CBSE OSM Row: Vedant Trolled Before Board’s Apology

The CBSE OSM Controversy

How It Began Vedant Shrivastava, a Delhi student who took a Class 12 exam, obtained lower-than- expected grades in Physics following CBSE's release of the board exam results on May 13. Not pleased with his marks, he applied for scanned copies of his answer sheets by the board’s re-evaluation process on May 19. It all started on May 23, when Vedant found something shocking when he received the scanned copies - the Physics answer sheet he uploaded with his roll number did not belong to him. In defense, he posted screenshots of his English, Computer Science and Physics answer sheets on X (ex Twitter), showing the signs of handwriting difference. Vedant replied with “I have worked so much this year” but wondered whether his real Physics paper had even been graded. The post quickly attracted attention, and went over 3 million views on social media.

Social Media trolling turns ugly

In the days following the posting went viral, Vedant encountered an online harassment and trolling. Some users accused him of seeking to tarnish CBSE’s public image. Others began calling him “anti-national” in words that went so far as to label him “Pakistani.” The trolling reportedly escalated further when his X account location showed “South Asia,” a term that many users misinterpreted. Senior journalist Ashok Shrivastav even used the term “Pakistani” in a social media post before apologising for making headlines online, even after being met with backlash. Vedant’s father Sanjay Shrivastava added that the online harassment made a significant impact on his son’s mental health. Vedant claimed he could not sleep at all after finding out that there was a mismatch in the answer sheet, as well as subsequently not using his phone due to the trolling. His brother Siddhanta also defended him on the internet, saying that the X account had only emerged in the past months to speak up and that the South Asia location came through due to a technical configuration. Support for Vedant includes Rahul Gandhi and others. The issue became more controversial and several public figures came out in support of Vedant Shrivastava. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the online abuse and said a student seeking justice should not be singled out for bringing attention to issues with the education system.

In support of Vedant, the viral youth-driven social media campaign “Cockroach Janata Party” also found support and also called for accountability from CBSE and the Education Ministry. The case quickly became one of the biggest education controversies related to the CBSE OSM system. CBSE admits wrongdoing and apologises. After widespread public scrutiny CBSE issued a review stating that Vedant's answer sheet had indeed been exchanged. Officials stated that they later emailed Vedant the correct Physics answer sheet to correct the grade and confirmed that his marks would receive an update. CBSE also replied to the matter publicly on X, stating that appropriate action was being taken to rectify the outcome. Vedant later confirmed that the issue was resolved and thanked a number of people who had supported him online for their support. What Is CBSE’s OSM System? CBSE announced the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system in 2020 for Class 12 evaluations to make checking quicker, online and more transparent. Scans are then posted online for teachers to evaluate digitally under this process. But many students have complained of technical challenges, including:

Improper answer sheets uploaded. Missing pages. Blurred scans. Payment problems while being re-assessed. Unmarked answers. CBSE has conceded that technical problems have affected some students and said improvements are ongoing to avoid problems in the future. More Implications for Digital Evaluation. The Vedant Shrivastava case was now raising serious doubts about the integrity of the evaluation process of digital board examinations in India. In view of what CBSE says the OSM system improves transparency, students and parents are asking for even better system so as not to permit similar mistakes to occur again in the future. 

For others, the controversy also showed how quickly social media outrage can become personal and harmful, particularly for young students already facing academic stress.

The case may have ended with an apology and correction, but it has opened a much larger debate about technology, accountability, and online behaviour in India’s education system.