[Reader-list] Make info sharing easy, CIC tells DU

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

 Make info sharing easy, CIC tells DU
15 Nov 2008, 2346 hrs IST, Smriti Singh , TNN

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Text:

    NEW DELHI: Coming to the rescue of a student who had to run pillar to
post to find out the procedural details about his internal assessment
 in college<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Make_info_sharing_easy_CIC_tells_DU/articleshow/3717816.cms#>,
the Central Information Commission (CIC) has ordered the Delhi University
(DU) to publish information to facilitate the process of accessing
information.

The CIC has put DU on the spot for not implementing section 4 of the Right
to Information Act (RTI), which requires any authority to provide all the
information in the form of brochure so as to ensure transparent working of
the body.

When DU student Aditya Prasad could not find information about the internal
assessment system in his college, he filed an RTI
application<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Make_info_sharing_easy_CIC_tells_DU/articleshow/3717816.cms#>seeking
information on the designated PIOs and about the non-implementation
of the Section 4 in November 2007.

Information commissioner O P Kejriwal took note of the fact that affiliated
colleges and the varsity itself have not yet been able to accomplish what
should have been done within 120 days of enactment of the RTI Act.

The CIC has ordered DU to update all of its online manuals, publish copies
for public reference and make sure that all the colleges do the same by
November 14.

Speaking about the issue, Aditya Prasad said, "We had filed similar
applications<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Make_info_sharing_easy_CIC_tells_DU/articleshow/3717816.cms#>with
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) and Jamia Millia
Islamia (JMI) and their response to the same was satisfactory, but DU's
response was vague.''

"We are going to inspect the development after a week and if the university
has still not implemented the rules then we will again act,'' he added.

However, reacting to the order, a DU official said, "This is quite
subjective. We do not think the information provided is incomplete. We will,
however, have to update the manuals as per CIC's order and ensure that the
colleges comply as well.''