CBSE gets new chief, third chairperson in 4 months amid OSM row

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has appointed Mandeep K Bhandari, a senior IAS officer, as its new chairperson. This marks the third time in less than four months that a different individual has headed the board, following controversy surrounding its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) approved Bhandari's appointment through a temporary upgrade of his post to that of additional secretary to the Government of India.

Bhandari, a 2001-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, had previously served as principal secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and as additional chief executive officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. His appointment comes after Prashant Lokhande, who held the interim charge of CBSE chairperson, was reappointed to the same role on June 2, replacing former chairperson Rahul Singh.

The interim arrangement was brought to an end with Bhandari's appointment. The OSM controversy prompted a one-member inquiry headed by former Union secretary S Radha Chauhan to investigate allegations of irregularities in the digital evaluation process.