Kannur University Disqualifies CBSE Vendor Coempt Eduteck Over False Declaration
In Mumbai, educational technology firm Coempt Eduteck, which is currently hired by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for digitising answer sheets and onscreen marking, has been disqualified from a similar contract by Kannur University in Kerala. The university disqualified the company over the non-disclosure of a pending criminal proceeding, which contradicted its "clean record" declaration.
The disqualification has raised concerns among experts regarding the vetting and hiring processes of critical technical vendors by major educational boards like the CBSE.
According to official documents, Coempt Eduteck had submitted a mandatory declaration claiming a "clean track record" and certifying that no criminal or civil proceedings were pending against it. The declaration was submitted as part of a bid for an end-to-end answer-book digitisation and digital evaluation contract with Kannur University.
However, the university's tender committee discovered that the company's declaration was inconsistent with court records. Specifically, Criminal Petition (CRLP) No. 696/2019 remains pending against the firm before the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The committee concluded that the non-disclosure of this pending criminal proceeding amounted to the "suppression of material facts" and affected "the integrity of the procurement process."
In a clarification dated February 18, 2026, Coempt Eduteck acknowledged to the committee that the legal matter was "technically shown as pending" before the High Court. The company attempted to rely on an arbitral award to support its position.
However, the tender committee was unconvinced, noting that the arbitral award arose from separate arbitration proceedings and could not be treated as a judicial order disposing of or quashing the criminal petition. The committee stated that no High Court order evidencing the disposal or quashing of the petition was provided.
Consequently, the committee unanimously decided to disqualify Coempt Eduteck from the tender process, preventing the company from making a technical presentation.
