CBSE Answer Sheet Photocopy Fees Update: CIC Orders Board to Follow RTI Rules Strictly

According to the Central Information Commission, the Central Board of Secondary Education should supply photocopied answer sheets that have been asked under the RTI Act by collecting the requisite fees as per the RTI Rules, 2012.

Furthermore, the commission has suggested that the CBSE must reconsider and make changes to its circular dated May 19, 2025, which prohibits students with answer sheets under the RTI Act from verification or re-evaluation.

As per the Central Information Commission, such restrictions can be contradictory to the object of the RTI Act.

CIC Directs CBSE to Follow RTI Fee Guidelines

The case came up at CIC due to an RTI filed by a student of CBSE Class 10 regarding his answer sheet.

He expressed concern regarding the exorbitant fees charged for getting his answer sheets and their verification and re-evaluation by CBSE. He also expressed concern regarding the difficulty level of the CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Standard Set 3 question paper and marks evaluation.

As per the RTI, he had to pay:

Due to the higher cost of the regular process, the student requested answer sheet copies under the RTI Act.

CBSE Provided Answer Sheets Through Email

In its reply dated July 2, 2025, the CPIO of the CBSE explained to the student that the answer books were supplied by way of email following payment of the relevant fee.

Subsequently, the student made an appeal and brought to notice further issues, which included:

• Blank pages in CBSE answer books
• Mathematics moderation
• Process of evaluation of answer sheets

It was pointed out by the First Appellate Authority that the above issues were different from those of the RTI request.

In the CIC proceedings, the CPIO of CBSE explained that the answer sheets were supplied following payment of fees for photocopying charges as per the RTI Rules, 2012.

CIC Raises Concern Over CBSE Revaluation Restriction

CBSE CPIO relied upon the May 19, 2025 CBSE circular according to which students can access copies of answer books under RTI but the request for verification or revaluation cannot be made under RTI.

CIC was apprehensive about the condition and noticed that restricting students from making requests for verification or revaluation merely on the ground that the answer sheets have been accessed through RTI would be contrary to the very purpose of the Right to Information Act.

The commission held that the access to the copy of the answer sheets through RTI cannot stop students from availing the remedies available under CBSE’s evaluation rules.

CIC Refers to Section 22 of RTI Act

Section 22 of the RTI Act was cited by CIC as this Section gives supremacy to the RTI Act over any other law, rule or regulation if found to be inconsistent with the provision of this Act.

CIC further cited Supreme Court order of April 11, 2019, of the case ICSI vs Paras Jain. The order mentions that remedies available under the organization’s own rules and remedies available under RTI provisions are not mutually exclusive.

In light of the above observations, CIC ordered CBSE to:

• Provide photocopies of answer sheets under RTI on payment of charges as per RTI Rules 2012.
• Revise the circular dated May 19, 2025, to ensure consistency with RTI provisions.

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