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Mandeep K. Bhandari Appointed CBSE Chairman: New Chief In Charge As OSM Undergoing Probe Creates Controversy
New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education gets a new boss. Mandeep K Bhandari, 2001-batch IAS officer of AGMUT cadre, has been appointed as the CBSE Chairperson after a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on September 25, 2026. Bhandari has been appointed as CBSE Chairman at a crucial juncture as the examination body continues to grapple with issues concerning the On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation system, which was rolled out for the first time this year for the marking of Class 12 answer books.
His swearing-in also comes at a time when the CBSE has witnessed multiple leadership transitions this year, with examination, digital and student services at the forefront of the agenda.
Mandeep K Bhandari Appointed as CBSE Chairperson
As per the government order published in the media post the Cabinet Committee decision on September 25, Bhandari has been appointed as the Chairperson of CBSE under the Ministry of Education. The post of the CBSE Chairperson has been elevated to the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India for the time being. Bhandari, who has been serving as the Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has had stints in the Union as well as in the State governments.
Who Is Mandeep K Bhandari?
Mandeep K Bhandari belongs to the 2001 IAS batch and AGMUT cadre. He has served in various capacities as a Deputy Commissioner in Leh and Jammu, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Private Secretary to the Union Minister of Human Resource Development, and CEO of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Bhandari is also a qualified medical practitioner with an MBBS degree. His vast administrative experience spans across health, education and security portfolios, adding a unique edge to his expertise as the new CBSE chief.
Why Bhandari’s Appointment Attracts Particular Scrutiny
The apprehensions around the new chief’s appointment have arisen in the wake of several controversies around the CBSE’s new On-Screen Evaluation (OSM) system that was introduced this year for the marking of Class 12 answer sheets. Under the OSM system, the answer sheets would be scanned and uploaded online for the evaluators to access. Notably, the CBSE had issued guidelines to teachers and schools well in advance for the smooth conduct of the examinations this year. The examination guidelines archive of CBSE shows that the ministry had issued the instructions for mock evaluations in January 2026, followed by the OSM’s commencement in February 2026.
However, post result, there emerged several complaints around the OSM, including students raising concerns that the scanned answer sheets were not properly uploaded online, with pages missing, images unclear, and some answer sheets being mismatched with those of the students’. Besides, the grievance was also brought against the technical glitches during the payment process and the post-result services.
While some of these complaints may be investigated and addressed by the Ministry, it is essential to separate the facts from the speculations. It is worth noting that the government had taken cognizance of the issues even prior to the results being declared. In fact, the Ministry had initiated a technical review of the OSM process even before the final examinations were over.
Government Takes Action Against CBSE Over OSM Issues Prior To Bhandari’s Appointment
It was in May 2026 that the Ministry convened a meet chaired over by the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at the CBSE to review the Class XII examination process. The Ministry was informed that almost 18 lakh students had appeared for the examinations, out of which almost 98 lakh answer sheets had been evaluated, with almost 40 crore pages scanned.
The Union Education Ministry also formed a technical committee comprising of professors from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur to look into the issues at hand, including the portals, servers, login systems, and payment gateways. In June 2026, as reported in the media, the Centre transferred the then CBSE chairman Rahul Singh and secretary Himanshu Gupta, citing a need to probe allegations of irregularities in the procurement process of services for OSM.
What Bhandari’s Appointment As CBSE Chief Means For The Examination Board
Bhandari’s tenure as the CBSE chairman will witness the examination board steering through multiple challenges, including the OSM issues as well as the process of the 2026-27 examinations. In addition, the board is also looking towards digitization as a means to further strengthen the examination process. However, for the students, teachers, and parents, the immediate concerns lie in the examination process, with the key issues being evaluation, examination-related digital services and post-result services.
With CBSE adopting new technologies for conducting examinations, it is of utmost importance that the examination process, especially the online interface, is accessible and reliable for all users. This will entail addressing the technical complexities for students as well as providing the required ease of use for parents in accessing the results.
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