Real Customer Pattern
Quick answer: Universities and boards maintain degree and marks registers as long-term records even when individual files are weeded out - retention schedules vary, so the first question is what the institution’s own schedule says. An RTI can ask, on record: does my entry exist, what does the register show, and what is the certified-copy procedure. The PIO’s reply is ordinarily due in 30 days under Section 7(1).
Check This First
- Everything you remember: roll/enrolment number, year of passing, college name, course - even partial identifiers dramatically improve the search. Old hall tickets, provisional certificates or employer records often carry them.
- The institution’s duplicate/verification cell: some universities handle old-record requests through the same cell - apply there first if a procedure exists, and keep the acknowledgement.
What an RTI Can Ask
- Whether the marks/degree register for [course], [year] contains an entry for roll/enrolment no. ________, and whether a certified extract of that entry can be provided.
- Whether the records for that year are retained, weeded out, digitised, transferred to another office, or available in tabulation/register form - and the retention schedule applicable, as on record.
- If the record is stated to be unavailable: the recorded basis - when and under what authority it was weeded/destroyed, with a copy of that record.
- The prescribed procedure and fee for obtaining a certified copy or re-issued document based on the register entry.
Why the Register Extract Matters
A certified extract of the register entry is a certified copy of a public record - for pension, visa and legal purposes it is often the accepted proof when the original certificate is long gone. And if the institution claims the record no longer exists, RTI makes it say so on record, with the basis - which itself is usable in whatever process you are pursuing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Asking vaguely for “my old records” - lead with the register entry for a specific roll number, course and year.
- Accepting a verbal “too old, not available” - ask for the weeding record; often the register is very much alive.
- Forgetting the fee/procedure question - getting the certified copy is the goal, not just the confirmation.
Common Questions
The university says records that old are destroyed. End of the road?
Not yet. Ask on record for the retention schedule and the specific weeding record for your year. Registers are commonly retained far longer than individual files - and if truly destroyed, the recorded confirmation plus any surviving index may still support a re-issued document under the institution’s rules.
I do not remember my roll number. Can I still file?
Yes - give the name, course, college and year, and ask whether the register for that year contains the entry. More identifiers help, but their absence does not bar the request.
How is this different from a duplicate certificate?
The duplicate follows the board’s procedure (see our duplicate-certificate guide); this page is about first establishing, on record, that the underlying register entry exists - which is what every re-issuance builds on.
How FileMyRTI Helps
We draft register-extract RTIs for old records - a request pattern we handle regularly - correctly addressed to the examinations section. Apply below, or book a guided session (Rs. 499).
Ready to file your RTI?
FileMyRTI's RTI drafting team prepares your application within 24 hours. Under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, the PIO is ordinarily required to respond within 30 days. If there is no proper response, we help with the First Appeal route.
Apply Now — Starting ₹399 →Want the full details of this service — what we ask, what you get, and how filing works? See the dedicated service page: RTI For Marksheet Verification
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