Are Private Colleges covered under RTI

[Abhinav Bohare]

Dear Informaticians,

In India most of the NAAC accredited colleges are Private. They receive enough grant under UGC schemes and Programmes. The Faculties in all such graded colleges also receive enough research grants from UGC.

So wanted to ask that are all such Private colleges getting research, infrastructural and faculty grants from UGC or Dept of HRD etc covered under RTI Act.

Furthermore In case we want to know about the Pay scale reality under Section 28 of University Act (As all the private colleges are bond to be affiliated with Govt Unviersities) etc. Are we empowered by RTI Act.

??????

Abhinav
....The Right Informed

[kushal]

This thread might be of interest to you:

'substantially financed' while defining any organization to be Public Body.


It has to be applied case to case.

Pay scale reality under Section 28 of University Act

I am not sure what do you actually mean by this, kindly elaborate!

[Abhinav Bohare]

Hi Sir,

In fact by University Act 28 I meant that for affiliation of any private educational body contemplating to form a college it is mandatory to follow all the provisions under Act 28 i.e. Govt Pay scale , DA, TA etc.

Even before accredits are been given by the NAAC , UGC these things are checked. But in most of the private college , the fact is different, as while getting affiliated to UGC etc they on papers agree to the Act but in verity they dont pay as much to the faculty as defined under 5th pay commission.

This is done with un official consent of the faculty, wherein they sign in the Govt pay scale, but receive quite a small amount viz from 2000 (in 3rd rated colleges) to 14000(In good accredited colleges). Still they dont get TA DA as admissible once agreed as per Act 28 of University.

So wanted to know that can we question such colleges directly under RTI or through UGC,University and NAAC.

Thanx

Abhinav

[kushal]

That is a really big scam you are going to unearth now. Yes, you can get the information about them, but it would require an herculean efforts to get to the base of it.

Tell me what specific question you have in mind, and let us see if we can arrive at a good application!

[karira]

Abhinav,

Someone reading your posts on this forum !

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/2234432.cms

[Abhinav Bohare]

Thanks Dear, Its a good enough information

Lets hope they the IT as well as UGC Vigilance cell does something...So as to SAve the basic foundation that made Ancient Indian civilization No 1 and most unique i.e. Academics

[p.esakkimuthu]

private colleges getting government aid fron UGC is amenable to RTI Act

[gaurav_bandi]

Hi there i have a another query on this issue:

what happens to the status of Private coaching classes empanelled to impart coaching and conduct internal exams to students of a statutory body like the Institute of C.A.

Are these private coaching classes covered under the RTI as they are empanelled with the statutory body under the public-private partner scheme of the said body.

The Private coaching classes do not get any grant or financial assistance from the body rather they pay a share of their income to the body.

will the private coaching institute be covered uner the RTI

[karira]

Gaurav,

Institute of CA is clearly a Public Authority as defined in the RTI Act.

Further, Sec 2(f) defines information as:

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;

As per your description of the private coaching classes, they do have a relationship with ICA.
Therefore ICA, as a PA, has "access" to information held by the coaching classes.

You can apply for the information to ICA.

[gaurav_bandi]

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply.
But i want to go further one step ahead of this.
I understand that the Institute will have access to information relating to the private coaching classes and the institute will be covered under the RTI being a PA.
But i want to explore whether the coaching class itself can be directly covered under the RTI and should appoint a PIO and also provide the required information about its own activities since it is part of the PA (institute).

Thanks again,

[sandeepbaheti]

No. Coaching classes are not covered under RTI as they do not fall under the definition of PA. You can't have direct access to their information. All you can do is file an RTI application with ICAI and seek whatever information relating to coaching classes is held by ICAI.
By the way, so far as my knowledge goes coaching institutes work independently and hardly any information would be held by ICAI.