Initially, CBSE had refused to supply answer keys, stating that the larger public
interest does not warrant disclosure of such information
New Delhi, 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, CICs 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).
Courtesy: Times of India
