The Central Information Commission has awarded Rs 70,000 compensation to a student who could not avail a scholarship as the information regarding the documents required for the same was allegedly not furnished in time by the Education Department of Delhi government.
Taking a stern view of the matter, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu also issued a show-cause notice to the Central Public Information Officer in the said department asking why the maximum penalty should not be imposed on him for failing to furnish timely information to the student.
The case pertains to one Raj Kumar, a student of Guru Ramdas College of Education, who had submitted to CIC that he belonged to the BPL category and required a scholarship to complete his B.Ed qualification.
Kumar said that he had applied for a scholarship to the Education Department for the academic year 2012-13 and was informed that his form was in the select list while a number, 2191', too, was given to him. But he did not get the scholarship.
He sought information through an RTI application in 2013 on the action taken on his application for the scholarship, but there was no response within the 30 days designated for the same.
Later, he was informed that he had not attached some marksheets, which was wrong, as Kumar was able to find through RTI responses provided after the deadline for the scholarship was over.
"The appellant, who is a poor man trying to complete his B.Ed with some financial support, was deprived of scholarship on the false ground that he had not enclosed the document of Matriculation certificate, which the appellant proved wrong," Acharyulu pointed out in his order.
"When the Commission queried the respondent officer whether he had intimated the said deficiency to the appellant, so that he would have fulfilled the same, the officer Ganeshan... Admitted that they did not intimate the same to him in time," he added.
Acharyulu said there was a delay in furnishing the required information as the reply sought by the appellant was furnished to him after the statutory period of 30 days.
"The Commission considers it to be a fit case to award compensation to the appellant and hence directs the Public Authority Under Sec 19(8)(b) of RTI Act to pay compensation of Rs.70,000 within one month from the date of receipt of this order," he said.
