Parliamentary panel to review NEET paper leak, CBSE OSM issues, language policy on June 1 and 2

A Parliamentary Standing Committee is scheduled to discuss several major issues in the Indian education system, including the NEET paper leak controversy, its upcoming shift towards Computer-Based Testing (CBT), CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation glitches, and the implementation of the three-language formula in schools.

The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports is set to hold meetings on June 1 and 2 to deliberate on these issues.

According to the official notice issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the meetings will be held at the Parliament House Annexe Extension in New Delhi.

NEET, NTA issues to be discussed on June 1

The first major discussion, scheduled for June 1 from 11 am onwards, will focus on the use of pen-and-paper testing versus Computer-Based Testing (CBT), and issues pertaining to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Officials and stakeholders invited for the discussion include:

• Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education

• Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

• Director General, NTA

• representatives of the United Doctors Front

The discussion comes amid continuing scrutiny of NEET-UG following the 2024 and 2026 paper leaks and demands for reforms in the conduct of large-scale entrance examinations.

CBSE OSM evaluation and language policy on June 2

On June 2, the committee will review the use of On-Screen Marking (OSM) in CBSE Class 12 examinations and the issues faced by students, along with the implementation of the three-language formula in Classes 9 and 10.

Those scheduled to appear before the panel include:

• Secretary, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education

• Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

The OSM issue has recently triggered widespread controversy after students alleged blurry scans, missing pages, unchecked answers, answer sheet mismatches, unexpectedly low scores, and technical glitches in the re-evaluation portal.

CBSE had introduced the fully implemented OSM system for Class 12 board examinations this year, under which physical answer sheets were scanned into PDFs and evaluated digitally.

The three-language formula issue is also likely to attract attention amid a recent CBSE move making three languages compulsory for Classes 9 and 10 under the new framework, with debates continuing around implementation, language choice, and policy concerns in different states.