Hindustan Times: Rohtak: Saturday,
September 21, 2013.
Students of
Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), under the banner of Indian National Student
Organisation, staged a protest here on Friday to demand revocation of the
university authorities' decision to charge `600 per copy of answer sheets.
According to
a resolution passed during a meeting of the university executive council on
Wednesday, held under the chairmanship of vice-chancellor HS Chahal, students
wishing to get a copy of their checked answer sheet would have to apply within
one month of result declaration by paying `600 per answer sheet (per subject).
The varsity
would provide the photocopies within ten days of receiving the application, but
they would not be provided if the application came after expiry of the
one-month period.
INSO
president Pradeep Deswal told HT that the university authorities wanted to use
the new proposal as a deterrent to those “scores of students” who are
suspicious about the marks they have scored and get photocopies of their answer
sheets for over `100 per answer sheet by using the Right to Information Act,
2005.
University
officials remain annoyed with the huge number of RTI requests seeking
photocopies of answer sheets, and the new proposal would be used as a tool to
stop such applicants, he added.
Another
protester said there was no provision of appeal, if the university failed to
provide the copy within the stipulated time of 10 days.
A professor,
requesting not to be named, said the new proposal had been mooted with an idea
of a win-win situation, as it would work as a deterrent for the huge number of
requests, and would earn some money for the cash-strapped university.
MDU
controller of examinations BS Sindhu said, “The decision has been taken in view
of the judgement of the Supreme Court to allow students to get a photocopy of
their answer sheets upon request.”
The answer
sheet would be given to the applicant after eclipsing of all information
related to the identity of the examiner or evaluator, and any other official
associated with the examination process, he added.
However, he
refused to comment when asked how the new proposal would benefit students when
they could fetch copies through the RTI Act at a much lower price.
Repeated
attempts were made to contact university registrar SP Vats, but he remained
unavailable for comment.