Central Information Commission
Kanwar Pal vs Ministry Of Human Resource Development on 21 December, 2017
Central Information Commission
Room No. 412, IV Floor, CIC Bhawan, Baba Gang Nath Marg, Munirka, New Delhi-110067
Website-cic.gov.in
Appeal No. CIC/AMUND/A/2017/309399/MP
Appellant : Shri Kanwar Pal, Rewari
Public Authority : University Grants Commission, New Delhi
Date of Hearing : December 14, 2017
Date of Decision : December 21, 2017
Present:
Appellant : Not present
Respondent : Shri Ravi Patwardhan (on behalf of the CPIO)
Retd. Sr. Statistical Officer, Shri Gian Chand, S.O.
- at CIC
RTI application : 26.2.2016
CPIO's reply : March, 2016
First appeal : 19.4.2016
FAA's order : 27.6.2016
Second Appeal : 21.9.2016
ORDER
1. Shri Kanwar Pal, the appellant, sought certified copy of category wise (OBC, SC/ST, General, etc.) list of candidates who appeared for Computer Science and Application subject in UGC-NET exam held in December, 2013, indicating their total number; certified copy of category wise list of candidates who qualified 'STEP-1' (theory papers, Paper I, Paper II and Paper III) in the said Computer Science and Application subject, indicating their total number; category wise cut off percentage fixed for Computer Science and Application subject in UGC-NET exam, 2013; certified copy of rank secured by the appellant in OBC category in UGC-NET, December 2013 exam and copy of his OMR sheets in all the exams, certified copy of revised result, if any from 2012 onwards; etc., through ten points. The appellant sought the information in Hindi.
2. The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) gave a point wise response to the appellant's RTI application and provided the copies of his OMR sheets also except on point 5 where he denied information regarding the names, addresses and qualifications of the OBC category candidates who qualified NET in Computer Science in December 2013, treating it as exempt u/s 8(1)(e), 8(1)(g) and 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005. The appellant, being dissatisfied with the CPIO's response, approached the First Appellate Authority (FAA) with a request to direct the CPIO to provide complete and correct information to him on all points of his RTI application. The FAA upheld the decision of the CPIO. Aggrieved with the FAA's response, the appellant filed appeal before the Commission reiterating his request for providing complete information, point-wise.
3. The matter was heard by the Commission. The appellant was not present for the hearing despite the notice for hearing having been duly sent to him.
4. The respondent stated that CPIO had replied to the appellant's RTI application dated 26.2.2016 well within the prescribed time period in March 2016, providing the existing and available information, as per the records, to the appellant. Further, in response to the second appeal dated 21.9.2016, copy of reply was sent to the appellant, once again, vide letter dated 13.12.2017. The appellant was not present to point out deficiency, if any, in the information provided to him.
5. On hearing the respondents and going through the available records, the Commission accepts the submissions of the respondent authority and observes that the CPIO has provided the existing and available information, as per the records, to the appellant. The information sought was third party's personal information and appropriately denied by the CPIO as no larger public interest is involved in the matter. No further intervention on the Commission's part is, therefore, called for in the matter. The appeal is disposed of.
(Manjula Prasher) Information Commissioner Authenticated true copy:
Dy Registrar Copy to:
The Central Public Information Officer The First Appellate Authority University Grants Commission, University Grants Commission, Under Secretary, Joint Secretary, UGC-NET Bureau, South Campus, UGC-NET Bureau, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi - 110 021 Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi - 110 021 Shri Kanwar Pal, S/o Shri Ram Singh, Village & Post - Dahina, Distt.- Rewari, Haryana - 123 411