Several weeks after concerns surfaced regarding answer-sheet mismatches and poor-quality scanned copies in the CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, technology vendor Coempt Edu Teck has issued a detailed clarification. The company maintains that the problems were not caused by software defects, though questions surrounding procurement procedures, data security, and transparency continue to attract attention.

What began as complaints from students about receiving incorrect answer sheets has expanded into a larger debate over the management and oversight of CBSE's digital evaluation process.

Nearly a month after the allegations gained national attention, Coempt released its most extensive statement to date, rejecting claims that its platform suffered from technical failures, cybersecurity breaches, or irregularities in the awarding of contracts.

Company Explains Answer-Sheet Confusion

One of the most widely discussed incidents involved a Class 12 student who was reportedly provided with an evaluated answer script belonging to another candidate. Following an internal review, Coempt concluded that the issue did not originate from the OSM software. Instead, the company linked the incident to mistakes made during the scanning stage and stated that the specific centre and personnel responsible had been identified.

As more students came forward, additional concerns emerged, including reports of mismatched answer sheets, unreadable scans, and doubts about the reliability of the digital assessment process.

Response to Procurement-Related Allegations

The company has also dismissed accusations that CBSE altered tender conditions to provide it with an advantage. These allegations, raised publicly by student blogger Sarthak Siddhant, suggested changes in procurement requirements and questioned the quality of hardware used by the firm.

Coempt stated that its scanning equipment meets industry standards and is commonly deployed in large-scale digitisation projects. The company added that its hardware infrastructure is regularly upgraded. Although the Ministry of Education has sought information from CBSE regarding the procurement process, no official findings have indicated a violation of tender norms.

Cybersecurity Concerns Remain Under Discussion

Addressing reports of a security issue highlighted by ethical hacker Nisarga Adhikary, Coempt acknowledged that an externally accessible testing server had been reached by unauthorised users. However, it emphasised that the affected server contained only sample data used for testing and was not connected to live systems or student databases.

The company insists that operational systems remained secure. Nevertheless, cybersecurity concerns have persisted, particularly after reports suggested that an audit supported by IIT experts identified vulnerabilities within certain components of the broader OSM ecosystem. These findings have renewed discussions about the robustness of security measures in large-scale digital examination platforms.

Complaints About Scan Quality and Access Delays

Coempt acknowledged receiving feedback regarding unclear scanned copies and delays in providing answer-sheet records to students. According to the company, these issues were limited in scope and should not be viewed as evidence of widespread system malfunction.

It reported that the majority of students requesting copies of their answer sheets have already received them, while concerns related to image quality and readability are being examined in consultation with relevant authorities.

Previous reports citing official sources indicated that approximately 20 answer-sheet mismatch cases were identified during the initial rollout of the OSM system. Reports also noted that more than 13,000 answer scripts were shifted back to manual evaluation because the scanned versions did not meet the standards required for digital assessment.

Renewed Focus on the Telangana Examination Episode

The current debate has also revived discussions about Coempt's role in the 2019 Telangana Intermediate examination controversy, which drew significant criticism after results were announced.

In response, the company has pointed to judicial observations from the Supreme Court, arguing that claims of extensive technological breakdowns were not supported by the court's findings. It further noted that only a relatively small number of reviewed cases ultimately led to changes in results.

Company Highlights Scale of Operations

Seeking to reinforce confidence in its systems, Coempt stated that it works with more than 35 educational organisations and handles nearly two crore answer booklets annually. Its services include answer-sheet digitisation, digital evaluation, AI-supported assessment tools, and question-paper management systems.

The company continues to maintain that the current controversy stems from isolated operational lapses rather than any inherent shortcomings in the software platform. It also emphasised that its technology has been used across numerous large-scale examinations and academic assessment initiatives.

Ongoing Scrutiny

Despite the company's detailed response, questions regarding procurement procedures, cybersecurity safeguards, scan quality, and accountability within CBSE's digital evaluation framework remain unresolved.

With the Ministry of Education seeking further information about the OSM contract and its implementation, public and institutional scrutiny of the system is expected to continue in the coming weeks.