Calcutta University Chancellor Mr. Gopal Krishna Gandhi, takes up students’ cause on implementing the Right to Information Act

Even as state universities sat on the decision on implementing the
Right to Information Act the chancellor, Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi, has
taken upon himself to see that the universities reach a decision
about showing answer papers to students under the Act. Under his
instruction the vice-chancellors and information officers of all
state universities will meet tomorrow for a round table conference to
decide whether universities will show evaluated papers to examinees
under RTI.

The first case under RTI occurred in a state university when Calcutta
University had to show answer papers to a B Com student after a
directive from the state information commissioner. Although the
universities have been sufficiently alarmed by the incident, there
have been no further progress on the issue.

However, during a recent discussion held by the chancellor with vice-
chancellors of state universities the issue cropped us once again.
The chancellor then asked the universities to take a uniform decision
on whether to show answer papers if any student took recourse to RTI
Act. "The chancellor told us to convene a round table about the
implications of the RTI Act after vice-chancellors told them about
the impending problem. Accordingly, we will try to reach a unanimous
decision in this regard. The meeting will be attended by information
officers of the universities as well as the respective vice-
chancellors, " said pro-vice chancellor (academic) of CU, Prof.
Suranjan Das. The meeting will be held at Netaji Subhas Open
University tomorrow.

The universities, however, have been differing over whether to show
the evaluated papers to students. While Calcutta University is
unwilling to show answer papers to students, some of the universities
say they are ready to implement RTI in this regard. The state
universities were confronted with their first RTI case when a B.Com
Part II examinee of CU, Utsav Dutta approached Calcutta High Court
last year as he lacked the requisite marks for reviewing his papers
under university regulations. The court had directed the petitioner
to approach the university under RTI Act. However, the university had
not responded to his appeal within 30 days, thereby rejecting his
appeal. Following a directive from state information commissioner, CU
had to finally give way.

Published in The Statesman, April 10 2007