The Punjab State Information Commission has directed Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) to allow a student to see his answersheet under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The university had stated that an examinee could only seee his or her answer sheets within three weeks of declaration of the result and on a deposit fee of Rs 10,000. Local advocate Kamal Kishore Arora had approached the information commission on the issue.
His son Gaurav was not shown his answersheets of second semester MA-I drama. Arora cited the Supreme Court ruling in the CBSE versus Aditya Badopdaya and others case, where the apex court had held that an examinee had a right to see his answer sheets.
To deny access, the GNDU had also said that that an appeal was liable to be dismissed under section 8 of RTI Act, if the information was sought by a third party. To this, the information commission concluded that the university did not follow proper procudure cited under section 11 of the RTI Act.
The commission pointed out that the examinee Gaurav appeared on behalf of the appellant (his father) on 20-12-2011 when the case was taken up for hearing through video conference. The commission in its ruling directed the GNDU to furnish a certified copy of the answer sheet to the appellant.
However, no penalty has been imposed on GNDU’s principal information commissioner. “Instead of paying Rs 10,000 to see their answer sheets, students should be aware of their rights and should make use of RTI to get access to their sheets by simply paying Rs 10,” said Kamal Kishore Arora, advocate and father of GNDU student.
{{/usCountry}}However, no penalty has been imposed on GNDU’s principal information commissioner. “Instead of paying Rs 10,000 to see their answer sheets, students should be aware of their rights and should make use of RTI to get access to their sheets by simply paying Rs 10,” said Kamal Kishore Arora, advocate and father of GNDU student.
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