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Calcutta University fails the RTI test

By Unregistered Visitors, Section Education
Posted on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 02:24:50 AM EST

Future at stake, student filed application under RTI on 26 September; 41 days on, University yet to answer

An MBA in marketing management is probably the last thing on Utsab Dutta's mind. The 23-year-old, a good student throughout who cleared three management entrance exams, is learning the art of managing babus the hard way.

Even the Right to Information Act has failed to pierce the Red curtain over Left-ruled West Bengal, jeopardising the future of Dutta, who has secured a berth in a private management school in Delhi after clearing the CAT, MAT and SNAP.

For the past one month, Dutta has been walking the corridors of Calcutta University four days a week, every week, trying to get a look at answer scripts of his BCom Part II examination.

Having secured admission to the Institute of Management & Development in Delhi, Dutta was shocked when Calcutta University handed him his marksheet. His score: 73 out of 400.

Dutta promptly moved the Calcutta High Court under Article 226, seeking a mandamus to direct the university to allow an inspection of the scripts. Dutta said he was entitled to do so under the Right to Information Act of 2005.

Justice Jayanta Kumar Biswas ruled that first, Dutta should use the RTI route before coming to the court. Second, the admitted position regarding re-examination of answer scripts is that the regulations governing the examination do not allow it.

So Dutta went to the State Chief Information Commissioner, whose office advised him to file his application with the state public information officer concerned, in this case, the University Registrar.

Dutta filed his application under the RTI with the SPIO on September 26 this year, but he is yet to get any reply even though the mandatory 30-day deadline has passed.

Dutta had secured 164 out of 400 in the Part I examinations.

"I may have actually failed, but pass or fail is another issue," Dutta told Newsline. "But why are they violating the RTI procedure and denying me a look at the answer scripts without even an yes or a no?"

Under the RTI Act, the authority concerned has to reply within 30 days of the registration of an application. The authority can deny access to the information sought or grant it. But it has to reply with a yes or no with reasons.

Samir Banerjee, the registrar of Calcutta University, said Dutta's case has been forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor. "The VC has said that it has to be discussed by the Syndicate, which will meet on November 14," Banerjee said.

And what about the delay and violation of the 30-day deadline?

"I refuse to discuss that with you," said Banerjee. "I can only tell you about the status of the case."

Meanwhile, Dutta stands to lose his investment in getting admission to the business school. "I spent Rs 1,45,000 getting admission," he said. "This delay is killing me."

By- TIE, 07-11-06

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