Dharmendra Pradhan reviews overhaul of CBSE payment gateway system with PSU banks
NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Mr Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday held discussions with senior officials of four public sector banks on revamping the Central Board of Secondary Education’s payment gateway system following recent technical and payment-related issues faced by students during post-examination services.Senior officials from State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Indian Bank attended the meeting, which focused on improving the reliability and efficiency of digital payment processes linked to CBSE services such as re-evaluation requests, photocopies of answer sheets and other fee-based facilities.Focus on student-friendly payment systemDuring the meeting, Mr Pradhan stressed the need for a secure and student-friendly payment ecosystem that can handle large volumes of transactions without disruptions. He directed the banks to work closely with CBSE in strengthening payment protocols to prevent technical failures and delays during crucial post-result processes.The minister instructed the banks to ensure timely transactions and establish systems for immediate resolution of payment-related complaints. He also called for mechanisms that would allow automatic refunds in cases of failed or excess payments made by students and parents while accessing CBSE services online.Officials discussed the introduction of advanced technical safeguards, real-time monitoring systems and quicker grievance redressal procedures to improve the existing payment gateway infrastructure.Banks asked to prioritise technical upgradesMr Pradhan asked the participating banks to accord the highest priority to the initiative so that students do not encounter payment failures or technical glitches in future examination-related procedures. He urged the banks to ensure that digital transactions linked to CBSE services remain smooth, secure and efficient.The banks assured the Union Education Ministry of their full cooperation and committed to implementing enhanced protocols and technical upgrades at the earliest in coordination with CBSE.The discussions came after concerns were raised over payment and technical issues faced by students during the CBSE post-result and re-evaluation processes.Meeting follows discussions with Finance MinisterEarlier, on May 24, 2026, Mr Pradhan had also held discussions with Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman regarding the recent technical and payment-related difficulties reported during CBSE post-result services.The latest meeting forms part of the Centre’s efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure supporting examination-related services and improve the experience for students accessing online CBSE facilities.
