CIC nod to review 1978 DU records

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has directed Delhi University to allow inspection of records related to all the students who had passed BA degree in 1978, the year in which, according to the university, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also cleared the examination.

The commission rejected the contention of the Central Public Information officer of the university that it was a third party personal information, saying it finds “neither merit nor legality” in it.

It directed the university “to facilitate inspection of relevant register where complete information about result of all students who passed in Bachelor of Arts, in year 1978 along with roll number, names of the students, father’s name and marks obtained as available with the university and provide certified copy of the extract of relevant pages from the register, free of cost .... ”

RTI applicant Neeraj had sought to know from the university the total number of students who appeared in Bachelor of Arts, Year 1978, besides result of all students who appeared in the examination along with their roll number, name of the students with father’s name, marks and result pass or failed.

Denying the information, the Central Public Information officer of the university had responded that the information requested is treated as “personal information of the students concerned, the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest”.

Information commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu, however, said, “With regard to question if disclosure of such identification related information causes invasion of privacy, or is that unwarranted invasion of privacy, the PIO has not put forward any evidence or explained possibility to show that disclosure of degree related information infringes the privacy or causes unwarranted invasion of privacy”.

The issue of 1978 DU degree records cropped up after Aam Aadmi Party raised questions about the degree of PM Narendra Modi, triggering a controversy.

... the PIO has not put forward any evidence or explained possibility to show that disclosure of degree related information infringes the privacy...