RTI for SSC / UPSC Answer Sheet Disclosure

Every candidate has the right to inspect his or her own evaluated answer sheet under the RTI Act, 2005, following the Supreme Court ruling in Central Board of Secondary Education v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011). The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) are public authorities under the RTI Act. The RTI asks for a certified copy of the answer sheet, the evaluator's marks-sheet, the question-wise breakdown, and the answer key used. 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 held:

• Evaluated answer sheets are “information” under §2(f) of the RTI Act.
• §8(1)(e) fiduciary exemption does not apply to a candidate's own answer sheet.
• §8(1)(j) personal-information exemption does not apply when the candidate is the applicant.
• The candidate is entitled to a certified copy on payment of the prescribed fee.

The same principle applies to SSC, UPSC, State PSCs, IBPS, and every other competitive-examination body. Cite the case by paragraph in your application.

SSC and UPSC together conduct around 50 examinations each year, evaluating around 3 crore answer sheets. Common reasons candidates need the answer sheet:

1. Re-totalling check. Suspect the marks tallied are wrong.
2. Question-wise breakdown. Identify weak topics for re-attempt strategy.
3. Answer-key challenge. Dispute the official answer key for specific questions.
4. Court appeal. Filing a writ challenging the result needs the answer sheet as evidence.

The Commission's grievance route accepts complaints only on procedural matters. The RTI route forces the PIO to disclose the actual answer sheet, the evaluator's marks-sheet, and the answer key.

1. Note your roll number and the examination details. Year, paper, date of result.
2. Identify the PIO:
   1. SSC papers: PIO is at SSC Headquarters, Block No. 12, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, or at the relevant SSC Regional Office (Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Allahabad, Guwahati, Raipur, Bhubaneswar).
   2. UPSC papers: PIO is the Deputy Secretary (RTI) at UPSC, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi 110069.
3. Draft the RTI. Sample below.
4. Pay Rs. 10. IPO in favour of “Pay & Accounts Officer, SSC” or “Pay & Accounts Officer, UPSC”. Online via rtionline.gov.in.
5. Send by Speed Post or file online.
6. Track the 30-day clock. On Day 31 of PIO silence, file a First Appeal.

To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Staff Selection Commission / Union Public Service Commission]
[Full address]

Subject: Request for information under §6(1) of the Right to
Information Act, 2005, regarding answer sheet inspection for
Roll Number [XXXXXXXXXX] in [Examination name + Year].

Sir / Madam,

I, [Your full name], a citizen of India, residing at [Your address],
appeared in [Examination name + Year] held on [DD-MM-YYYY], request
the following information under §6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005:

  Examination: [SSC CGL Tier-1 / SSC CHSL / UPSC Civil Services
  Preliminary / UPSC Civil Services Main / Other - specify]
  Roll Number: [XXXXXXXXXX]
  Registration Number: [XXXXXXXXXX]
  Result date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
  Paper / Subject: [As applicable]

  1. A certified photocopy of my evaluated OMR answer sheet (for
     objective papers) OR the written answer booklet (for descriptive
     papers).
  2. The evaluator's marks-sheet, with question-wise marks awarded.
  3. The official answer key used for evaluation.
  4. The cut-off mark for the post / category I applied under.
  5. My total marks awarded as per the answer sheet, with any
     question-wise discrepancies marked.
  6. The name and designation of the evaluator (where descriptive)
     or the scanning record (where OMR).
  7. The Commission's policy on re-totalling and the appeal route.

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 sheet under the RTI Act.

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]

• “Inspection window closed.” Cite Aditya Bandopadhyay: the right under RTI is independent of the Commission's own inspection window. Insist on a certified copy.
• “§8(1)(e) fiduciary.” The Supreme Court has expressly rejected this for the candidate's own answer sheet. Cite the case.
• “OMR machine-scanned, no answer sheet to disclose.” OMR scan images are “information” under §2(f). Ask for the scanned image of your sheet.
• “Re-totalling separately, not under RTI.” The RTI is for inspection of records. Re-totalling is a separate process. Both routes run in parallel.
• No reply. File the First Appeal on Day 31.

Two routes work together:

• Inspection under RTI. Lets you see the answer sheet and the evaluator's marks. Cost: Rs. 10 fee + Rs. 2 per page.
• Re-totalling through the Commission. Lets the Commission re-add the marks. Cost: usually Rs. 100-500 per paper. Time: 30-90 days.

File both. The RTI gives you the evidence; the re-totalling formally corrects the marks.

Once you have the certified copy:

1. Cross-check the marks against the answer key. If you find an evaluation error, file a re-totalling application within 15 days of the result.
2. Challenge a wrong answer key. Some Commissions invite key challenges in a separate window. The CIC has ordered key corrections in several cases.
3. File a writ petition if the error is material and the Commission refuses to act. The answer sheet is your evidence.

Yes. The Supreme Court in CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) held a candidate is entitled to a certified copy of his or her own evaluated answer sheet. The same principle applies to SSC, UPSC, State PSCs, and every other examination body.

Yes, but only the prescribed RTI fee. Rs. 10 application fee + Rs. 2 per page photocopy. Some Commissions also charge a separate “inspection” fee in their own Rules; the separate fee does not apply under the RTI route.

Yes. OMR sheets and their scanned images are “information” under §2(f). The Commission is required to disclose the scan with the evaluator's machine-recorded marks.

The Commission must produce the destruction order with the date and authority. Routine destruction is not allowed before the appeal window closes. Premature destruction is itself a §20 ground.

30 to 60 days. The 30-day reply window is binding under §7(1). Beyond 60 days, a Second Appeal with a §20 prayer is the next step.

No. Re-totalling is a separate process under the Commission's own rules. The RTI gives you the answer sheet; re-totalling formally corrects the marks. File both.

No. The Official Secrets Act does not apply to examination answer sheets. The §8(2) override of the RTI Act protects answer-sheet disclosure even where another Act seeks to bar it.

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

• The Right to Information Act, 2005. §6, §7, §8(1)(e), §8(1)(j), §8(2), §19, §20.
• CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (Supreme Court, Civil Appeal 6454/2011).
• Bihar Public Service Commission v. Saiyed Hussain Abbas Rizvi (Supreme Court, 2012).
• Staff Selection Commission. ssc.gov.in.
• Union Public Service Commission. upsc.gov.in.
• Central Information Commission. cic.gov.in.

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