CBSE Re-Evaluation Row Escalates: AAP Demands Dharmendra Pradhan's Removal; Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi Attack Centre

The controversy surrounding the CBSE re-evaluation process intensified on Monday after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a sharp attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, demanding his immediate removal over irregularities in the board examination evaluation system.

In a post shared on X, AAP accused the Centre of presiding over a "system collapse" in the CBSE examination process. The party highlighted complaints ranging from blank answer sheets and incorrect marking to portal crashes and unusually high re-evaluation fees.

Accompanying the post was a graphic carrying the slogan "Sack Dharmendra Pradhan Now!", citing media reports related to evaluation errors, technical glitches and concerns raised by students during the re-evaluation process.

The post said that students were suffering due to administrative failures and called for accountability from the Education Ministry. AAP also referred to reports of the re-evaluation fee allegedly jumping from ₹1 to ₹69,420 because of a payment-related glitch, alongside complaints regarding website crashes, result delays and confusion over the OSM process.

Arvind Kejriwal Calls For Dharmendra Pradhan's Removal

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal echoed the party's demand in a video message posted on AAP's official X handle. Referring to the controversy as a major lapse in the CBSE evaluation system, Kejriwal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should immediately dismiss Dharmendra Pradhan from the position of Union Education Minister.

He argued that the minister was not fit to continue in office, citing both the NEET controversy and the ongoing CBSE dispute. He said that lakhs of Class 12 students and their parents were facing severe stress and uncertainty because of problems linked to re-evaluation and the functioning of the CBSE portal.

The AAP chief further listed the demands made by the students.

1. Manual re-evaluation of answer sheets for all students seeking re-assessment.

2. Waiver of re-evaluation fees.

3. Scrapping of the OSM process.

4. Expedited completion of re-evaluation so students can secure college admissions without delay.

He also said that the CBSE portal had remained inaccessible for several days, with students struggling to log in, while scanned answer sheets were blurred and difficult to review. Questioning the government's claims of building a modern education system, Kejriwal said the Prime Minister should act immediately and remove the Education Minister.

Rahul Gandhi Joins Criticism

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also attacked the Centre over the issue in a post on X on May 25.

Gandhi alleged that the "Modi-Shah duo" had turned yet another institution into a symbol of rigging and claimed that, for the first time in decades, serious questions had emerged regarding the conduct and evaluation of CBSE board examinations. He said that despite complaints related to OSM, incorrect marking and evaluation glitches affecting students, their concerns had gone unanswered.

Referring to a 17-year-old student who had publicly raised concerns over the evaluation of his answer sheet, Gandhi accused the BJP's IT cell of targeting the teenager instead of addressing his grievance. According to Gandhi, the student was labelled with derogatory political tags after seeking justice online.

The Congress leader further claimed that the government fears young people who question authority and said that students and Gen-Z voters would ultimately challenge what he described as the government's arrogance.

Row Over Re-evaluation Process

The controversy erupted after several students and parents raised concerns about discrepancies in answer-sheet evaluation, difficulties accessing scanned copies, and technical issues during the re-evaluation process. Complaints shared online have prompted opposition parties to demand greater transparency and accountability from education authorities.