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1. Applicant   moved   RTI   application   dated   31   May  2010   before   the   CPIO,   CBSE,   New   Delhi   seeking  information  on CD in  respect  of OMR  answer  sheet  of  Ms   Priyanka   Thakur   for   the   AIEEE   2010   exam   who  appeared   from   centre   code   233027.   The   CPIO   vide   his  order   dated   11   June   2010   denied   disclosure   of  information on the grounds that it did not serve any  larger public interest and also stated that the AIEEE  answer   sheets   are   machine   treated   with   extreme   care  and   repeatedly   scrutinised   and   that   there   is   no  provision   for   rechecking/re   -   evaluation   of   the  answer sheets. The CPIO relied on judgement dated 23  April 2007 by the Commission in deciding the matter.

Decision notice

 3. After   hearing   both   parties,   Commission   notes  that respondent has confirmed that evaluation of the  Appeal : No. CIC/DS/A/2010/001720   0MR answer sheets is carried out through computerized  process and not manually. It is also established   as  per the decision of the CIC in Rakesh Kumar Singh Vs  Harish Chander that where OMR sheets are used, as in  the present case, the disclosure of evaluated answer  sheet   was   "unlikely   to   render   the   system   unworkable  and as such the evaluated answer sheets in such cases  will be disclosed and made available under the Right  to   Information   Act   unless   providing   such   answer  sheets would involve an infringement of copyright as  provided for under section 9 of the RTI Act".  

5. The   Court   also   dismissed   the   argument   that   if  the impugned orders of the CIC are sustained it would  open   a   "floodgate"   of   such   applications   by   other  candidates   as   a   result   of   which   the   entire   JEE   and  GATE   would   "collapse"   on   the   grounds   that   the  apprehension is exaggerated.

6. In   keeping   with   the   spirit   and   tone   of   the  aforementioned   judgment,   Commission   directs   the   CPIO  to provide a copy of the OMR answer sheet and model  answer key as sought by the appellant within one week  of receipt of the order. 

Appeal : No. CIC/DS/A/2010/001720   7 . Commission   invites   attention   of   the   Chairman,  CBSE to the fact that in the new milieu which favours  transparency   in   actions   of   public   authorities,   the  board  should   revisit  this  issue  in the  light  of the  fact that the IIT's and two universities - Rajasthan  and   Himachal   Pradesh   -   have   taken   decision   to   place  on   their   websites   the   OMR   answer   sheets   of   the  candidates   along   with   the   model   answer   sheet   in   the  interest   of   fairness   and   transparency   in   the  examination system.