Haryana allows candidates of civil services exams to view evaluated answer sheets: what to expect

In an announcement on January 21, HPSC secretary Mukesh Kumar Ahuja said, “Candidates will henceforth be allowed to see their evaluated answer sheets… subject to payment of Rs 500 per paper after declaration of the final result. Physical copies of answer sheets shall, however, not be provided to candidates.”

“Candidates desirous of seeing their answer copies shall be able to apply through a web portal which is currently being developed. The date and time for the inspection of answer copies in the Commission’s office shall be communicated directly to the candidates. Detailed modalities will be announced in due course,” he added.

An HPSC official who spoke to The Indian Express explained that the latest decision is aimed at greater transparency apart from giving the candidates an opportunity to reassess their exam strategy. “After examining the answer sheets, a candidate will be able to make changes in his or her strategy, if needed. He will be able to see how the answer sheets are evaluated,” added the official. The official said that they were not aware if the public service commission of any state allowed the inspection of candidates’ answer sheets.

Activist Shweta Dhull insists that physical copies of the answer sheets should be provided to the candidates. “I don’t think there is any harm in sharing the answer sheets after declaration of the final result. If a candidate finds any discrepancy in his or her answer sheet and is given a copy of the same, then he or she can approach the high court. In the absence of a copy of the answer sheet, it would be difficult for the candidates to move court,” she said. Dhull has reached the interview stage in the HCS exams twice besides appearing for the interview after the UPSC exam once.

She added: “Earlier, I and a few other candidates had secured answer sheets of the 2016 HCS exam on the orders of the State Information Commission following a long legal battle. “I had found a lot of discrepancies in my answer sheets prompting me to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.”

Officials say that the option of approaching the court can be exercised even after inspecting an answer sheet but physical possession of answer sheets may lead to a lot of litigation. “If copies of answer sheets are handed over to the candidates, there won’t be an end to litigation,” said the official.

Candidates who appear for competitive exams hailed HPSC’s latest move. A candidate who has previously appeared for a state civil services exam said: “This is certainly one step ahead. Now, students will be able to have a look at their answer sheets to critically examine the answers and gauge the pattern of allotting marks.”

A candidate who had appeared for the AMO exam said the HPSC should not show any delay in sharing the answer sheets with candidates, “especially to those who have raised objections” regarding their results.

HPSC officials, meanwhile, said they were not worried about the possibility of litigations and underlined that they have ushered in novel initiatives earlier too.

Meanwhile, Commission officials said inspection won’t be allowed for answer sheets of the HCS (Judicial) examination which are preserved by the high court. Referring to media reports, the HPSC exam candidates said the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) had revealed the answer sheets of PSC-J 2022 to the candidates in 2024 after the matter went before the Allahabad High Court. However, the UPPSC had reportedly made it clear that applications for viewing answer sheets under the RTI Act will not be considered in future.