JNTU dodges RTI queries from students

Nikhila Henry, TNN, Oct 13, 2010

HYDERABAD: The Right to Information Act (RTI) is celebrating its five years of existence in the country on Wednesday, but for Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University ( JNTU-Hyderabad), the largest technical university in the country, sharing information under the Act seems to be just an optional service.

While several students of the university have been filing RTI petitions to know details of their semester examination, the valuation of which is done by the university, the authorities have been denying them specific replies by referring to an order (note-file order) issued three years ago by the then vice-chancellor, stating that no information about examinations would be revealed to the students under RTI act.

Interestingly, the note-file dated January 23, 2006, states that since the university has over 250 affiliated colleges under its purview, sharing information about examination and even marking pattern can be quite cumbersome work and hence the information cannot be shared. While RTI activists claim that this argument goes against the tenets of the Act, university authorities are not ready to answer their queries.

According to RTI activists, since there is no way to obtain a copy of the answer script valued at spot-evaluation centres of the university under any other existing rule, denying information under RTI should be taken seriously. "There are several complaints against the valuation system in the university. Under these circumstances, the university should reveal information to the students," said Abdul Aziz Sheik, an RTI activist who has applied for an answer script copy under the act. Sheik has also filed an RTI petition asking for a complete list of students who have asked for their answer scripts from the university.

Meanwhile, activists said that over a dozen applications under the RTI regarding examinations must have been denied by the university so far.

Rakesh Reddy Dubuddu, an RTI activist, said that denying information under the RTI act by citing an internal order is illegal. "Information should be provided to the students under the Act. The PIO cannot quote the internal note to overrule the RTI Act. It could be read that the university is not parting with information because they are trying to hide the flaws in its evaluation process," Dubuddu said.

Meanwhile, quoting a ruling of the information commission, RTI activists said that every educational institution is supposed to give a copy of the answer script as it can be classified under the term `information'. Activists said that in a reply to a similar case filed against CBSE, Central Information Commission (CIC) had ruled on March 23, 2007, that copy of answer scripts should be given to the students when asked under RTI act.

Meanwhile, G K Viswanath, director of evaluation, JNTU said that "confidential information like that in an answer script cannot be revealed under RTI".