Get a Certified Copy of Your Answer Sheet Through RTI
You can seek a certified copy of your own evaluated answer sheet under RTI: in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) the Supreme Court held that an evaluated answer sheet is "information" under the Act. This applies to exam bodies that are public authorities, subject to the exemptions in Section 8 and only while the body still holds the script under its retention rules. Where the body runs its own copy scheme, courts have differed on whether it can require you to use that scheme instead; RTI, and a First Appeal if refused, is the route when that scheme is closed, refused or does not give you the evaluated sheet.
Try these official channels first
Check the exam body's own copy scheme first - it is often faster than RTI. (1) CBSE and several boards run their own "photocopy of evaluated answer book" scheme with a published window after results; if your window is open, apply there. (2) Universities usually offer recounting / revaluation / personal inspection under their own rules - ask the exam section for the current procedure and deadline. (3) Recruitment bodies (UPSC, SSC, state PSCs) publish answer keys with objection windows - use those while they are open. If the scheme window has closed, the body refuses, or the copy scheme does not give you the actual evaluated sheet, file the RTI below - and mention in it that you sought the copy through the body's own scheme.
Why this usually gets stuck
- Marks far below expectation with revaluation offering only a totalling check
- Exam bodies quoting internal rules that "answer sheets cannot be shown"
- Recanvassing windows closed before results were even understood
- Recruitment exams where a few marks decide selection
What an RTI gets you, on record
- A certified copy of your own evaluated answer sheet
- The marks awarded question-wise (you can also ask for the model answer key or evaluation scheme, but examiner instructions and model answers can be withheld under Section 8(1)(e))
- Totalling/mapping records where results were processed electronically
- The evaluator's markings - though evaluator identity can be withheld
Where to file it
Address the RTI to the PIO of the examination body - the board, university or recruiting commission. Central bodies (CBSE, UPSC, SSC, central universities) via the Central RTI portal; state boards/universities/PSCs via your state portal or post. See landmark rulings in our RTI Case-Law Library.
Sample RTI questions (edit the bracketed details)
Keep questions factual and specific to your own matter. Ask for records, status, dates, reasons and officer details - not opinions. Do not include anyone else's personal information.
Copy-paste RTI application
Fill the bracketed details and send to the PIO of the office named. Attach the RTI fee prescribed for that authority (Rs. 10 in many cases; BPL applicants attach BPL proof instead of fee). Do not include anyone else's personal information.
To, The Public Information Officer, [Examination body - Board / University / Recruiting Commission], [Address of the exam body's office] Subject: Request for information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 Sir/Madam, Under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, I request the following information regarding my own answer sheet in [exam name], roll number [number], subject [name], held on [date]: 1. A certified copy of my evaluated answer sheet(s) in the said subject. 2. The question-wise marks awarded to me, along with a copy of the model answer key / evaluation scheme applied. 3. The totalling and mark-mapping record by which my final marks in the said subject were computed. 4. The fee, if any, prescribed for supplying a copy of an evaluated answer sheet, and the rule prescribing it. I state that I had sought a copy through the body's own scheme on [date, if applicable] and [received no response / the window had closed / the scheme does not provide the evaluated sheet]. I am enclosing the RTI application fee as prescribed for this public authority by Indian Postal Order / court-fee stamp / online payment proof / other accepted mode. [If you hold a BPL card: I am below the poverty line, a copy of my BPL card is enclosed, and no application fee is payable.] Please provide the information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005. Place: ____________ Date: ____________ [Your Full Name] [Full Postal Address] [Phone / Email]
If there is no reply in 30 days
The PIO is ordinarily required to respond within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. If there is no proper response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority of the same public authority; if that fails, a Second Appeal lies with the Information Commission. See the Appeal Generator.
I only need help finding the correct PIO >
Frequently asked questions
Is this really allowed?
Yes, if the body is a public authority and still holds your script. The Supreme Court held in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) that evaluated answer sheets are information under the RTI Act and that examinees can seek to inspect or obtain copies of their own, subject to the exemptions in Section 8 and the body's retention period.
Can they charge extra per page?
Bodies may charge the prescribed copying fee; some prescribe specific per-answer-sheet fees under their rules. Ask for the fee and the rule in the RTI itself, as in the sample above.
Will I learn who evaluated it?
No - evaluator identity is generally protected. You get the evaluated content and marks, not the examiner's name.
My exam body says revaluation is not allowed. Does RTI still help?
It can. RTI does not depend on a revaluation scheme existing: where revaluation is barred, you can still seek a copy of your own evaluated answer sheet under RTI, subject to Section 8 and while the body still holds it. Seeing it can settle the doubt or show a totalling error worth pursuing.
My university is private. Does RTI apply?
RTI applies to public authorities - government bodies and institutions substantially financed by the government. A purely private university may fall outside the Act, but records about it held by a public authority - its regulator (UGC/AICTE) or an affiliating public university - can still be sought by filing the RTI with that authority.
What if there is no reply in 30 days?
The PIO is ordinarily required to respond within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. If there is no proper response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority of the same public authority; if that also fails, a Second Appeal lies with the Information Commission. No fee is prescribed for a First Appeal under the central RTI Rules, 2012; some states prescribe one, so check your own state's rules before you send it. FileMyRTI offers First Appeal drafting as a separate service (₹599 incl. GST).
How does FileMyRTI help here?
Our legal team drafts the application citing CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay, addresses it to the correct PIO of your exam body, files it (portal or Registered Post) and tracks it until the reply - and can prepare the First Appeal as a separate service (₹599 incl. GST) if the body refuses or stays silent. See the done-for-you service linked below.
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