services and amid mounting criticism over the implementation of the digital evaluation system. The developments are likely to be closely watched by students, parents and education stakeholders as the inquiry into the OSM system progresses over the coming weeks. CONGRESS CALLS MOVE A 'COVER-UP' The reshuffle quickly triggered a political response, with Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing the government of attempting a "cover-up" rather than fixing accountability. In a post on X, Gandhi questioned why top CBSE officials had been moved while Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan continued in office.
"CBSE Chairman - Transferred. CBSE Secretary - Transferred. A one-member 'inquiry' committee - Formed. And the real culprit, Dharmendra Pradhan - Safe," Gandhi wrote. "Officials removed. Minister spared. This isn't accountability - it's a cover-up." The Congress leader renewed his demand for Pradhan's removal and sought an independent judicial inquiry into the controversy. "Our demand remains the same today: Dismiss the Education Minister and conduct an independent judicial inquiry - these aren't some one-month-old internal file of the Modi government to be brushed aside just like that," he said. Referring to concerns raised by students over the OSM system, Gandhi added: "If the Prime Minister cared for about the 18.5 lakh CBSE students, Dharmendra Pradhan ji would have been removed long ago." Ends
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