A.P. emerging as one of India’s fastest-growing industrial destinations, says Minister

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. File

| Photo Credit: PTI

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday (May 28, 2026) took responsibility for discrepancies related to the CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation process and assured strict action against anyone found intentionally responsible for irregularities affecting students.Mr. Pradhan chaired a meeting with CBSE officials at the CBSE headquarters to address technical and payment-related issues faced by students during the re-evaluation and verification processes.Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Pradhan said the Board was working to address all concerns raised by students regarding evaluation and re-evaluation for Class 12 examinations.“Today, we’ve gathered as the CBSE 12th class re-evaluation is about to begin soon. Seventeen lakh students appeared for the examination, and we have ninety-eight lakh answer sheets. Each answer sheet has forty pages. So, nearly forty crore pages have been scanned,” Mr. Pradhan said.The Minister said this was the first time CBSE had used the OSM evaluation process, which he described as a “student-centric” and globally accepted system aimed at improving transparency. “This was the first time CBSE used it, and some discrepancies have come to light. I take responsibility for this and assure you that a solution will be found. We are working on it. We will not leave any student’s query unaddressed,” he said.Mr. Pradhan added that experts from IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras had been roped in to assist the CBSE’s technical team in reviewing the software and resolving issues.He also said that, following discussions with the Finance Ministry, payment gateways of four public sector banks, SBI, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank, had been integrated with the CBSE portal to make the system more seamless for students.“We take responsibility for any issues students face and apologize for them. I assure you that anyone found intentionally responsible for these discrepancies, regardless of their position within or outside CBSE, will not be spared,” Mr. Pradhan said.Rahul ‘frustrated’, opposed to tech progress: Pradhan on Congress leader’s claimsMr. Pradhan on Thursday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on alleged discrepancies in the CBSE exam system, saying he was “frustrated” and “opposed” to technological progress.The response came after Mr. Gandhi on Wednesday (May 27, 2026) said the CBSE examination results have been marred by “massive irregularities” and demanded an independent judicial inquiry and constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to unearth the truth behind the “entire scam”. He also alleged that a firm with a murky past in Telangana was handed the contract by CBSE for digital evaluation of answer books.“Yesterday, CBSE gave its response regarding this matter. It is in accordance with the procurement policy of the Government of India. I want to assure everyone that if any irregularities are found, no one will be spared,” Mr. Pradhan said.Read: Why CBSE must re-think its on-screen marking systemTargeting Mr. Gandhi, the Minister said the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha appeared “frustrated” due to continuous electoral defeats and accused him of opposing reforms and technological progress.“But as far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, he seems to have reached a different state of mind. Due to continuous electoral defeats, he appears frustrated. He opposed SIR, he used to oppose EVMs, and he opposed Digital India. He does not seem to stand with India’s scientific progress,” he said.The Minister urged political parties to avoid politicising the issue and stressed that reducing stress among students should remain the priority.The CBSE also said its On-Screen Marking (OSM) system is backed by a “secure and robust IT platform”.The Board said the platform has been “tested and certified through empanelled security audits” and is supported by a “robust digital infrastructure” with multiple qu

Industries and Commerce Minister T.G. Bharath Gupta paying floral tributes to TDP founder and former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao during the Mahanaadu programme in Kurnool on Wednesday.

| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

Minister for Food Processing and Industries, T.G. Bharath Gupta on Wednesday reiterated that Andhra Pradesh under the coalition government was emerging as one of the country’s fastest-growing industrial destinations. “Proactive governance, investor-friendly policies, and speedy clearances are the prime factors leading to the dawn of a pro-growth atmosphere in the State,” he said.Addressing party workers during TDP’s Mahanaadu programme here, Mr. Bharath Gupta said the State was attracting nearly 25% of the investments flowing into the country. He credited the surge to transparent administration and the government’s focus on creating a favourable ecosystem for industries and large-scale infrastructure projects.The Minister observed that the coalition government was prioritising industrial development in Kurnool district to reduce migration and create employment opportunities for local youth. Referring to the Jayaraj Steel project at Orvakal, he alleged that the company faced hurdles during the previous YSRCP regime due to delays in approvals. However, after the present government took charge, the company was preparing for fresh investments worth ₹6,000 crore, he claimed.Mr. Bharath Gupta said that reputed firms, including Reliance Industries and Agastya, had already shown interest in Orvakal. He further expressed optimism that the Centre’s proposed semiconductor policies could attract ₹23,000 crore in investment to the region.The Minister said the State government has plans for a High Court bench in Kurnool and an MSME park at Budhawarpet, adding that both projects would significantly boost economic activity and employment generation in the district. Published - May 27, 2026 06:59 pm IST

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South Asia Economic Update April 2026 World Bank Group