Indian Express: Lucknow: Thursday, March 14, 2013.
In an attempt
to promote transparency, Lucknow University (LU) authorities have decided to
make copies of checked answer-sheets available to students for a fee of Rs 300
each, with the decision being implemented for the first time for the ongoing
annual examinations.
“In the examination committee meeting held on
February 27, it was felt that the students should be provided access to checked
answer-sheets and copies of the answer-sheets, if they ask for it,” said Aqil
Ahmad, Controller of Examinations.
“With this,
the students will not have to file an RTI to obtain answer-sheets. The RTI is
filed where it is difficult to obtain information; here, the university is
coming forward to make the information available to students,” he said. “We
will put up the information on the notice board along with the notice of the
result, whenever it comes out.”
Also, if the
student identifies any lapses in the marking of the copy, it will be rectified,
he said. “If any serious lapses surface in the marking of multiple copies by a
certain teacher, the university would like to take serious note,” he said. The
facility is not available for previous examinations or for those who will
appear for back paper examinations, Ahmad clarified.
For the
students, however, the fee of Rs 300 is much more than if a copy is obtained
under RTI rules. As per the RTI rules, Rs 2 is charged for each page (in A4 or
A3 size paper) created or copied. With a regular LU answer-sheet having 32
pages, the cost would come to just Rs 64.
For example,
Mohit Mishra, a third-year law student of LU-affiliated Narvadeshwar Law
College, received copies of the answer-sheet (of 26 pages) of Evidence Act
paper for Rs 52 and copies of Administrative Law answer-sheet (of 29 pages) for
Rs 58.
Criticising
the high fee fixed by the administration, Mishra termed it a clear violation of
the 2011 Supreme Court judgment, which had allowed disclosure of answer-sheets
under the Right to Information Act.
.JPG)
.JPG)
