IAS Officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram Appointed New CBSE Chairperson

NEW DELHI — In a major administrative shake-up, the Union government on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, appointed senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The appointment comes amid escalating national scrutiny regarding the board’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which has faced mounting allegations of evaluation errors and procedural discrepancies.

Alongside Sitaram’s appointment, the government named senior bureaucrat Varun Bhardwaj as the new CBSE Secretary. Both appointments were formalized by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the sudden transfer of the board’s previous top leadership.

Crisis Management Following Evaluation Row

The leadership transition follows intense public and student criticism concerning the CBSE Class 12 results. Allegations surfaced on social media and through formal student complaints that scanned copies of answer sheets did not match the handwriting of the candidates, leading to widespread concerns regarding a potential "mix-up" during the digital evaluation process.

In response to the growing controversy, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions ordered the transfer of former CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta. While Singh has been reassigned as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Gupta has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre (Ministry of Home Affairs) with an "extended cooling-off" period, rendering him ineligible for central deputation until December 2030.

To address the underlying concerns, the government has constituted a one-member inquiry committee headed by S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. The committee is tasked with conducting a thorough probe into the procurement and operational integrity of the board’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.

Profile: Lokhande Prashant Sitaram

Sitaram, a 2001-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories) cadre, brings a strong technical and administrative background to the role. Prior to this appointment, he served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

An engineer by training, he holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Pune University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Engineering from the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai. Throughout his career, he has held several key positions, including roles in regional administration and ministerial oversight. He is a two-time recipient of the State Award (Gold) for Meritorious Service.

Official Sources Section

The appointments were confirmed through official orders issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions on June 2, 2026. The probe into the OSM system was mandated by a government resolution, with the committee headed by S. Radha Chauhan officially empowered to seek inter-departmental assistance to ensure a comprehensive review of procurement and digital security protocols.

Quote Section

"According to officials familiar with the developments, the government’s swift action aims to restore public confidence in the integrity of national board examinations and resolve systemic vulnerabilities identified within the digital marking infrastructure."

Why It Matters

For millions of students, parents, and educators, the integrity of the evaluation process is paramount to the credibility of India’s secondary education system. The appointment of a new leadership team signals a proactive effort by the Centre to address technical failures in the OSM system. For the board, the mandate is clear: stabilize operations, ensure transparency in the ongoing inquiry, and restore trust in the assessment of answer sheets before the commencement of the next academic cycle.

Key Facts at a Glance

• New Leadership: Lokhande Prashant Sitaram appointed as CBSE Chairperson; Varun Bhardwaj appointed as CBSE Secretary.

• Administrative Action: Former incumbents Rahul Singh and Himanshu Gupta were transferred following reports of digital evaluation irregularities.

• Independent Probe: A one-member committee led by S. Radha Chauhan will investigate the procurement and functionality of the OSM system.

• Officer Profile: Lokhande Prashant Sitaram is a 2001-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer with a background in mechanical engineering and industrial management.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why was the new CBSE Chairperson appointed?

The appointment follows a major controversy regarding the board's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which led to allegations of answer sheet mismatches and procedural errors in the Class 12 evaluation process.

Who is heading the inquiry into the OSM system?

S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission, has been appointed to head a one-member committee to investigate the procurement and service issues related to the digital marking system.

What happens to the previously transferred officials?

Rahul Singh has been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture as an Additional Secretary, while Himanshu Gupta has been sent back to his parent cadre (MHA) with a long-term cooling-off period until December 2030.

Source: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Press Information Bureau (PIB)