The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has a new chairman at a crucial time. The Centre has appointed Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, to lead the board as it faces growing scrutiny over its newly introduced on-screen marking (OSM) system for Class 12 examinations.
Lokhande succeeds Rahul Singh, who has been transferred to the Agriculture Ministry as Additional Secretary.
Who is Prashant Lokhande?
Prashant Lokhande is a 2001-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre. Before being appointed CBSE chairman, he was serving as Additional Secretary in the Union Home Ministry.
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Over the years, Lokhande has held several administrative positions within the government. His appointment comes at a time when the education board is under pressure to address concerns raised by students and parents regarding the evaluation process adopted this year.
Alongside Lokhande's appointment, Varun Bhardwaj, a 2008-batch Indian Information Service officer, has been named Secretary of the CBSE. Bhardwaj was previously serving in the Education Ministry.
Why is CBSE in the spotlight?
The leadership change comes as CBSE continues to face questions over its on-screen marking system, introduced for the 2026 Class 12 board examinations.
Under the digital evaluation model, teachers assessed scanned copies of answer sheets instead of physical answer books. The system has drawn criticism from several students who alleged discrepancies in evaluation and raised concerns about transparency.
To review the matter, a one-member committee has been tasked with examining the OSM process. The panel is expected to submit its findings to the government soon.
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Re-evaluation portal opened
Amid the ongoing controversy, CBSE has opened its re-evaluation and verification portal for students. The facility will remain available until June 6.
Students who have already obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer books can apply for verification of issues noticed in their scripts and seek re-evaluation of specific answers if they are dissatisfied with the assessment.
The board has also faced complaints related to technical glitches, payment failures and delays in the verification process, prompting calls for greater accountability and transparency in the evaluation system.
With a new chairman at the helm and a review of the marking process underway, attention is now focused on how CBSE addresses the concerns surrounding one of the most significant changes to its examination system in recent years.
