The Central Board of Secondary Education has secured the final CBSE cybersecurity clearance required for its examiner-facing re-evaluation portal, allowing the reassessment of Class 12 answer scripts to move forward. The approval was granted on the night of June 6, 2026, after the completion of the final phase of cybersecurity testing conducted through an IIT-led red team and blue team audit.
The development marks a significant step for more than 70,000 students who submitted valid applications for verification of marks and re-evaluation before the June 7 midnight deadline. According to a report first published by The Indian Express, citing officials familiar with the matter, the final security clearance has now enabled examiners to begin accessing answer scripts through the upgraded system.
CBSE Cybersecurity Clearance Granted After Final Security Audit
The final CBSE cybersecurity clearance followed extensive testing of the examiner-facing re-evaluation portal by cybersecurity experts from multiple institutions. An IIT official confirmed that all major vulnerabilities identified during the audit process had been addressed before the approval was granted.
“From our side, we gave a green signal on Friday night. Whatever we found has been fixed, and we could not find anything more. There may be some minor vulnerabilities, but nothing that would have any impact,” the official said.
Although students had been able to submit applications through the portal since June 2, examiner access to answer scripts remained restricted until the cybersecurity review process was completed. The latest clearance now allows the full re-evaluation workflow to commence.
How the Re-Evaluation Portal Was Tested
Before receiving the final CBSE cybersecurity clearance, the re-evaluation portal underwent a detailed red team and blue team assessment designed to identify and address potential security weaknesses.
According to officials, IIT Kanpur’s cybersecurity experts spent more than ten days examining both the CBSE registration portal and the OSM re-evaluation portal.
The registration portal had earlier been taken offline following a cyberattack before being relaunched on June 2. Meanwhile, the OSM platform underwent multiple rounds of security testing before ultimately receiving approval on June 6.
Ethical Hacker Nisarga Adhikary Recognized for Reporting Vulnerabilities
The cybersecurity review process also included discussions with ethical hacker Nisarga Adhikary, the 19-year-old cybersecurity researcher who publicly disclosed vulnerabilities within the OSM platform.
An IIT Kanpur official confirmed that Adhikary was invited by CBSE to explain how he identified the weaknesses. His contribution was formally acknowledged during the review process.
The official stated, “So far, we have not found any breach of data from the systems that have been created.”
The acknowledgment highlights the role that responsible vulnerability disclosure can play in improving cybersecurity standards for public examination systems.
How the New CBSE-Controlled Re-Evaluation Portal Operates
Following the migration to CBSE servers and the completion of the CBSE cybersecurity clearance process, the updated re-evaluation portal will function through a fully digital workflow.
Under the revised system:
- Examiners can access only the specific questions that have been flagged by students for re-evaluation rather than the complete answer book.
- Access is provided through CBSE-issued tablets.
- Marks are awarded according to CBSE’s original marking scheme.
- Every action within the process is digitally recorded, creating comprehensive audit trails.
Officials believe these measures will help improve transparency, accountability, and security during the reassessment process.
