hi Rishi,

i have filed an RTI ,for my mains answer sheet.i got 28/300 in public administration.this is my last attempt.i belong to general category.i got 682.
please let me know if you filed one.

can anybody provide the procedure to file RTI for knowing plot allotment procedure and to whom these shops have been allotted by the govt.
to who should i contact.

hi mrunal,

i had not cleared 2011 prelims. i was shocked but i got down to the next attempt. reached the mains but fumbled again (2012). recently i realised that there was an official key released for 2011. After checking i realised i was scoring 202(cutoff was 198 for general). I am thinking of filing an RTI for a copy of my OMR. Do you think its too late to pursue it?? would be very kind if you could advice.

hiiiiiiiii i am a feeld of social std so plz in fom child protect offic roll heve ben scccesc fuli pashing now i am in comlited my std so which filld betar then my cerrur so sum one helll my problem ……

hiiiii i want to know that Jumping in prelims exam is allowed or not…. and upsc gives reservation in prelims exam or not….. if a sc candidate is score equal to gen candidate in pre exam and upsc select him as a general candidate for pre exam… is it right

I AM POSTING THIS AS NEXT APPEAL TO CIC.

To,
Chief Information Commissioner
New Delhi
Sub: Application under RTI 2005, about Civil Services (Mains) 2012 Result
Sir,
With due respect I would like to mention that I had appeared in Civil Services (Mains) Examination-2012 conducted by UPSC. The final list was announced on 3rd May 2013. Marks of all those who appeared in the Mains Exam but could not clear it were revealed 15 days later. I was awarded unexpectedly very less marks in optional papers. Since I had performed very good in these exams, I filed an RTI application in this regard (Received by UPSC on 3rd June 2013) seeking photocopies of my evaluated answer sheets for the optional subjects to which CPIO-UPSC declined citing section 8(1)(d) and section 8(1)(f) of the RTI act. I made an appeal to the first appellate authority, The Joint Secretary (Examinations)-UPSC who too rejected my appeal (UPSCM/A/2013/00191) on arbitrary grounds. UPSC is giving all sort of general and vague responses of specific queries and these are being used to deny legitimate information demanded by candidate under RTI.
I am hereby countering the arguments given by UPSC to seek the photocopy of my answer sheets.
1. The answer books come under the scope of section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act which says that:

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information.

My arguments:
a. Since UPSC is not a commercial entity, disclosure of photocopy of evaluated answer sheets of the appellant to him shall not in any way related to the commercial interests of UPSC.
b. Although the marking scheme and normalization procedure used by UPSC can be considered as their trade secret, but the end result of that cannot be considered so. Moreover scaling over raw marks and normalization would be happening on the overall score of the candidate and not on individual questions attempted by the appellant. So there is no point in not handing over the photocopy of his/her evaluated answer sheets to the appellant. Moreover UPSC is not involved in any kind of Trade related to conduction Civil Services Mains Exam.
c. As per the definition of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. It is very clear from this definition that the evaluated answer books don’t fall in any of these categories. Infact I would like to argue here that answer sheets filled by me during the mains exam shall be considered as my intellectual property since their content was a creation of my mind. In case UPSC still claims right over that, it shall provide me with the agreement if any such on which I have given consent to UPSC to consider it as its own intellectual property. If UPSC claims that even evaluated answer sheets are its intellectual property then same should apply to other exam conducting agencies but Hon’ble Supreme Court has already put evaluated answer sheets under the definition of “information” in public domain accessible under RTI, hereby making it clear that Hon’ble Supreme Court has already rejected any such claim.
d. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in the landmark case of Aditya Bandopadhyay v. CBSE, has been unequivocal and categorical that as against request for disclosure of answer scripts by candidate himself, no exemption under section 8 can be validly raised. Please refer to para 27 of the judgment: “As no other exemption under section 8 is available in respect of evaluated answer books, the examining bodies will have to permit inspection sought by the examinees.” Through this landmark judgment, Hon’ble Supreme Court has simply expanded the definition of “information” under RTI Act and put “evaluated answer sheets” under it. Thus all exam conducting bodies which normally falls under the RTI act must fall under the expanded RTI act, irrespective of the fact that they were not a party to this particular case.
e. Apart from this, in September 2011’s Shaunak Satya versus ICAI (Institute of Charted Accountants of India) case judgment, Hon’ble Supreme Court has further stated that no exemption under Section 8 of RTI can be used to deny photocopies of evaluated answer sheets under RTI act, unless otherwise exempted by the Govt. Every examinee will have the right to access his evaluated answer-books, by either inspecting them or take certified copies thereof.
f. Further, there is enormous public interest involved in disclosure of answer scripts as it is essential for a candidate to know his/her weaknesses and it is also his/her moral right to peruse his/her own answer scripts. The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in LPA No. 817/2010 has held that “Those who are knocked out before the interview even and did not have a chance to compete any further, are definitely entitled to know that they have not been knocked out arbitrarily to deprive them from even competing any further.”

2. It is not possible to entertain such requests for re-evaluation/photocopy of answer sheets due to pressing commitments relating to the examinations conducted by UPSC.

My arguments:
a. Given this argument, the Hon’ble Supreme Court and Hon’ble High Courts should stop entertaining new cases for they are having a huge backlog of cases pending before them. This is illogical argument given by UPSC against the principal of natural justice.
b. CBSE handles much more number of examinations and answer sheets than UPSC annually. Hence, if CBSE has provision for re-evaluation of answer sheets and for providing photocopy of evaluated answer sheets to the appellant, then why not UPSC.

3. Verdict of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Sanjay Singh vs. UPPSC enables UPSC to deny photocopy of evaluated answer sheets to the appellant.
Case Synopsis:
The Appellant contends that the statistical scaling system adopted by the Commission is illegal as it is contrary to the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service Rules, 2001. The Appellant also contends that conversion of raw marks into scaled marks, is illegal as it was done by applying an arbitrary, irrational and inappropriate scaling formula. It is submitted that the Commission’s exercise of subjecting the marks secured by the candidates to scaling, has resulted in meritorious students being ignored, and less meritorious students being awarded higher marks and selected, thereby violating the fundamental rights of the candidates.

My arguments:
a. Nowhere in my application have I challenged the scaling system adopted by UPSC. I have been just asking for the photocopy of my evaluated answer sheets.
Till date, after more than 10 months since Aditya Bandopadhyay judgment came, UPSC has not provided even a single photocopy of evaluated answer sheets under RTI and thus openly making a mockery of RTI and Indian justice system by its non-compliance. While on the other hand, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commissions among others has already provided photocopies of their evaluated answer sheets under RTI. Infact in Madhya Pradesh, scaled/moderated marks are being shown on the revealed answer sheets. Now, it’s baffling to see and beyond our comprehension as why UPSC still considers itself special and demands treatment accordingly.
I hereby, request you to direct UPSC to furnish the photocopies of my evaluated answer sheets for the below mentioned subjects at the earliest.
i. Public Administration(Paper-I)- ( Mains 2011 marks: 140, Mains 2012 marks: 47)
ii. Public Administration(Paper-II)- ( Mains 2011 marks: 155, Mains 2012 marks: 99)
iii. Psychology(Paper-I)- ( Mains 2011 marks: 99, Mains 2012 marks:97)
iv. Psychology(Paper-II)- ( Mains 2011 marks: 160, Mains 2012 marks:90)
I am very much sure about my performance in all these examinations and I am confident that I have performed none the less than any other candidate in these papers. So even if normalization has happened, I should have got much more marks than what I have been finally awarded. Hence, UPSC should furnish me with photocopies of my evaluated answer sheets so that I can better understand what went wrong and where.
Also, UPSC be directed not to destroy my answer sheets of Civil Services (Mains)-2012 under retention policy till the time this matter is disputed. I have already asked UPSC so in my previous applications and I hope they have done so in good spirit of RTI.
Legally too UPSC must not destroy the answer sheets of candidates as:
1. PIL in this matter is pending in BOMBAY HIGH COURT AT BOMBAY, PIL/98/2012 and notice has been issued in this matter on 29/6/2012 by Hon’ble Bombay High Court, hence during pendency of case they cannot destroy answer sheets of all candidates.
2. Delhi High Court has also directed UPSC not to destroy answer sheets of the candidates till the final disposal of the RTI applications.
3. Hon’ble Supreme Court in its decision in POONAM RANI vs. STATE OF HARYANA has said that if answer sheets are destroyed in violation of rules, then the examining authority will have to conduct the re-examination.
4. The New record retention schedule of UPSC which was changed on 31/1/2012 is illegal as it is in gross violation of Public Record Act.1993, which says that they have to follow seven step procedure, which includes ratification/approval of new/revised retention schedule from National Archieves of India (NAI). But, UPSC as well as NAI in their RTI replies said that no such approval has been taken by UPSC. Thus, the new record retention schedule of UPSC is arbitrary, illegal and is in gross violation of Public Record Act, 1993.
Since I may be travelling on an onsite assignment, I might not be available in India at the time of hearing. Hence, I will be unable to make personal appearance, and so will prefer video-conference in such a case.
Yours Faithfully,
Rajeev Parmar
Dated: 10/02/2013
Copy to:
1. Chairman UPSC
2. Joint Secretary UPSC
3. Joint Director UPSC

Hello Mrunal Sir plz tell me What is criteria for other-states OBC’s in State level Administrative exams like RAS and PCS plz guide me, I live in delhi m I eligible to get obc benefit in Rajasthan or UP?

Many thanks
Ravi saini

Sir,can we file RTI to IBPS?
I real want to know on what basis they are deciding the level of difficulty and how much much marks to each question? The answer key for each questions also. Please guide.