Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - What began as a student's attempt to understand discrepancies in his examination system has evolved into one of the biggest education controversies of the year. Seventeen-year-old Sarthak Sidhant, a Class 12 student, has drawn national attention after publishing a detailed analysis alleging irregularities in the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) On Screen Marking (OSM) tender process. His findings, based largely on publicly available CBSE documents, have triggered scrutiny from lawmakers, education experts, and political leaders.

Sarthak's investigation claimed that key eligibility and evaluation criteria in CBSE's OSM tender were modified before the contract was awarded to a private vendor. He alleged that provisions related to poor performance records, blacklisting norms, financial qualifications, and project eligibility requirements were altered or removed, potentially benefiting a specific company. The allegations quickly gained traction online, prompting widespread discussion about transparency, accountability, and fairness in public procurement within India's education system. 

The controversy soon reached the national stage when Sarthak was invited to present his findings before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education. During his presentation, he highlighted what he described as multiple discrepancies in the tendering process and raised concerns about the implementation of the OSM system itself. His appearance before Parliament transformed the issue from an online debate into a matter of public policy and governance, with lawmakers now examining the allegations more closely.

Sarthak Sidhant's story has become a striking example of how citizen led scrutiny can influence public discourse. Regardless of the eventual findings of official investigations, the teenager's efforts have sparked a broader conversation about transparency in educational institutions and demonstrated how data-driven research can bring national attention to issues that might otherwise remain unnoticed.