A Class 10 or Class 12 student who disputes the marks in any subject has the right to inspect the evaluated answer sheet under the RTI Act, 2005. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), and every State Board are public authorities under the RTI Act. The Supreme Court in Central Board of Secondary Education v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) ruled: a candidate is entitled to a certified copy of the evaluated answer script. Fee is Rs. 10. The PIO has 30 days to reply under §7(1).
📥 Use these before filing
CBSE opens a paid verification window for around 21 days after results. RTI applies after the window closes or where the verification has been rejected.
In CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (Civil Appeal 6454/2011), the Supreme Court ruled:
Cite the case in every RTI for an answer-script disclosure. CBSE used to refuse routinely; after the 2011 ruling, the refusals stopped.
CBSE offers three formal routes after the result. The RTI sits alongside.
| Route | What it does | Fee | Time |
| — | — | — | — |
| Verification of marks | Re-checks the totalling and entry. No re-evaluation. | Rs. 500 per subject | 14-21 days |
| Photocopy of answer book | Certified scan of your answer book. | Rs. 700 per subject | 21-30 days |
| Re-evaluation | A fresh evaluator marks selected questions. | Rs. 100 per question | 30-45 days |
| RTI (parallel) | The whole answer book + evaluator marks + grade-key. Anchored in Aditya Bandopadhyay. | Rs. 10 application fee + Rs. 2/page | 30 days |
The RTI is cheaper and gives a wider disclosure. Use it when:
To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Central Board of Secondary Education / Name of State Board]
[Full address]
Subject: Request for information under §6(1) of the Right to
Information Act, 2005, regarding answer book inspection for
Class [10 / 12], Roll Number [XXXXXXXX], Board Examination [Year].
Sir / Madam,
I, [Your full name / Parent's name on behalf of minor child], a
citizen of India, residing at [Your address], appeared in the
[Board name] Class [10 / 12] Board Examination [Year], request the
following information under §6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005:
Board: [CBSE / CISCE / State Board name]
Class: [10 / 12]
Year: [YYYY]
Roll Number: [XXXXXXXX]
School Name and Code: [Name, Code]
Subject in question: [Subject name and code]
Marks declared: [XX out of XX]
Result date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
1. A certified photocopy of my evaluated answer book in the said
subject.
2. The evaluator's marks-sheet with question-wise marks awarded.
3. The marking scheme / grade key used by the evaluator for the
said subject.
4. The name and designation of the evaluator (or the evaluator
ID where individual identity is withheld).
5. The moderation policy applied in [Year], if any, with the
percentage of moderation added to my subject.
6. The cut-off for the pass / merit category in the said subject.
7. The Board's policy on re-evaluation and the route to file a
re-evaluation request after the inspection.
I rely on the Supreme Court ruling in //Central Board of Secondary
Education// v. //Aditya Bandopadhyay// (Civil Appeal 6454/2011),
which held a candidate is entitled to inspect his or her own
evaluated answer script under the RTI Act, alongside the Board's
own verification scheme.
I am enclosing Rs. 10 as the prescribed application fee by way of
Indian Postal Order No. [XXXXX] dated [DD-MM-YYYY]. I undertake to
pay additional copying charges at Rs. 2 per page on the PIO's
written estimate.
Kindly supply the information within 30 days as required under §7(1)
of the Act.
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed name]
[Phone] · [Email]
Date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
Place: [City]
Answer sheet not given? Escalate with §20.
When the Board PIO and FAA stonewall, the Second Appeal is the route. Include a §20(1) prayer for Rs. 25,000 penalty. Aditya Bandopadhyay makes the refusal indefensible. Read the §20 guide.
Templates: RTI Application Format · First Appeal Format · Second Appeal Format
Stuck? Use the AI RTI Drafter.
Yes. The Supreme Court in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) settled this. The Board is required to provide a certified copy of the evaluated answer book on payment of the prescribed RTI fee.
Verification re-checks the totalling and entry. The RTI route gives a certified photocopy of the whole answer book plus the evaluator's marks-sheet. The RTI is wider and cheaper.
No. The CBSE photocopy fee of Rs. 700 applies to the Board's own scheme. Under the RTI, the fee is Rs. 10 application + Rs. 2 per page photocopy. Cite the RTI Rules 2012.
Mark the application as a §7(1) proviso life-or-liberty matter (livelihood and education access). The PIO has 48 hours instead of 30 days. Attach the admission portal screenshot as evidence of urgency.
Yes. Every State Board is a public authority under the RTI Act. The Aditya Bandopadhyay ruling binds State Boards equally.
The Board must produce the destruction order with date and authority. Premature destruction (before the appeal window closes) is itself a §20 ground.
The evaluator's full name is usually withheld under §8(1)(g) (safety of the evaluator). The evaluator ID and the marks-sheet are disclosable. Cite the CIC's order in Treesa Irish v. CPIO Income Tax (2014) for the public-activity test.
Last reviewed: 28 May 2026, RTI Wiki editorial team.