Wrongdoings in Goa University

An RTI application dated 23/06/2014 was made to the Public Information Officer/Asst. Registrar Exam (PG) of Goa University, Smt S. J. Chari for certified copies of answerbooks of Law students. 

Smt S. J. Chari in her reply No GU/Exam/LLB (Degree)/RTI/121 dated 21/07/2014 refused to provide the information to point No 2 and 3 of the RTI application on the grounds that the students have conveyed their objections for providing the answerbooks/information.

Aggrieved by denial of information an appeal under RTI Act was filed before the First Appellate Authority of Goa University, Prof N. S. Bhat dated 30/07/2014.

 The hearing of Appeal was held on 18/08/2014.

 At the time of hearing Prof N. S. Bhat read out aloud 2 letters, one from Nidhi Natekar and another of Sunisha Thari conveying their objections. These letters were submitted by S.J. Chari to Prof N. S. Bhat as a part of her reply to the appeal. It is pertinent to note that these said letters were not provided to me and hence I was unable to verify their genuineness. Relying upon these 2 letters Prof N. S. Bhat dismissed the First Appeal.

As the copies of the letters of objection from Nidhi Natekar and Sunisha Thari were not provided to me and since they were relied upon at the time of hearing of First Appeal, I filed another RTI application dated 20/08/2014 requesting for the said letters.

 Smt S. J. Chari by her reply No GU/ExamPG/LLB(Degree)/RTI/26 dated 09/09/2014 informed that there are no such letters. These statements are contradictory to her previous replies.

 Aggrieved by this conduct and attitude of Smt S. J. Chari an appeal dated 19/09/2014 was submitted before Prof N. S. Bhat/First Appellate Authority. 

Immediately upon submission of the First appeal on the same day Smt S. J. Chari hurriedly sent a reply that Ms. Nidhi Natekar has conveyed her objections for providing the copy of her letter of objection(which was read aloud by Prof N. S. Bhat at time of hearing dated 18/08/2014). She also informed that Ms Sunisha Thari could not be contacted. She further says that the information at point No 3 & 4 (copies of the letters of objection claimed by Smt S. J. Chari and Prof N. S. Bhat to be in their possession) cannot be provided. 

All the above facts and circumstances raises serious doubts about the integrity of the above officials.

It is not surprising that Prof N. S. Bhat passed an Order holding that the letters of objection from Ms Nidhi Natekar and Ms Sunisha Thari cannot be provided under RTI Act as it is personal information. 

 A letter of objection cannot be personal information hence these letters ought to have been provided to me. Even otherwise how can we verify whether  the said students have given objection OR No Objection without seeing the said letters..
 There are a lot of illegalities going on behind the closed doors of Goa University. The University officials are trying their level best not to allow anybody to peep inside. This can be seen from the flimsy grounds used by the officials to deny information under RTI Act. These officials are trying their level best to avoid transparency in the working of Goa University. The reasons are but obvious. There are also other instances in the past wherein the Goa University created rules to bypass the provisions of RTI Act to protect their vested interests. All such acts of Goa University are detrimental to the interest of the students.