It is a question of your answers. And, future as well ...
MNK
RAHUL MANGAONKAR
Students taking various exams this year can breathe easy. Armed
with your right to information (RTI), they can claim copies of
answersheets after results are announced.
And, this is not because of a change in policy or a change of heart
in the government, but exercising your fundamental right to know,
redeemed through RTI.
TOI had recently published a report on a related issue. "Here is a
silver lining for students set to appear for board exams this year..."
is how it began.
It reported the fact that state chief information commissioner
(SCIC) R N Das had allowed a PTC student to be present while his marks
were being re-checked. It went on to explain that the 'silver lining'
was the possibility of students being allowed to remain present while
their answersheets are re-checked. The Gujarat Examination Board on
that very day sent a clarification through the deputy director of
information saying that "the public information officer has submitted
his oral reply regarding re-check in-person when specifically asked
for by SCIC, with reference to the applicants case only, and this
cannot be treated as policy for re-check inperson of answersheets of
various examinations conducted by State Examination Board,
Gandhinagar." To begin with, there was only a possibility expressed.
The board, by its rejoinder, has struck down this very possibility.
Still, the board's clarification notwithstanding, the fact remains
that nothing can stop students from demanding copies of their
answersheets under the RTI Act. Nothing can also stop students from
being present during re-assessment.
Many government teachers, though they are public servants, have
often played with the future of students. Qualitative assessment, and
accountability on this have so far been a bone of contention, due to
lack of transparency in the entire process.
Under the RTI Act, students, irrespective of which school, college
or university they went to - whether they are grant-in-aid
institutions or not - have a right to access to their corrected,
marked answersheets. If the school is not a grant-in-aid one, students
should seek copies of their answersheet from the district education
officer's (DEO) office. In case a student is victimised after filing
an RTI plea, he can call for help on 9924085000.
Many have wondered why the government, for the sake of
transparency, doesn't provide a copy of the answersheets as a matter
of policy along with the final result? In the year of 'Nirmal
Gujarat', and also an election year, this is one sop that would be
most welcome.
jaago....@indiatimes.com