CIC Directs CBSE on Answer Sheet Access Under RTI Act

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has issued a directive to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) regarding the photocopying fees for answer sheets under the RTI Act. This ruling arose from a Class 10 student's RTI application, which highlighted the high costs associated with re-evaluation and verification processes. The CIC criticized CBSE's previous circular that restricted students from seeking re-evaluation after obtaining their answer sheets via RTI, asserting that such a ban contradicts the principles of transparency. The Commission emphasized that the RTI Act takes precedence over conflicting regulations, ensuring students' rights to access their answer sheets and seek further evaluation.

By Ambika Singh Sep 8, 2026, 08:43 IST

CBSE Board Exam Update

Important Directive from CIC: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has made a crucial ruling concerning the photocopying fees for CBSE board exam answer sheets. The Commission has mandated that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) must adhere to the fee structure outlined in the RTI Rules, 2012, when a student requests their answer sheet. Furthermore, the CIC has advised CBSE to revise its circular from May 19, 2025, which stated that students who obtain their answer sheets through RTI cannot later request verification or re-evaluation based on that copy. The CIC criticized this restriction as contrary to the principles of transparency.

Origin of the Issue:
This situation arose from an RTI application submitted by a Class 10 student seeking a photocopy of their answer sheet. The student highlighted the exorbitant fees associated with the re-evaluation process and raised concerns about the difficulty level of the Class 10 Mathematics Standard (Set-3) paper, the board's moderation policy, and the marks deducted in their answer sheet.

High Fees for Answer Sheets:
The student reported that a fee of ₹2,500 was required for photocopies of answer sheets for five subjects. Additionally, there was a ₹2,500 charge for re-verification and ₹100 per question for re-evaluation, leading to a potential total cost of ₹10,000. Due to these high expenses, the student requested the CBSE to provide photocopies of their answer sheets under the RTI Act.

Response from CBSE:
On July 2, 2025, the CBSE's Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) informed the student that the requested answer book had been emailed after the payment of the required fee. The student subsequently filed a first appeal, raising issues regarding blank pages in the answer book, the mathematics moderation policy, and the evaluation process. However, the First Appellate Authority noted that these concerns were outside the scope of the original RTI application and sought clarifications on these specific points.

CPIO's Statement During Hearing:
During the CIC hearing, the CBSE CPIO confirmed that the answer sheet had been provided to the student and that the photocopying fee was charged according to the RTI Rules 2012. The CPIO referenced the CBSE circular from May 19, 2025, which allows candidates to obtain copies of their answer books under the RTI Act but prohibits verification or re-evaluation requests based on those copies.

CIC's Objection to Re-evaluation Ban:
The CIC expressed discontent with CBSE's restriction on re-evaluation. The Commission stated that preventing a student from seeking re-evaluation simply because they obtained their answer sheet via RTI contradicts the intent of the RTI law. The Commission emphasized that obtaining a copy of an answer sheet through RTI should not preclude a student from pursuing re-evaluation or other available remedies.

CBSE's Fee Regulations Under Scrutiny:
The CIC clarified that CBSE cannot impose fees or conditions that conflict with the RTI Act. Citing Section 22 of the RTI Act, the Commission noted that this law takes precedence over any inconsistent regulations. Therefore, if any other rule contradicts the RTI Act, the provisions of the RTI Act will prevail.

Supreme Court Reference:
In its ruling, the CIC also referenced a Supreme Court judgment from April 11, 2019, in the *ICSI vs. Paras Jain* case. This ruling established that remedies available under an institution's regulations and those under the RTI Act are not mutually exclusive. The CIC deemed this principle relevant to the current case.