On CIC order, CBSE reveals engg exams answer keys

Updated on: Friday, January 06, 2012

After initially refusing to part with the answer keys of All India Engineering Entrance Examination ( AIEEE) of 2010 and 2011, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) - under order from Central Information Commission (CIC) - has finally given them, but without the question papers.

In its September 30, 2011, order, CIC had asked CBSE to give answer keys in line with decisions of the Commission and the courts in this regard. RTI applicant Rajeev Kumar had asked for answer keys along with question papers and model answers. But the demand for model answers was dropped after CBSE said court cases are underway.

In 2007, CIC's order had resulted in IITs disclosing answer keys, question papers etc of JEE, 2006, to Kumar. In August, 2011, even the Supreme Court said that all examining bodies should permit examinees to have inspection of their answer books. Apart from IIT-JEE, examination bodies of state governments have started disclosing answer keys along with question papers.

Kumar has written to CBSE stating that without question booklet, the supplied answer keys are of no value. At times even wrong questions have been asked - as happened in case of JEE in the last two years.

It has been nearly 20 months since the first RTI was filed in this regard. Initially, CBSE had refused to supply answer keys, stating that the "larger public interest does not warrant disclosure of such information". When Kumar appealed against the order, the appellate authority said "as a policy matter of CBSE, the answer-keys cannot be supplied". Then, CBSE took the plea that possibly records were destroyed. But it was pointed out that destruction plea of CBSE is wrong since RTI seeking disclosure of answer keys was submitted to CIC on June 15 - only a few weeks after the results were declared. However, CBSE has been regularly divulging details of All India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMT).

Times of India

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