RTI for CBSE / State Board Re-evaluation Records

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).

In CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (Civil Appeal 6454/2011), the Supreme Court ruled:

• Evaluated answer scripts are “information” under §2(f) of the RTI Act.
• §8(1)(e) fiduciary exemption does not apply to a candidate's own answer script.
• The candidate is entitled to a certified photocopy on payment of the prescribed fee.
• The Board's own verification scheme runs alongside the RTI right, not in place of it.

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.

The RTI is cheaper and gives a wider disclosure. Use it when:

1. The CBSE verification window has closed.
2. The CBSE photocopy request was rejected for a procedural reason.
3. You want the evaluator's marks-sheet (in addition to your answer book).
4. You plan to file a writ petition and need certified evidence.

1. Note your details. Class, year, subject, roll number, school name.
2. Identify the PIO:
   1. CBSE Class 10 / 12: PIO is at CBSE Headquarters, 2 Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi 110092, or at the relevant CBSE Regional Office (Delhi, Ajmer, Allahabad, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Panchkula, Patna, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Noida).
   2. State Board: PIO is at the Board's Headquarters (Bhopal for MP Board, Bhiwani for Haryana Board, Patna for Bihar Board, and similar).
   3. CISCE (ICSE / ISC): PIO at CISCE, P-35/1 Sector V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700091.
3. Draft the RTI. Sample below.
4. Pay Rs. 10. IPO in favour of “Secretary, CBSE” or the State Board equivalent.
5. Send by Speed Post. Keep the receipt.
6. Track the 30-day clock. On Day 31 of PIO silence, file a First Appeal.

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]

• Day 1-30: PIO reply window. CBSE usually answers in 20-30 days.
• Day 31: Deemed refusal. First Appeal to the FAA at the Board (the Director (Information) at CBSE Headquarters).
• Day 76: Second Appeal to the Central Information Commission for CBSE / CISCE or the State Information Commission for State Boards.
• Parallel: File the CBSE verification or photocopy request through the official Board portal.

• “Verification window already used.” The verification scheme runs alongside the RTI right, not in place of it. Cite Aditya Bandopadhyay para 25.
• “Answer book sent back to school.” Untrue for Board Examinations. Answer books are retained at the Board's regional office. Insist on the certified copy.
• “Re-evaluation is not allowed for all subjects.” Re-evaluation policy differs by Board. The RTI is separate from re-evaluation. The answer book inspection is the candidate's right regardless.
• “Moderation policy is confidential.” §8(2) override applies. Moderation policy affects every candidate; public-interest demands disclosure.
• No reply. File the First Appeal on Day 31.

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.

• RTI Application Format 2026
• File an RTI online via rtionline.gov.in
• First Appeal Format with grounds checklist
• Penalty under §20
• §8 exemptions explained
• RTI for SSC or UPSC answer sheet
• The RTI Playbook. The complete guide to filing RTI in 2026.

• The Right to Information Act, 2005. §6, §7, §8, §19, §20.
• CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (Supreme Court, Civil Appeal 6454/2011).
• Central Board of Secondary Education. cbse.gov.in.
• Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. cisce.org.
• Central Information Commission. cic.gov.in.

Last reviewed: 28 May 2026, RTI Wiki editorial team.

• CBSE Class 10 two board exams from 2026