The Congress party has intensified its criticism of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the handling of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) On Screen Marking (OSM) system. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described Pradhan as 'shamelessly digging his heels in office' amidst allegations of incompetence and corruption. He pointed out that the CBSE could not satisfactorily respond to inquiries from a Parliamentary Standing Committee regarding its procurement practices. Ramesh cited an investigation revealing that participants in a dry run for the OSM system had flagged significant issues, urging the CBSE to delay its implementation until these problems were resolved. Furthermore, he noted that the CBSE has repeatedly failed to meet its deadlines for re-evaluating student papers, causing frustration among students. Ramesh questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's insistence on protecting Pradhan, especially as public polling shows a demand for his resignation even among NDA supporters. The Congress party has characterized the government's recent actions, including the removal of two CBSE officials, as mere cover-ups, with Rahul Gandhi calling for Pradhan's ouster and a judicial inquiry.