Student launches portal to make government procurement data public

After drawing attention for analysing CBSE's digital evaluation tender, Class 12 student Sarthak Sidhant has unveiled a searchable database of nearly 1.66 crore government procurement records, encouraging citizens, researchers and journalists to independently examine public spending.

Class 12 student Sarthak Sidhant has launched a public database containing nearly 1.66 crore procurement records sourced from the Government of India's Central Public Procurement (CPP) Portal, marking a new step in his efforts to improve transparency through open access to public data.

Announcing the initiative on social media platform X, Sidhant said the database had been compiled over the past two weeks and was designed to make government procurement information easier to search, analyse and download. He invited journalists, researchers and citizens to independently examine the records, describing the project as the beginning of a broader transparency initiative aimed at encouraging public scrutiny of government spending.

The portal archives procurement data available on the CPP Portal in a searchable format, allowing users to explore contracts and purchasing information without navigating multiple government records.

Expanding the push for open data

The latest initiative follows Sidhant's earlier work on the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) digital evaluation system, which brought him into the national spotlight. His analysis of CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) process and related procurement documents generated public discussion on transparency in the examination system.

His findings also attracted the attention of policymakers, leading to an appearance before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, where he presented his observations on the digital evaluation process and procurement practices.

According to Sidhant, making public records more accessible can encourage independent analysis and contribute to greater accountability in government procurement. By allowing users to download and examine the complete dataset, he hopes to promote wider participation in data-driven public oversight.

Earlier investigation sparked national attention

Sidhant's interest in procurement transparency began after he obtained scanned copies of his own Class 12 answer sheets and noticed discrepancies in the marking process. As concerns over digital evaluation grew among students, he began studying multiple versions of CBSE tender documents available in the public domain.

His review highlighted changes in eligibility requirements, certification norms and performance-related clauses across different stages of the procurement process. He argued that these revisions warranted closer examination and raised broader questions about transparency in public contracting.

The launch of the procurement database has further highlighted how publicly available government data can be analysed by independent researchers, demonstrating the growing role that young citizens can play in advancing transparency and informed public discourse.