Quick answer: Yes — you can obtain a certified copy of your evaluated answer sheet under the RTI Act, 2005. File a ₹10 RTI to the examining body's PIO; the reply is due in 30 days. Below: the law, the exact application, fees and what to do after.
The Law: Your Answer Sheet Is "Information"
In CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011), the Supreme Court held that an evaluated answer book is "information" under the RTI Act, 2005, and that an examinee is entitled to inspect and obtain a certified copy of their own evaluated answer sheet. Every examining body that is a public authority — school boards, universities, recruitment commissions and statutory institutes — is therefore bound to provide it on a proper RTI request. This is the legal backbone of every application below.
RTI Facts at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| RTI application fee | ₹10 (BPL applicants exempt) |
| Copy of answer sheet | ~₹2 per page (some bodies set a fixed certified-copy charge) |
| Reply deadline | 30 days — Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005 |
| If no/poor reply | First Appeal within 30 days — Section 19(1) |
| Final appeal | Second Appeal within 90 days to the Central/State Information Commission — Section 19(3) |
| Where to file | O/o the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Regional Office concerned. |
How CBSE Answer-Sheet Access Works
CBSE runs its own post-result mechanism — verification of marks, obtaining a photocopy of the evaluated answer book, and re-evaluation of specific questions, within set windows and fees. RTI is your parallel, statutory right: even outside or after those windows, you can seek a certified copy of your evaluated answer sheet under the RTI Act, citing the Supreme Court precedent. If the board's own window is open, use it for speed; if it has closed or you were denied, RTI is the route.
Full Sample RTI Application You Can Adapt
To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
O/o the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Regional Office concerned.
Subject: Information under the RTI Act, 2005 — certified copy of my evaluated answer sheet and related records.
Under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, I request a certified copy of my evaluated answer sheet(s) and related records for the examination below:
- Roll No.: [____], Examination: [Class X/XII], Year: [____], Subject(s): [____].
- A certified photocopy of my evaluated answer book(s) for the above subject(s).
- The marking/award scheme and the marks awarded question-wise.
- Whether re-totalling/verification was carried out, and its outcome.
As held in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011), the evaluated answer book is information accessible under the Act. I enclose the RTI fee of ₹10.
Yours faithfully,
[Name] · [Roll/Registration No.] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Date]
Prefer it done for you? Our in-house legal team identifies the correct PIO, drafts and files the RTI, and tracks the reply — from ₹399.
What a Useful Reply Should Contain
A proper reply should provide the certified copy of your evaluated answer sheet, the question/step-wise marks, and the marking scheme. A reply that withholds the script or ignores questions without a valid Section 8/9 exemption likely needs a First Appeal.
What RTI Can and Cannot Do
RTI can: get your evaluated answer sheet, marks, marking scheme and verification records. RTI cannot: by itself change your marks — but the answer sheet it obtains is the evidence you need for verification, re-evaluation, or an appeal.
Common Questions
Can I get my CBSE answer sheet through RTI?
Yes. Following CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011), you are entitled to a certified copy of your evaluated answer book on an RTI request to the CBSE PIO, with a reply due in 30 days.
What does it cost?
The RTI application fee is ₹10; copying is charged per page (or a fixed certified-copy fee). Our drafting-and-filing service starts at ₹399.
Should I use CBSE's own photocopy scheme or RTI?
If CBSE's window is open, it is faster. If it has closed or you were refused, RTI is your statutory fallback to obtain the same evaluated answer book.
What if CBSE does not reply in 30 days?
You can file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) — we draft it free if a department misses the deadline on an RTI we filed for you.
Can RTI change my marks?
No. RTI gets you the evaluated answer book and the marking scheme; any correction of marks is through verification/re-evaluation, for which the answer sheet is your evidence.
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