How to File RTI with UPSC — Answer Sheet, Marks, Cut-off and Interview Notes

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a constitutional body established under Article 315 of the Constitution of India. It conducts some of the most competitive examinations in the country — including the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Combined Defence Services (CDS), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Engineering Services Examination (ESE), and several others — on behalf of the Central Government.

As a body established by the Constitution and funded by the Consolidated Fund of India, UPSC is unambiguously a public authority under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Every candidate who appears for a UPSC examination is therefore entitled to seek information about their own candidature — including evaluated answer sheets, marks at each stage, interview panel observations, cut-off marks, and merit list details — through a formal RTI application.

The Supreme Court of India and the Central Information Commission have consistently upheld this right. RTI is the single most effective tool available to a UPSC aspirant who wants a clear, documented account of where they stood in the examination process.

What Can You Achieve with RTI to UPSC?

For Civil Services Examination (CSE) candidates:

• Obtain certified copies of your evaluated Prelims answer sheet (OMR) with the answer key applied
• Get your Prelims marks (Paper I and Paper II) and the cut-off for your category
• Get subject-wise Mains marks for every paper — General Studies I–IV, Optional Subject I–II, Essay, and qualifying language papers
• Obtain your Personality Test (Interview) marks and any panel observations recorded about your candidature
• Get the final cut-off marks for your category at each stage — Prelims, Mains written, and final combined marks
• Confirm your rank or position in the final merit list and the total number of candidates recommended in your category

For other UPSC examinations (CDS, CAPF, ESE, NDA, etc.):

• Get your marks in written examination stage and the cut-off for your category
• Obtain a copy of your OMR sheet with the answer key applied (where OMR-based)
• Get SSB/interview marks and the final merit position
• Know the total vacancies and category-wise cut-off for a specific exam and year

For understanding the evaluation process:

• Verify that your papers were evaluated and totalled correctly
• Understand the gap between your marks and the cut-off, with precision
• Build a more informed preparation strategy for subsequent attempts

Where to File

UPSC has its headquarters at Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi – 110069. All information relating to UPSC-conducted examinations — whether Prelims, Mains, Interview, or final selection — is held by UPSC HQ. There are no separate regional offices for examination-related RTI purposes.

File your RTI application at rtionline.gov.in:

1. Go to rtionline.gov.in and click Submit Request
2. In the Ministry/Department search, select Union Public Service Commission
3. The CPIO listed will be the Central Public Information Officer, UPSC, New Delhi
4. Complete the form, paste your drafted RTI text, and pay ₹10 online

You may also submit a physical RTI application by post or in person at UPSC's RTI Cell at Dholpur House. However, the online portal is faster and provides a trackable registration number.

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Identify the Information You Need

Before drafting, list out exactly what you want. Be specific — the more precise your questions, the more useful the response. If you appeared for CSE Mains, identify the exam year, your roll number, your optional subject, and your category. Having this information ready prevents a back-and-forth with the CPIO.

Step 2: Gather Your Details

You will need the following before drafting:

• Exam name (e.g., Civil Services Examination, 2024) and year
• Roll number for each stage you appeared for (Prelims roll number and Mains roll number are often different)
• Category (General / OBC / SC / ST / EWS / PwBD)
• Optional subject (for Mains mark queries)
• The result notification date — useful if you want to cite the stage clearly

Step 3: Draft and File

Be specific in each numbered question. Avoid omnibus requests like "provide all information related to my result." Instead, number each piece of information you want — marks in each paper, cut-off, answer sheet copy, interview marks, merit position. The sample RTI above covers the most common and useful questions for a CSE candidate.

File at rtionline.gov.in, select Union Public Service Commission, and pay ₹10 online. You will receive a registration number by email, which you can use to track your application.

Step 4: Appeals

If there is no response within 30 days, or if the response is unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at UPSC within 30 days of the date of the decision or the expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. Address the First Appeal to the Appellate Authority, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi.

If the FAA's response is also absent or inadequate, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the date it should have been made. The CIC has a strong record of ordering UPSC to provide candidates with their exam information, including answer sheets and interview marks.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Preliminary Examination

1. Certified copy of my evaluated OMR answer sheet for Prelims, Year, Roll No. XXX, with the answer key applied for evaluation
2. My marks in Paper I (General Studies) and Paper II (CSAT) separately
3. Cut-off marks for my category (General/OBC/SC/ST/EWS) for Prelims, Year, for qualification to Mains
4. The total number of candidates who qualified for Mains from my category in Year

Mains (Written Examination)

1. My marks in each Mains paper separately — GS Paper I, GS Paper II, GS Paper III, GS Paper IV, Essay, Optional Paper I, Optional Paper II, and qualifying language papers
2. Cut-off marks for qualifying in Mains (written stage) for my category in Year
3. The aggregate Mains written marks cut-off for shortlisting to the Personality Test (Interview) for my category

Personality Test (Interview)

1. My marks awarded in the Personality Test held for CSE Year
2. Observations or notes recorded by the Interview Board regarding my candidature
3. The name and composition of the Interview Board that assessed me (Board number or identifier)

Cut-off Marks and Merit List

1. Category-wise final cut-off marks (written + interview) for CSE Year for all categories — General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwBD
2. My final aggregate marks (written + interview combined) and my rank/position in the merit list for my category
3. The total number of candidates recommended for appointment in each category in CSE Year

Other UPSC Examinations (CDS, CAPF, ESE, NDA)

1. My marks in the written examination for Exam Name, Year, Roll No. XXX
2. Certified copy of my OMR answer sheet with the answer key applied, for Exam Name, Year
3. Cut-off marks for my category in Exam Name, Year for shortlisting to SSB/interview/next stage
4. My SSB/interview marks (where applicable) and final merit position
5. Total vacancies and category-wise recommended list for Exam Name, Year