Fresh questions have emerged over CBSE's digital infrastructure after a 19-year-old ethical hacker claimed examination-related files were publicly accessible online.
The controversy surrounding CBSE's digital evaluation ecosystem has intensified after 19-year-old ethical hacker Nisarga Adhikary claimed he discovered security vulnerabilities that allegedly exposed examination-related files online.
The latest claims come amid ongoing criticism of the Central Board of Secondary Education's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system and growing public debate over cybersecurity in educational institutions.
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Who is Nisarga Adhikary?
Nisarga Adhikary is a 19-year-old ethical hacker and cybersecurity researcher from West Bengal. The Class 12 student has previously claimed to have reported multiple vulnerabilities in CBSE-linked systems to authorities, including CERT-In.
He recently gained widespread attention after posting screenshots and videos online alleging weaknesses in platforms connected to CBSE's digital infrastructure.
What are the latest allegations?
Adhikary has alleged that a CBSE-linked cloud storage system was improperly configured, allowing users to access and browse files without authentication.
According to his claims, scanned answer sheets, question papers and other examination-related materials could potentially be viewed through the exposed storage setup. He also alleged that multiple institutions were using the same infrastructure.
The claims quickly gained traction on social media, raising concerns among students, parents and educators about the security of examination-related data.
CBSE rejects breach claims
CBSE has strongly denied that its live evaluation system was compromised.
The board clarified that the portal and links referenced in the viral posts were part of a testing environment containing sample data and not the actual system used for evaluating board examination answer sheets.
According to CBSE, no real student records, answer sheets or marks were exposed, and the production-level OSM system remains secure.
OSM system already under scrutiny
The allegations come at a challenging time for CBSE, which has been facing criticism over the rollout of its On-Screen Marking system.
The digital evaluation platform has attracted complaints related to answer-sheet mix-ups, scanning issues, technical glitches and concerns raised during the re-evaluation process.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has previously acknowledged discrepancies in the system and assured students that corrective measures were being taken.
Bigger debate over cybersecurity
The incident has reignited discussions about cybersecurity and data governance in large-scale public examination systems.
Experts argue that while digital evaluation improves efficiency and transparency, it also requires robust security measures, regular audits and strict oversight to protect sensitive student data.
With more than four lakh students seeking access to answer scripts during the ongoing re-evaluation process, questions surrounding the security and reliability of digital examination infrastructure are likely to remain under close public scrutiny.
CBSE maintains that its core evaluation systems remain secure, while calls for greater transparency and independent security reviews continue to grow.
Published: 31 May 2026, 05:14 pm IST
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