Alleged wrong degree certificate by BIT Mesra University - CIC strongly advises the PIO to follow up on the correspondence and facilitate proper redressal of the grievance as it seemingly affects the welfare of similarly placed community of students
3 May, 2024O R D E R
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 10.06.2021 with AICTE seeking information as under:
“This is in reference to the already submitted unresolved grievance via PG/PMO Portal with registered ids: DOSEL/E/2020/07586 and PMOPG/E/2021/0068164 closed without resolution with unsatisfactory response by Ministry of Education UGC Department that just stated peon is being sent to Deemed to be University for redressed without redirecting follow up action on calling out for answer by their affiliated BIT Mesra University Administration that could neither fulfill the claim of rectification requested to issue revised provisional certificate with mention of their BIT Mesra Noida Campus name in it for clear information on place by where pursued education as per section 2(f) “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; of the RTI Act, 2005 on basis of my college id card justifying actual place of campus name in 2nd page of supporting document attached not fulfilled by UGC Deemed BIT Mesra University that sent another wrong degree certificate via Speed post dated 9th February 2021 without any mention again in certificate for required BIT Mesra Noida Campus Name that must also get credibility so as to also promote development of students taking admission there at equivalent high tuition fees structure just like in case of BIT Mesra Main Ranchi Campus only being facilitated but its off campuses not allocated fairly by UGC Affiliated University and instead partially treated even at me of opportunity such as placement when off campus students careers are taken for granted to get ruined and at the end, the university administration themselves does not seems to care about off campuses wrongly running under their knowledge like BIT Noida Centre what they are unfortunately running as business upon name of institute by misleadingly giving degrees without mention of credibility like to their specific Noida campus name in incomplete certificate issued as again justified by following link here- https://drive.google.com/file/d/18vQ4WMkNR08k0qIGhpofNPnt5md94xQX/view
Hope you will refer your support for compensating resolution in this situation as also giving basis by another instance before this situation when I appropriately received my first undergraduate degree in 2016 from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University that rightly mentioned the name of their appropriately affiliated campus name-Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies by where actually pursued under-graduation as shown on the following another degree link for reference purpose..”
2. Aggrieved with the intimation of the RTI request being transferred online to UGC by AICTE on 22.06.2021, the Appellant filed a First Appeal with UGC on 04.08.2021 stating as under:
“Hereby placing another appeal for also confirming information of what all ac on had been taken by UGC against liable Deemed To Be University after sent an attached copy of mail dated 26th November 2020 to UGC Chairman & Vice-Chairman as the liable institute is neither able to establish clear fact on appointing its Nodal Officer as per UGC Regulations for Student Grievances and nor adequate official allocation given to its Off Campuses like BIT Noida Center that seems to still have pending official approval from UGC, Government of India unlike other BITS Pilani Extension Centers such as in Goa & Hyderabad are mentioned as to be already approved on the following link- https://www.ugc.ac.in/deemed_uniinfo.aspx?id=122 Or if you can't help act on the above-requested information then please either transfer back this RTI request to the origin of AICTE Team that is also liable to respond in reference of initial mail copy addressed to them on complaint@aicte-india.org id with their compliance issues too as shown in 3rd page of the a ached document to what they are also supposed to respond while they just transferred initial RTI-AICTE/R/E/21/01276 to you by another new registration number-UGCOM/R/T/21/01472..”
3. Subsequently, the CPIO, UGC replied through the online portal on 09.08.2021 and the same is reproduced as under:-
“The RTI was transferred to Birla Institute of Technology (Deemed to be University) via speed post vide letter No. F. 4-5/2021 (CPP-I/DU) dated 05.08.2021 as the matter was related to the Deemed to be University.”
4. The FAA, UGC vide order dated 02.11.2021 reiterated the CPIO’s reply.
5. Aggrieved with the FAA’s order, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal dated 30.01.2022
6. The Appellant was present during the hearing in person and on behalf of the Respondent, Kanta Dhamija, US & CPIO attended the hearing in person.
7. The hearing proceedings entailed a discussion amongst the Appellant and the CPIO regarding the alleged complacency adopted by the averred institute in not responding to any complaint /representation of the Appellant or even correspondences of UGC. It was an admitted fact that the instant RTI Application and issue for consideration was not strictly amenable to the jurisdiction of the Commission under the RTI Act but owing to the sensitivity of the concerns raised by the Appellant and the pressing need to address such anomalies by UGC being the authority issuing grants to such institutions, the bench allowed considerable time for discussion. Subsequent to which the hearing was concluded.
8. The Commission in furtherance of the hearing proceedings strongly advises the CPIO to follow up on the correspondence sent by UGC to the averred institute in pursuance of the instant RTI matter and facilitate proper redressal of the grievance raised by the Appellant as it seemingly affects the welfare of similarly placed community of students.
9. The Appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
Sd/-
ANANDI RAMALINGAM
Information Commissioner
Citation: Kunal Arora v. UGC, CIC/UGCOM/A/2022/606073; Date of Decision: 18.03.2024