CBSE must follow RTI fee rules for board exam answer sheets, says government body

The Central Information Commission has told CBSE to charge only the RTI Rules photocopying fee for answer sheets and objected to a circular blocking further verification or revaluation. The order says students using RTI cannot be denied remedies otherwise available under board rules.CBSE must follow RTI fee rules for board exam answer sheets, says government body (Photo: PTI)The Central Information Commission (CIC) has questioned CBSE’s rules on access to exam answer sheets, directing the board to levy only the photocopying fee prescribed under the RTI Rules, 2012. It has also recommended amending a CBSE circular that prevents students who access their answer sheets under RTI from applying for verification or re-evaluation.The matter came to light from an RTI application filed by a Class 10 CBSE board examination candidate, who sought copies of his answer sheets under the RTI Act, citing the high cost of the board's regular re-evaluation process.The student had also raised concerns about the difficulty level of the Class 10 Mathematics Standard Set 3 paper, the implementation of the moderation policy and deductions in marks.According to the RTI application, the regular process involved a fee of Rs 2,500 for photocopies of answer sheets for five subjects and another Rs 2,500 for re-verification. The re-evaluation was charged at Rs 100 per question, taking the potential total cost to around Rs 10,000. The candidate therefore sought copies of his answer books through the RTI Act, arguing that the regular process involved a substantial financial burden.CBSE PROVIDED ANSWER SHEETS AFTER FEE PAYMENTThe Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of CBSE informed the candidate on July 2, 2025, that copies of the requested answer books had been sent to him by email after receipt of the requisite fee. The candidate later filed a first appeal, raising questions about blank pages in the answer books, the moderation policy in Mathematics and the evaluation of his answers.The First Appellate Authority, however, said these issues were different from the original RTI queries and required explanations and analytical responses.CIC OBJECTS TO BAR ON VERIFICATION, RE-EVALUATIONDuring the hearing before the CIC, the CBSE CPIO submitted that the answer sheets had been supplied after the candidate paid photocopying charges prescribed under the RTI Rules, 2012.The CPIO also referred to a CBSE circular dated May 19, 2025, which allows candidates to obtain copies of answer books under the RTI Act but states that requests for verification or revaluation cannot be made under the Act.The CIC objected to this restriction, observing that preventing a candidate from seeking revaluation merely because they had obtained their answer sheet through RTI goes against the spirit of the transparency law.The commission held that a candidate's decision to exercise the right to access information under the RTI Act cannot, by itself, be used to take away another remedy available under the examination rules.RTI ACT OVERRIDES INCONSISTENT RULESThe CIC further observed that CBSE cannot rely on its own rules or regulations to impose fees or conditions that are inconsistent with the RTI Act.It referred to Section 22 of the RTI Act, which gives the legislation overriding effect over provisions contained in other laws, rules or instruments to the extent that they are inconsistent with the Act.The commission also cited the Supreme Court's April 11, 2019, judgment in ICSI vs Paras Jain, which held that remedies available under an institution's guidelines and those available under the RTI framework are not mutually exclusive.The CIC, therefore, directed CBSE to provide answer scripts sought under the RTI Act by charging photocopying fees strictly in accordance with the RTI Rules, 2012.CBSE ASKED TO AMEND MAY 19 CIRCULARThe order is significant for CBSE students seeking access to their evaluated answer sheets before deciding whether to pursue verification or revaluation.The CIC has clarified that accessing answer sheets under the RTI Act and pursuing CBSE's examination remedies should not automatically be treated as mutually exclusive.By directing CBSE to follow RTI photocopying fee rules and recommending changes to its circular, the commission has sought to ensure that students' statutory right to information is not restricted by institutional rules.(With inputs from PTI)- EndsPublished By: Apoorva AnandPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 11:13 IST