[New Delhi]CIC Directs Universities To Charge Rs 2 Only To Provide Access To Answer Sheets
C I C Directs Universities To Provide Access to Answer Sheets at Rs 2 per page
Universities and examining bodies cannot charge more than Rs 2 per page for providing copies of evaluated answer scripts to students, the Central Information Commission has ruled as it struck down the Rs 750 per answer sheet fee imposed by Delhi University.
In a stern order, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu said Delhi University, by imposing a high fee of Rs 750 for providing access to answer sheets under the RTI Act, has created two classes of students – those who can afford to have a copy by paying Rs 750 and those who cannot, which is a clear breach of right to equality guaranteed by Article 14 of the Constitution.
Citing the RTI rules of Delhi University, Acharyulu said it has not applied these for copies of answer sheets sought under the transparency law and that it cannot discriminate by asking higher cost for copies of answer sheets from a student and Rs two per page for other documents.
“Even if we accept contention that the respondent authority (Delhi University) was autonomous and competent enough to make its own rules and regulations, that authority has no power to restrict the access to information which was guaranteed by the RTI Act,”
He was hearing the complaint of Delhi University student Abne Ingty who approached the transparency panel challenging the cost of Rs 750 per question paper imposed for accessing answer sheets under the RTI Act.
Ingty was asked to deposit Rs 3,750 for getting copies of answer sheets for five papers.