Disclosure & Inspection of Answer Sheets of CA Exams

The RTI Act seems to have come as a blessing in disguise for Students of CPT, CA IPCC & CA Final after ICAI announced that it would be abiding by the Supreme Court’s order of disclosure the Answer Sheets to the Students.

On 9^th August 2011, the Supreme Court in a judgement had held that evaluated answer sheets were covered under the definition of “Information” under the RTI Act and it is the duty of the body conducting the Exam to disclose the Answer Sheets to the Students

Recommended Read: Supreme Court’s Judgement on Disclosure of Answer Sheets

Disclosure of Answer Sheets of CA Final, IPCC & CPT

On January 12^th 2012, the ICAI laid down the formal procedure for filing an application for disclosure of Answer Sheets of CA Final, IPCC & CPT and also announced that Disclosure of Answer Sheets shall not be mistaken with Verification/ Revaluation of Answer Sheets.

Verification/ Revaluation of Answer Sheets is a separate thing wherein it is checked that marks have been awarded to all the questions attempted by the Student and re-confirmed that there is no totalling error. Disclosure of Answer Sheet is a separate concept and provides Information for the Academic Guidance of the Student but does not provide any remedy in case of any discrepancy that may be noticed in the process.

The remedy for any discrepancy lies in the process of Verification of Answer Sheets which is independent and distinct from the Inspection of Answer Sheets. The Process for Verification of Answer Sheet is also different and separate applications have to be made for both.

• Recommended Read: Procedure for Verification of Answer Sheets of CA Final, IPCC & CPT

Procedure for Disclosure of Answer Sheets

The Fees shall be payable by a Demand Draft be made in favor of – “The Secretary, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India” payable at New Delhi.

Difference between Inspection of Answer Sheets and Certified Copies of Answer Sheet

ICAI has given 2 options Disclosure of Answer Sheets of CA Final, IPCC & CPT

1. Inspection of Answer Sheet: Student will have to go to the Board of Studies Office in Noida and the Answer Sheet would be shown to him. The option of Inspection of Answer Sheets would be provided within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of Application
2. Certified Copies of Answer Sheet: ICAI will send the certified copies of Answer Sheets to the Candidate. The Certified Copies of Answer Sheets would be sent to the Candidate within a period of 21 days from the date of receipt of Application

Handwritten Application

The application for Inspection/Certified Copies of Answer Sheets shall be made by the application necessarily in his/her own handwriting as printed applications would not be accepted. The application made shall specifically mention the following details

1. Name of the Candidate
2. Exam appeared for: CA Final/ IPCC/ CPT
3. Month and Year of the Examination in which the candidate appeared
4. Roll No. of the Candidate
5. Subjects for which the application is being made for
6. The Registration No. of the Applicant
7. Address for Communication
8. Email Address
9. Mobile No.

The handwritten application made by the applicant containing the above mentioned details shall be signed by the applicant and accompanied with the prescribed fee and a copy of the Admit Card. In case you dont have the copy of the Admit Card, you can download your Admit Card from the Internet and send a print out of the same.

• Recommended Read: Download Admit Card of CA Exams

The envelope containing the application shall be superscribed – “Application seeking inspection/certified copies of evaluated Answer Books”. The Application shall be sent by a registered post or speed post and not by a private courier to – “The Deputy Secretary (Examination), AB Cell, Examination Department, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, ICAI Bhawan, Indraprastha Marg, New Delhi 110002”

Please Note:

1. ICAI reserves the right to decline the request for Disclosure of Answer Sheet by a CA Final/ IPCC/ CPT Student if it believes that the application has been made with a malicious intention to discredit the examination system of ICAI
2. The Certified Copies so obtained by the Applicant are only for the purpose of Academic Guidance of the Candidate and it shall not be used to dispute or challenge the Quality of Assessment of the Answer Sheets. The Candidate shall not use these copies for any other purpose and shall not even show the same to the Media or to any other Expert/Teacher.

Disclosure of Instructions issued to Examiners

At the time of checking of Answer Sheets, Instructions are issued by ICAI to the examiners regarding the manner of checking the Answer Sheets. While hearing a case filed by a CA Student against ICAI, the Supreme Court has also held that a CA Student can also apply for disclosure of Instructions issued to Examiners by ICAI for checking the Answer Sheets of CA Final, IPCC, CPT. Refer Article: Disclosure of Instructions issued to Examiners