For edu dept, RTI is a joke …..Prafulla Marpakwar
Mumbai: The school education department has made a mockery of the Right to Information Act, which was evident from the manner in which the SSC board has dealt with RTI applications.
On June 22, Pune information commissioner Vijay Kuvalekar had made it clear that answer sheets were not confidential. Significantly, on July 13, the Mumbai SSC board had rejected the application of Samir Kanparia, whose nephew had appeared the SSC exam, saying that since answer sheets are confidential, it will not be possible allow to him to inspect them.
After the Pune board rejected the application of SSC student Abhijit Joshi, he had knocked the doors of the Pune information commissioner. Then the Pune SSC board submitted that as per the provisions of law,answer sheets were confidential and the board could not grant their inspection. However, Kuvalekar had rejected the boards contention, saying answer sheets were not confidential since they were not covered under Section 8 of the RTI Act. Section 8 clearly states the type of documents which are confidential. Since answer sheets are not mentioned under Section 8, the same are not confidential, Kuvalekar had observed.
In view of Kuvalekars observations, the Pune SSC board not only permitted Joshi to inspect the documents, but also assured the Pune information commissioner that it will soon come out with a new policy on the matter.
Armed with Kuvalekars order, Kanparia approached the Mumbai SSC board on July 13. Kanparia also submitted before the board the order passed by the Central Information Commission, in which it had directed the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India to show answer sheets to a student.
The SSC boards public information officer rejected Kanparias application saying that the information sought is confidential as per the provisions of law and secondly, that no public interest will be served if the student is allowed inspection of answer sheets.
Now, Kanparia has filed an appeal before CIC Suresh Joshi against the decision of the Mumbai SSC board.