Chicago – June 08, 2026
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, June 7, lauded 18-year-old whistleblower Sarthak Sidhant and his associate Nisarga Adhikary for uncovering alleged collusion between the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and COEMPT in the on-screen marking system (OSM) for Class 12 board exams.
Gandhi shared a video on X of his recent meeting with Sidhant, who has highlighted serious irregularities in the tendering process for selecting the OSM vendor. The teenager’s findings have sparked a major controversy, with students claiming that scanned answer sheets uploaded by the board did not match their handwriting.
In his Hindi post accompanying the video, Gandhi commended Sarthak’s exceptional courage, principles, and sharp mindset. “He and his associate Nisarg accomplished what the country’s major media houses and investigative journalists could not,” he said. Gandhi described the youngsters’ success as a victory for India’s youth and a clear defeat for the government, noting that an 18-year-old proved faster and more effective than the CBI.
The Leader of Opposition criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he wants the youth to remain engaged in making reels and frying ‘pakodas’ rather than asking questions. “But these young men did ask questions, and they found the answers too,” Gandhi remarked. He hailed their work as “India’s true youth power — inquisitive, aware and informed.”
The government has removed two senior CBSE officials amid the OSM row, but the Congress has dismissed the action as an eyewash and cover-up. Gandhi has demanded the immediate sacking of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the constitution of an independent judicial inquiry.
