Thursday, November 26, 2015

Panel calls UGC ‘post office’, slams it for defending varsity

Times of India: New Delhi: Thursday, 26 November 2015.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has pulled up the UGC for withholding information on a case of cheating against a deemed University, chided it for being a "post office" and "vehemently defending" the institution facing allegations of invalid medical degrees.
Issuing a showcause notice asking why the maximum penalty of Rs 25,000 was not imposed on their officials for withholding information sought by an RTI applicant, information commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu noted that the CPIO of the UGC was defending the University as if he was its "hired counsel". Acharyulu said it appears that the UGC office has simply acted as "post office" to transfer letters to the university.
Acharyulu said it is strange that CPIO of the regulatory authority was arguing on behalf of the deemed to be University instead of explaining measures taken by UGC against varsity as per guidelines and recommendations of Tandon committee.