Reported by Timesofindia.indiatimes.com on Jul 7, 2012
Calcutta University to charge Rs 500 to reassess answer scripts - The Times of India

KOLKATA: Calcutta University's students who seek a reassessment of their answer scripts will henceforth have to pay Rs 500 for each script checked, though the Right to Information (RTI) Act states that not more than Rs 10 should be charged for it.

Controller of examinations Onkar Sadhan Adhikari, however, justified the new rule that applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate students. "The decision to charge students Rs 500 is not in violation of the RTI Act which is supreme," he said. The university will also hand over a photocopy of the assessed answer scripts to the examinees.

To defend his claim, Adhikari quoted from Section VII of the RTI Act where it is stated: "Where a decision is taken to provide the information on payment of any further fee representing the cost of providing the information, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall send an intimation to the person making the request, giving — (a) the details of further fees representing the cost of providing the information as determined by him, together with the calculations made to arrive at the amount in accordance with fee prescribed under sub-section (1), requesting him to deposit that fees, and the period intervening between the despatch of the said intimation and payment of fees shall be excluded for the purpose of calculating the period of thirty days referred to in that sub-section; (b) information concerning his or her right with respect to review the decision as to the amount of fees charged or the form of access provided, including the particulars of the appellate authority, time limit, process and any other forms."