Pradhan Directs Major Overhaul of CBSE Payment Gateway System

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently held detailed discussions with senior officials from four major public sector banks – State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, and Indian Bank – to initiate a comprehensive overhaul of the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) payment gateway system. This critical meeting, which took place on May 26, 2026, was prompted by numerous technical and payment-related issues encountered by students during crucial post-examination services, such as requests for re-evaluation, photocopies of answer sheets, and other fee-based processes. During the discussions, Minister Pradhan underscored the urgent need for a robust, reliable, and student-friendly payment ecosystem capable of handling high volumes of transactions without disruptions. He directed the participating banks to collaborate closely with CBSE to strengthen payment protocols, thereby preventing future technical failures and delays, particularly during sensitive post-result periods. Key directives included ensuring timely transactions, establishing mechanisms for immediate resolution of payment-related complaints, and implementing systems for automatic refunds in cases of failed or excess payments made by students and parents. The discussions also covered the introduction of advanced technical safeguards, real-time monitoring systems, and faster grievance redressal procedures to significantly enhance the existing payment gateway infrastructure. The impetus for this overhaul stems from a series of widespread complaints from students and parents regarding glitches and inefficiencies within CBSE's digital services. These issues became particularly prominent following the introduction of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for Class 12 board examinations this year. Reports highlighted various problems, including blurred scans of answer sheets, server crashes, discrepancies between page-wise marks and final totals, and, notably, cases of incorrect answer sheets being uploaded or matched to students' roll numbers. The portal for applying for scanned copies of answer books faced significant technical difficulties, leading to extended deadlines and a surge in applications, more than double the previous year. A prominent case that brought national attention to these issues was that of Vedant Shrivastava, a Class 12 student who alleged that the Physics answer sheet uploaded by CBSE under his roll number was not his own. His claims, supported by visual evidence of handwriting differences when compared to his other subject papers, went viral on social media. CBSE later admitted to the error and provided Vedant with his correct answer sheet, prompting further calls for accountability and system improvements. The incident also led to Vedant being subjected to online trolling, with some individuals calling him 'Pakistani' for raising discrepancies, highlighting the sensitive nature of these errors. Prior to the meeting with the public sector banks, Minister Pradhan had already held discussions with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 24, 2026, to address these technical and payment-related difficulties. It was during these earlier discussions that the decision was made to enlist the support of the four public sector banks in strengthening CBSE's payment gateway infrastructure and integrating it with the post-examination services portal. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education has also roped in technical experts from Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras and IIT Kanpur. These expert teams have been tasked with examining portal stability, server performance, assessing the overall IT infrastructure, and implementing corrective measures for login authentication, user access systems, and payment gateways. This concerted effort, involving both the Ministry of Finance and leading public sector banks, alongside technical expertise from IITs, aims to ensure seamless digital transactions, improved payment gateway stability, and a significantly smoother experience for students availing CBSE's post-examination services. The minister emphasized that student interests remain paramount, and all necessary corrective measures must be undertaken on priority to establish a transparent and efficient system.

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