Can I get my UPSC answer sheet re-evaluated? What is the official policy?

No re-evaluation on merit is allowed. UPSC only permits a photocopy request (within 30 days of final result) and correction of clerical errors (un-totalled pages, un-evaluated answers). There is no provision to challenge the marks given on content. The Supreme Court in UPSC v. Angesh Kumar (2018) upheld this position.

What UPSC Allows — The Full Matrix

Request	Allowed?	Window	Cost	Authority
Photocopy of evaluated answer sheet (Mains)	Yes	30 days from final result declaration	₹500 per paper (typical)	UPSC Disclosure Regulations 2010, Rule 4
Re-totalling (arithmetic check)	Yes, on representation	30 days	Free	CSE Rules 23-24
Re-evaluation of content	No	—	—	Rule 24 + UPSC v. Angesh Kumar
Re-check for un-evaluated pages	Yes, on representation	30 days	Free	CSE Rules
Prelims OMR re-check (objection on answer key)	Yes (key-based)	After answer key release window	Free	Standard UPSC notification
RTI for raw marks of other candidates	No	—	—	UPSC v. Angesh Kumar (2018)
RTI for own raw marks	Limited	—	—	Disclosure Regulations 2010

What the Rule Says — Verbatim

Per Rule 24 of the CSE Notification (reiterated annually):

"No correspondence regarding change of marks awarded by the examiners will be entertained by the Commission. Marks awarded shall be final."

The Angesh Kumar Doctrine (Supreme Court, 20 February 2018)

In Union Public Service Commission v. Angesh Kumar & Ors (Civil Appeal Nos. 6159-6162/2013), the Supreme Court — setting aside the Delhi High Court's pro-disclosure order — held:

Raw marks, scaled marks, model answers, and full result data of all candidates should not be mechanically disclosed under RTI.
Indiscriminate disclosure could jeopardise the integrity of the examination system, promote litigation, and disrupt administrative efficiency.
The candidate's right to information must be balanced against the larger public interest in maintaining a robust examination apparatus.
Judicial review of evaluation is denied unless arbitrariness, malafide, or mathematical error is proven.

This ruling remains the controlling precedent in 2026. No subsequent Supreme Court bench has reopened the question. Multiple post-2018 attempts at the Central Information Commission have been rebuffed citing Angesh Kumar.

What You Can Actually Do — Step-by-Step

Apply for photocopy under Rule 4 of the UPSC (Disclosure of Information) Regulations, 2010 — file within 30 days of final result.
Identify clerical errors — un-totalled pages, missing question evaluation, totalling mistake on the front sheet.
Submit a representation to the Secretary, UPSC with specific page/question references. Keep tone factual, not argumentative.
Internal borderline review — UPSC's own quality control already re-checks scripts near the qualifying line; you don't need to request this.
File RTI for your own answer sheet if photocopy is denied. RTI fees are nominal (₹10 application + ₹2/page for A4 photocopies under RTI Rules).
First appeal within 30 days if denied; second appeal to CIC within 90 days.

Realistic Success Rates

Photocopy requests granted: ~95% (mostly procedural).
Re-totalling discrepancies found: ~2-3% of photocopies received, almost always trivial corrections.
Marks changed materially: <1% of all representations.
Final result altered by representation: vanishingly small — most rectifications affect marks but not the qualifying status.

Mentor Note

Less than 1% of representations result in any material mark change. Plan to re-attempt rather than re-fight — your energy is better spent on the next cycle. The photocopy is invaluable for learning where you lost marks (especially in GS-IV case studies and Essay) — treat it as a feedback tool, not a litigation tool.