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By:

Kiran D. Tare

21 August 2024 at 11:23:13 am

The Boy Who Audited CBSE

A Class 12 student from Ranchi has done what few journalists, bureaucrats or politicians thought to do. Whereas most Indian teenagers spend their final year of school navigating the familiar maze of examinations and career anxieties, Sarthak Sidhant, a Class 12 student from Ranchi, Jharkhand, forensically examined the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Sidhant’s expose of the CBSE marking system has turned him into an overnight and unlikely public...

The Boy Who Audited CBSE

A Class 12 student from Ranchi has done what few journalists, bureaucrats or politicians thought to do. Whereas most Indian teenagers spend their final year of school navigating the familiar maze of examinations and career anxieties, Sarthak Sidhant, a Class 12 student from Ranchi, Jharkhand, forensically examined the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. Sidhant’s expose of the CBSE marking system has turned him into an overnight and unlikely public figure, with his X posts gaining millions of views. His story began with a personal grievance when, like other students, Sidhant requested scanned copies of his answer sheets after the declaration of results. However, what he received were blurred and incomplete scans that raised questions about the evaluation process. While many students would have beaten their heads against a wall in frustration, the doughty Sarthak did something radically different. In a remarkable exercise in citizen-led investigation, Sidhant claims to have reviewed all 576 CBSE tenders available in the public domain. He compared procurement records, examined successive rounds of bidding documents and scrutinised technical specifications linked to the CBSE’s digital evaluation system. He put his painstaking detective work in a lengthy blog post that alleged significant changes in eligibility and technical requirements across multiple tender rounds. Sarthak’s blog quickly escaped the confines of education forums and student groups and took social media by storm, attracting the attention of journalists and policy observers, and eventually entered the political arena. Opposition leaders seized upon the findings to target the Central government. The controversy has snowballed enough to draw scrutiny from Parliament itself. For a teenager, it was an extraordinary trajectory. What makes Sidhant's intervention notable is not just the allegations that he raised but the method he employed. In an age dominated by outrage and viral claims, Sarthak’s approach was stubbornly old-fashioned, worthy of the best investigative journalism out there. His blog is dense with technical aspects like procurement clauses, certification requirements and contract provisions. His findings focused on a series of changes in CBSE’s tendering process, pointing to alterations in performance-related clauses, financial qualification requirements and technical certifications. Sidhant alleged that some safeguards present in earlier versions of the tender documents were diluted or removed in later iterations. The questions that he has raised have proved difficult to ignore. What is perhaps most striking is the contrast between Sidhant and the institution that he has challenged. India’s examination system is among the largest administrative exercises in the world. Every year, millions of students entrust their futures to boards and testing agencies. Sidhant’s intervention comes at a moment when confidence in India’s examination system is under unprecedented strain, particularly following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scam that exposed a massive racket and led to the eventual cancellation of the examination for more than 22 lakh aspirants. The CBSE fiasco, which followed the NEET scandal, has deepened public scepticism about the ability of educational authorities to conduct fair and transparent assessments. Against this backdrop, Sidhant’s investigation struck a nerve. Students and parents have grown accustomed to seeing examination boards and testing agencies as distant bureaucracies whose decisions are rarely challenged. Now, Sarthak’s inquiry has demonstrated that transparency can be achieved not just through official audits but through determined public inquiry as well. His investigation also reflects the emergence of a new kind of civic participant, who is technologically savvy and highly capable of sifting and making sense of the abundant and public records that are increasingly accessible. Sidhant’s collaboration with ethical hacker Nisarg Adhikari resembled a miniature investigative newsroom. His appearance before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education marks an extraordinary moment. For it is not every day that a school student finds himself presenting findings on procurement processes and examination systems before lawmakers. In another era, Sarthak’s observations might have remained confined (and later buried or forgotten) to a letter to a school principal or senior authorities. But today’s students inhabit a different world whose digital dynamic has altered the relationship between the state and its citizens. Today’s students can access records, compare documents and publish their findings before institutions have even formulated a response to any gaffe on their part. India’s examination authorities administer the futures of millions of students each year. They have an equally big obligation to be transparent to them. Sarthak Sidhant’s story suggests that when institutions fail to explain themselves adequately, students may begin investigating them instead.

Gun Violence in America

Updated: Jan 2, 2025

Gun Violence in America

On December 16, 2024, tragedy struck Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old student, Natalie Rupnow, fatally shot a fellow student and a teacher before taking her own life. Six others were injured, with two in critical condition. This devastating event is a grim reminder of the United States' ongoing struggle with gun violence, particularly in schools.


A Long History of Gun Ownership in America

The issue of gun violence in the United States cannot be discussed without acknowledging its deep-rooted history of gun ownership. The right to bear arms is enshrined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1791, which states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”


Initially, this amendment was intended to empower citizens to form militias for self-defense during a time when standing armies were distrusted. Over the centuries, however, the interpretation of the Second Amendment has evolved. Today, it is often cited as a justification for individual gun ownership, a concept reinforced by landmark court cases such as District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), which affirmed an individual's right to own firearms for self-defense.


Gun culture is deeply ingrained in American society, with nearly 400 million firearms in civilian hands—more guns than people. This level of accessibility, coupled with a powerful gun lobby led by organizations like the National Rifle Association (NRA), has made significant legislative reform difficult.


Gun Violence in Numbers

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), firearms cause approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the United States—equivalent to 109 deaths per day. This figure includes homicides, suicides, and accidental shootings. Among children and teenagers, firearms are now the leading cause of death, surpassing motor vehicle accidents.


School shootings are a particularly horrifying aspect of gun violence in America. Since 1990, there have been over 800 incidents in K-12 schools, resulting in more than 500 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. High-profile tragedies such as the Columbine High School massacre (1999), the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting (2012), and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attack (2018) have shocked the nation and the world, yet meaningful reforms remain elusive.


A Global Comparison

The United States stands out among developed nations for its high rate of gun violence. In countries like Australia, Canada, and much of Europe, strict gun control measures have significantly reduced firearm-related deaths. For example: By contrast, the firearm-related death rate in the United States is 12.2 per 100,000 people, significantly higher than other developed nations. The prevalence of guns and the lack of uniform gun control laws contribute to this disparity.


Challenges in Addressing Gun Violence

Efforts to reduce gun violence in the U.S. have faced significant obstacles. One of the most notable is the prohibition of federal funding for gun violence research. In 1996, Congress passed the Dickey Amendment, effectively barring the CDC from studying gun violence as a public health issue. Although the funding ban was partially lifted in 2019, its legacy has left the country with a limited understanding of the causes and solutions to gun violence.


Advocates have long called for measures such as:

• Universal Background Checks: Closing loopholes in gun sales to ensure that all firearm purchases are subject to background checks.

• Safe Storage Laws: Requiring gun owners to store firearms securely to prevent unauthorized access.

• Bans on Certain Firearms: Prohibiting the sale of assault-style weapons, which are often used in mass shootings.


The Debate Over Gun Rights and Reform

The debate over gun control in the United States often pits the rights of gun owners against the need for public safety. Opponents of stricter gun laws argue that restrictions infringe on constitutional rights and fail to address the root causes of violence, such as mental health issues. Proponents, however, point to the success of gun control measures in other countries and the overwhelming public support for policies like background checks.


A Way Forward

Despite the challenges, there is growing momentum for change. Grassroots organizations, survivors of gun violence, and some lawmakers are advocating for comprehensive reforms. The Madison school shooting serves as a stark reminder of the urgency of these efforts. As the nation grapples with its gun violence epidemic, it must look to both its history and the experiences of other countries to find a path toward a safer future.


(The author is a resident of US. Views personal.)

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