Supreme Court: Marks Of Other Candidates In Public Examination Can Be Disclosed Under RTI In Public Interest

 We see absolutely no reason to interfere with the

impugned order passed by the High Court of Bombay, which

has correctly interpreted the provisions of Section 8(1)

(j) of the Right to Information Act 2005 (for short ‘the

RTI Act, 2005’). The issue relates to disclosure of marks

of other candidate in an examination. We are also of the

view that the disclosure of the marks though may fall in

the category of personal information, yet the disclosure

of this personal information is presently necessary in

public interest, and therefore, it is not an information

which cannot be given by the Information Officer under the

RTI Act, 2005. To the contrary, such an information must

be disclosed in order to maintain transparency in the

process.

 S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A

 SLP(C) No. 2783/2025

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER AND REGISTRAR & ANR. Vs ONKAR DATTATRAY KALMANKAR & ANR. 

Date : 07-02-2025 This matter was called on for hearing today.

CORAM :

 HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHANSHU DHULIA

 HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AHSANUDDIN AMANULLAH

 UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following

 O R D E R

Heard Mr. K. K. Venugopal, learned senior counsel

for the petitioner.

We see absolutely no reason to interfere with the

impugned order passed by the High Court of Bombay, which

has correctly interpreted the provisions of Section 8(1)

(j) of the Right to Information Act 2005 (for short ‘the

RTI Act, 2005’). The issue relates to disclosure of marks

of other candidate in an examination. We are also of the

view that the disclosure of the marks though may fall in

the category of personal information, yet the disclosure

of this personal information is presently necessary in

public interest, and therefore, it is not an information

which cannot be given by the Information Officer under the

RTI Act, 2005. To the contrary, such an information must

be disclosed in order to maintain transparency in the

process.

The special leave petition is, accordingly,

dismissed in the above terms.

Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed

of.

 

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