Whispers Forum

Many academicians, educationists including vice-chancellors of leading central universities have expressed grave misgivings about the UGC mandated Common Entrance Test for admission to Central Universities without however suggesting better options. The sensible thing therefore would be to scrap all entrance tests and provide admission by a computerized lottery system while retaining the present scheme of reservations. Since no one is quite clear as to define merit let alone determine it, the lottery system is the only equitable system. It will save a lot of time and money. At least no one can claim that it is biased.
Raghavan, Gurgaon

Debate
Constitution of CDS like post will definitely lower the morale of Heads of CBI, ED, DRI, CEI and FIU. They can't work freely and professionally. The Government should scrap the plan if thought of it.
Sandeep Kumar
Misuse of vehicles needs to be stopped
Something has to be done fast to bring an end to the prevalent regime of misuse of vehicles at the exchequer's cost by Ministers and Bureaucrats or otherwise our society is going to heavily pay for it in the near future. The judiciary also, in this business, does not go unscathed.
Anurag

Debate
Such government schemes take too long to materialize. It’s not a simple task to have one investigation agency to probe financial crimes given the scope and nature of such crimes is so different. A similar proposal to replace autonomous education regulators like UGC and AICTE with the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) has been hanging fire for years. In the defence sector it is a different thing. You can have a leader of the armed forces. But a CDS like authority to supervise economic offences is a rather impractical proposal. It may take too long to materialize. It could lead to controversies and disputes.
Brijesh Kumar
Inflation spirals out of control
Hikes in essential commodities may not be an issue for some political parties. But it is a blazing issue causing a detrimental effect on the living of a common man in this country. It is a matter of fact that the inflation in this country has spiralled out of control.
Aadesh Kumar Gupta

The appellant sought a copy of the answer sheets in English Language in ICSE Examination which was not provided The Assistant Secretary informed that the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of RTI Act and as such, the information cannot be provided. The CIC observed that the Respondent office has established that it is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act and is as such not amenable to the jurisdiction of the RTI Act. The denial of information was upheld.
Comments
In many previous orders, [CIC in Anil Karla vs. CPIO bearing File No. CIC/MOHRD/C/2019/133799; Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court in WP No. 12549 (W) of 2016 Dinesh Sinha and others Vs. The ICSE and others; and Division Bench of the Delhi High Court in LPA No. 617/2011 CISCE Vs. Ajay Jhuria] has ruled that ICSE is not amenable to RTI Act.
Citation: Yakshay Chheda v. Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination in CIC/MOHRD/A/2019/650057, Date: 11.03.2022
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

With reference to A K Agnihotri's comments on reduction in fuel consumption, it is stated that there is an urgent need on the part of the Government of India to end rampant misuse of vehicles at the exchequer's cost by the Minister's and Bureaucrats. Nobody should be allowed to have more than one vehicle at their disposal and they should also pay through their pocket fuel spent by them for their personal purposes, as per the extant rules. These days the Staff Car rules are not strictly being followed. The Public Sector Undertakings and other offices of the Government of India are also rampantly being exploited by the Ministries/Departments for personal purposes. There are also black sheep officers who on one hand are taking Transport Allowance with their monthly salary but at the same time are taking vehicle facilities for commuting from residence to office and back. You can see official vehicles parked in front of the residences of all Joint Secretary level officials on Holidays for their personal use. If some drastic action is taken by both the Central and State Government, then only our fuel burden can be reduced , traffic jams reduced and pollution controlled.
Anurag

All future payments for gas have to be made in Rouble. Rouble is not a tradable currency. Now each country is negotiating separately for trade in each other’s currency, basically a barter trade. India with Russia; India with Iran; India with Venezuela. The USA is getting marginalized in this. Meanwhile, Rouble which had dropped to 150 against $ in early March, is now back at 100 crude prices have jumped as a result too. India must curtail indiscriminate use of fuels by gas guzzlers lest poor pay for profligacy of the rich.
A K Agnihotri

Debate
The country currently has several agencies to deal with economic offences. We shall have to make several changes if we want a single agency to deal with economic crimes. That agency must have officers, staff and competence to deal with and investigate different types of crimes. A CDS like agency is a good idea. If it materializes, the probes against economic offences will be faster and better. But it is necessary that the agency is not used by ruling dispensation for the achievement of its goals. The question is whether it will be allowed to function as an independent and fair agency.
Kamal Shukla
No harm in providing copy
There is no harm in providing a physical copy especially when one is filling to pay a fee for it.
Subhash Srivastava