The appeals were filed by the unsuccessful candidates in Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination of 2010 in the High Court. They approached the High Court for a direction to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to disclose the details of marks (raw and scaled) awarded to them in the Civil Services (Prelims) Examination 2010. They sought information in the form of cut-off marks for every subject, scaling methodology, model answers and complete result of all candidates. The Single Judge of the High Court ordered UPSC to disclose all the required information within 15 days. The same take was affirmed by the Division Bench of the High Court.

The UPSC contended that High Court has not correctly interpreted the scheme of the Right to Information Act, 2005 [RTI Act, 2005] and the precedents. The UPSC contended that Right to Information should not be misused to obstruct the integrity. Nor should it be converted into a tool of oppression or intimidation of honest officials striving to do their duty. They submitted that showing of the evaluated answer books would have a negative implication for the integrity of the examination system.

The two judges bench of Supreme Court comprising of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit quashed the plea of the unsuccessful candidates. It was observed that furnishing of raw marks will not be in public interest. The Supreme Court held the UPSC on different footing when compared to other academic bodies.

Read the full Judgment: Union Public Service Commission v.  Angesh Kumar and Others, http://www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in/supremecourt/2012/32993/32993_2012_Judgement_20-Feb-2018.pdf