Need Help: URGENT -- For an RTI syllabus for a school civics class.

[murgie]

Am committed to taking up 3-4 classes on RTI in a middle school civics class in Delhi.

I am writing to seek suggestions. My tentative plan is to cover the following aspects:

(a) a brief history of the Official Secrets Act and RTI; what is a public authority; where to find more information in the Act about rules, time limits, penalties, etc. Examples of questions that have been asked. Successes and failures.

(b) how to draft an RTI request (brief mechanics, with one example)

(c) common pitfalls arising from how "information" has been defined and interpreted (discussion of section 2(f)) -- with examples, exercises (specific suggestions for this part will be greatly appreciated; I am very limited by my own experience).

(d) strategies public authorities have used (discussion of section 8, plus what we've learnt of PA strategies only slowly on this website)

(e) how to search the CIC website to pick up ideas for a better draft of an RTI request; how to search for parliamentary questions (am sure kids will ask better questions!!). Exercises with mock question-answer sessions to help improve the draft of an RTI question (I want specific ideas for what would be good test RTI question-drafting exercises, to give pre-teens or early teens living in Delhi. My examples so far are not RTI questions but parliamentary questions which I'm sure even a bored teenager can easily improve upon.)

(f) using volunteer websites dedicated to the RTI Act.

From my experience on this website I am convinced that kids teaching adults about RTI is also going to be vitally necessary. They have some of the skills needed, that adults either never had, or have lost.

If you have ideas, comments, suggestions, to help improve this short course on RTI for kids, please post or send me private email. Do note that the intended audience of these sessions will be school kids in a civics class in Delhi. Best,

Murgie

[maneesh]

Thats a very good idea. If you develop a syllabus then you can share here with the community.
I have one suggestion to make
"Have a module / section on What is the need of RTI?" Since you are dealing with kids, they will be quick to understand the need. Once the need is identified and then the advantages are shown, I believe they will become more creative and participative.

[karira]

I have a ready made PPS for a presentation on RTI to general audiences - not school children. Sometimes I modify it, when I have to use it for training PIO's - so as to make it more interesting for them and capture their attention (including points in the starting like: Do you want to see your ACR's, Do you want to see DPC minutes of meeting, etc..).

The points covered therein are:

1. RTI Background:
- What was the need ?
- Constitution vis a vis RTI, Fundamental Rights vis a vis RTI
2. Why RTI in India:
- RTI need in India
- India only the 48th country to have RTI type legislation
- Which country was the first, which countries have RTI, which countries are in
the process of having RTI
3. Whom you can ask for information (definition of PA, etc.)
4. What is "information"
5. How to ask for information, Who can apply ?
6. RTI Rules/Fees/Application procedures/submission
(mention about centre, each state, courts , all being different)
7. First and Second appeals - importance, procedure, etc.
8. Time limits in RTI
- time to get reply
- time limit to file first appeal
- time limit to file second appeal
- "What if" type of questions
9. When can information be denied (Sec 8 and Sec 9)
10. Obligations of PA under RTI (Sec 4 and Sec 5)
11. Obligations of a PIO under RTI
12. Role of AA in RTI
13. Brief about Information commissions - Why, what they do, their role, how appointed, how they can be removed
14. Powers of SIC/CIC - penalty, disciplinary action, reporting mechanism, recommendatory powers (under Sec 25 & 26)
15. Some famous cases involving RTI (IIM, IIT JEE, Airline refund rules, etc.)
16. Some famous personalities who have used RTI, who is the youngest RTI applicant, etc.
17. Using RTI for common everyday issues like Roads, Electricity, Passport, Ration Card, Gas, etc.
18. Changing role of the administration in India - from administrator to facilitator - and how RTI can help
19. Citizens responsibilities while using RTI

It will be good to add many points from you ideas, suitably modify some since your audience is school children as well as depending on the time available and the type of interest they show and the response you get from them.

[wagh7]

MURGIE SIR,

that is very nice and good idea. you will be doing a good job by inducting this act in to the minds of young ones.

you add one point that "HOW TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE CAN REDUCE CORRUPTION IN THE COUNTRY" which is one of the main object of RTI ACT 2005.