RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005 IN THE

UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES

The Right to Information Act, 2005 (22 of 2005) has been enacted by the Parliament and has come into force from 15 June, 2005. This Act provides for right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. All Universities and Colleges established by law made by Parliament or by State Legislature or by notification by the appropriate Government or owned, controlled or substantially financed directly or indirectly by funds provided by the Government shall come within the meaning of a Public Authority under this Act.

1. An application for obtaining information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 is required to be made to the State Public Information Officer of the College.

2. The prescribed fees for filing the application is Rs.10/- by way of bank demand draft or banker’s cheque or Indian Postal Order payable to the Principal, Mahatma Gandhi College.

3. There is exemption in fees for citizens belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. Such citizens should send a copy of BPL card along with their application.

As per 12^th Governing Body Meeting Number 2 dated 23.11.2017 (Agenda No. 13)

State Public Information Officer – Mr. Rup Kumar Chatterjee, SACT –II,Mahatma Gandhi College

Apellate Authority: Dr. Santi Kundu, Principal, Mahatma Gandhi College

The Right to Information Act 2005 intends to set out the practical regime of Right to Information of citizens to enable them to access the information under the control of public authority in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of such authority.

Section 2(h) of the Act defines "public authority" as any authority or body or institution of self-governance established or constituted -

1. by or under the Constitution;

2. by any other law made by the Parliament;

3. by any other law made by State Legislature;

4. by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government and includes any

   • body owned, controlled or substantially financed;

   • Non-government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government.

In accordance with the provisions contained in section 2(j) of the Act, "Right to Information" means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and include the right to

1. inspection of work, documents, records;

2. taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records;

3. taking certified samples of material;

4. Obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device.

The Mahatma Gandhi College Information Handbook will enable the citizens to obtain information as to the provisions contained in various rules and regulations governing the college; and related information.

This Information Handbook is divided into 17 sections. Each sections deals with units of information as delineated under section 4 (1) (b). For ease of reference, this is given below.

4. (1) Every public authority shall

1. Maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and from which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerized are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerized and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated;

2. Publish within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act,

   1. The particulars or its organization, functions and duties;

   2. The powers and duties of its officers and employees;

   3. The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability;

   4. The norms set by it for the discharge of its of its functions;

   5. The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions;

   6. A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control;

   7. The particulars of any arrangement that exist for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof;

   8. A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advise, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees of such meeting s are accessible for public;

   9. A directory of its officers and employees;

   10. The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations;

   11. The budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made;

   12. The manner of execution of subsidy programmes including the amounts allocated and the detail of beneficiaries of such programmes;

   13. Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by it;

   14. Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form;

   15. The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use;

   16. The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers;

   17. Such other information as may be prescribed;

Section 4 b (xii) provides information on the manner of execution of subsidy programmes. This programme per se is not applicable to Mahatma Gandhi College.

Particulars of organization, functions and duties Mahatma Gandhi College is a college maintained by the Sidho Kanho Birsha University of under Ordinance XX.

Objectives

• Mahat House offers undergraduate in humanities, social sciences and basic sciences in accordance with Sidho Kanho Birsha University curricular.

• It aims for holistic development of students, and their capacity building through carefully designed academic programmes and extramural activities.

Mechanism available for monitoring the service delivery and public grievance resolution Management of the various activities of the college are supervised by the Governing Body and through the designated authorities and procedure. Monitoring of the affairs of the college is through the Governing Body, UGC and Sidho Kanho Birsha University.

Address of the College Office of the Principal, Mahatma Gandhi College, Lalpur, Purulia. West Bengal

Working hours of the College: Office: 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Monday to Saturday)
Teaching: 11.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (Monday to Saturday in accordance to the time-table)

Powers and duties of the officers and employees:

• The Principal is the principal academic and executive officer of the college. He/She is responsible for appropriate administration, organization, instruction and management of affairs of the college, as stipulated in University.

• Powers and duties of other authorities and employees are also as stated in the University Statute.

Procedure followed to take a decision on various matters:

• Decisions in various matters are taken by the appropriate authorities of the College as per the procedures laid down under various Ordinances, rules and regulations of the University.

Norms set by the college for the discharge of its functions:

Norms and standards for various activities of the college are set by the competent authority such as the Governing Body and Staff Council.

The Staff Council is the academic body of the college. Subject to the provisions of the Sidho Kanho Birsha University, the Statutes and the Ordinances, it exercises control and general regulation over academic affairs. It is responsible for the maintenance of the standards of instruction, education and examination of the college and other academic matters.

Rules, regulations and instructions used:

• Statutes of the college as contemplated under SKBU statute

• Regulations/instructions for admission regarding all the courses (under-graduate/postgraduate) in accordance with Sidho Kanho Birsha University notification.

• College Non-teaching Employees (Terms & Conditions of Service) Rules, 1971

• Various rules/instructions concerning personnel management for the teaching and non-teaching staff working in the college.

• Fundamental Rules and Supplementary Rules of Government of India except where the university has its own provisions with regard to teaching and non-teaching staff.

Official documents and their availability:

I

• College Prospectus

• Handbook of Information

• Information Handbook under RTI Act 2005

• Hostel- Bulletin of Information

• Principal's Annual Report

• Constitution of the Mahatma Gandhi College students Union

• Advertisement

These are available on the website: www.mahatmagandhicollege.ac.in

• The college Timetable

• Examination Schedules

• Scholarship Notices

• Administrative Notices

• Examination results

Attempts are being made to put these up on the website.

II

• Minutes of the Governing Body

• Audit Reports

• Certified Annual Accounts

There is time lag between their approved veracious and their printed veracious.

III

• Sidh kanho Birsha University, dealing with statutory provisions.

• Sidho Kanho Birsha University, dealing with various courses.

These are available in printed form from the Sidho Kanho Birsha University.

Note: Confidential matters pertaining to examinations, paper setting, evaluation of scripts and consequent procedures, composition and proceedings of the selection committees and minutes of the college until these are printed, will remain confidential and not available in the public domain.

Mode of public participation:

Various statutory bodies of the College Governing Body comprise of eminent people from society and representatives of public who directly participate in the affairs of the College. The College Governing Body has following representative from the public.

• Two persons nominated by the Government of WBHED and SCHE, IC SKBU to the College Governing Body from the various fields of public.

The College Complaint Committee has representatives from the public.

Councils, Committees, Faculties, Departments, etc. under the College:

• The College Governing Body as per state government education policy .

• Staff Council as per University statute.

• Teachers Council Committees.

• Purchase Committee

• Building Committee

• College Complaint Committee (Sexual Harassment)

Directory of officers and employees:

• Will be available in the website

Monthly remuneration received by each of its employee:

• The pay scales of various teaching and non-teaching staff are as prescribed by the University Grants Commission and adopted by the college.

Budget allocated to each agency:

• The budget and the financial estimates are as approved by the Governing Body.

Manner of execution of subsidy programmes:

• Not applicable to the college.

1. Concessions granted by the college:

Concessions that are available to various categories of students for admission to various courses are given in the college prospectus.

Note:

• The above reservations may vary with any decision taken by the University or directions from the Central Government.

• Details of such concessions are available in the admission brochures for respective courses of the college.

• Category seats are filled by central admission.

1. Concessions availed by the college:

The college avails concessions on excise and customs duties on the procurement of the equipment, chemicals etc. for academic projects and laboratories.

1. Financial Assistance to students:

The college provides financial assistance to needy students. (Poor boys fund)

Information available in electronic form:

• The college has adopted wide scale computerization of data management in administration account section of the college and hostel. All correspondence is computer generated.

• Information made publically available can be accessed at www.mahatmagandhicollegelalpur.ac.in

• All the information about the college is available on the college website - www.mahatmagandhicollegelalpur.ac.in

Means, methods and facilities available to citizens for obtaining information:

• Through the notice boards, relevant brochures, University Calendars and various other rules which are available in print as well as on the website www.mahatmagandhicollegelalpur.ac.in

• Some of the publications (College Prospectus) is priced and can be obtained by paying the stipulated amount.

• Unpriced information for the general public is disseminated occasionally through press releases, advertisements etc. These are available on the college website - www.mahatmagandhicollegelalpur.ac.in

Public Information Officer:

• Mr. Rup Kumar Chatterjee, SACT –II, Mahatma Gandhi College

Appellate Authority:

1. Dr. Santi Kundu, Principal, Mahatma Gandhi College

The college website (www.mahatmagandhicollegelalpur.ac.in), the Sidho Kanho Birsha University website (www.du.ac.in) are the repository of information.

The person seeking of the information may apply on a plain paper giving particulars of information being sought and his/her correct address for communication. Separate applications for seeking information on different subjects are required. The application has to be accompanied with the prescribed fee (at present a fee of Rs. 10/-). The fee is payable with each application which is towards the cost of processing the request.

The schedule of fees can be obtained from the Public Information Officer of the Sidho Kanho Birsha University. For the time being the rates are as follows:-

1. Rs. 2/- per page of A-4 or A-5 size.

2. Actual cost for sizes bigger than A-4 or A-5.

3. In case of printed material, the printed copies could be had from the college sales counter.

4. In case of photo copies, the rate would be Rs. 2/- per page.

5. If information is needed on a disk or floppy subject to availability of information in soft form, the fee will be Rs. 50/- per disk/floppy.

6. Admissible records may be allowed to be inspected on payment of Rs.150/- per hour or part thereof, before the date and time of inspection of the same.

A major portion of the information will be available from the University statute and other rules as applicable to the college from time to time and printed syllabi for various courses.