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 [University/College] (Controller of Examinations), [City]. |
Why University Exams Are a Strong RTI Case
State and central universities are public authorities under the RTI Act, so the Bandopadhyay precedent applies squarely. Many universities also have a revaluation/photocopy rule, but those windows are short and the fees can be high. RTI lets you obtain the evaluated script and the re-evaluation record even after the window, and is especially useful when a revaluation result looks inconsistent and you want to see the marks question-by-question.
Full Sample RTI Application You Can Adapt
To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
O/o the [University/College] (Controller of Examinations), [City].
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:
- Registration/Hall-ticket No.: [____], Course & Semester: [____], Exam & Year: [____], Subject(s): [____].
- A certified photocopy of my evaluated answer script(s) for the above subject(s).
- The question-wise marks and the marking/evaluation scheme.
- If I applied for re-evaluation/re-totalling, the result and the re-evaluator's marks.
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 university answer sheet via RTI?
Yes. Universities are public authorities, so under CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay you can obtain a certified copy of your evaluated script on an RTI request, reply due in 30 days.
What does it cost?
The RTI fee is ₹10; copying is per page or a fixed certified-copy charge. Our service starts at ₹399.
My revaluation result is strange. Can RTI help?
Yes. You can ask for the re-evaluated script and the question-wise marks awarded, so an inconsistent revaluation is visible on record.
Whom do I address it to?
The PIO at the university — usually the office of the Controller of Examinations. We identify the right PIO for you.
What if there is no reply in 30 days?
File a First Appeal under Section 19(1); we draft it free if a department misses the deadline on an RTI we filed.
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