The Director of Education, GNCTD was asked to ensure that all information about students from economically weaker sections is displayed in the schools in Hindi and English and also on the department’s website. This is the 28th in a series of important judgements given by former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi that can be used or quoted in an RTI application

Taking a serious note of unavailability of full information about students from economically weaker sections (EWS), the Central Information Commission (CIC), ordered the Director of Education in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to display the full information on its website and send a compliance report. While giving this important judgement, Shailesh Gandhi, former Central Information Commissioner also asked the Director to ensure that its order is implemented in compliance of Section 4 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

“The Director will ensure that all information mentioned above will be displayed in the schools in Hindi and English and also on the website of the Department before 25 January 2010. The Director will send a compliance report to the Commission before 30 January 2010,” the CIC said in its order issued on 21 December 2009.

Delhi resident Ritu Mehra, on 1 December 2009, sent a letter to the Commission pointing out that despite an order from the Commission, the information was not available on the Education department's website.

Earlier on 2 July 2009, the Commission had passed an order directing, KS Yadav, DDE to display on the department’s website, the names and father's names of students from the EWS category for past three years for all schools, on or before 15 August 2009. The Commission, said, it received a letter from Mr Yadav stating that the Commission's order had been complied with and the required information had been uploaded on the website of the department.

After receiving the complaint from Ms Mehra, the Commission, perused the website of the Department and found that the information relating to the EWS admissions is not available in totality and the information that is available on the website is not easily accessible.

Ms Mehra pointed out that pointed out that information about the quota in schools for students from the EWS is not widely disseminated. The EWS quota has been created in private schools which have been granted aid by the government and they are under an obligation under Notification No F/DE/15/ACT/2006/424 dated 25/01/2007 to provide seats to EWS students. Information relating to EWS quota is therefore very crucial to ensure that students from EWS get the opportunity to apply to private schools for good quality education, Mr Mehra said.

Mr Gandhi, the CIC, then directed the Director to ensure that the following was implemented in compliance of Section 4 requirements. All schools will, at a prominent place, display on a notice board:

1. The total no of seats in all classes in a school.

2. The total vacancies in all classes.

3. The total no of seats under EWS quota.

4. Seats still available under EWS quota.

5. Total applications received under EWS quota.

6. Information about when the EWS quota applications will be received and date by which the admissions will be given.

“The schools will also update the information on notice boards once every week. The information needs to be put up in both Hindi and English,” the Commission said in its order.

Mr Gandhi further asked the Education Department to show the Commission a copy of the proposed board before 30 December 2009 and also provide details of students admitted on EWS quota giving their names, their parents’ names on the website within one month of the admission.

CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION

Decision No. CIC/SG/C/2009/001627/6018

https://ciconline.nic.in/cic_decisions/SG-21122009-13.pdf

Complaint No. CIC/SG/C/2009/001627

Complainant                                       : Ritu Mehra,

                                                                  Delhi- 110095 

Respondent                                        : Director of Education,

                                                                Directorate of Education, GNCTD                                                                                                           Old Secretariat, Delhi- 110054