YTF Campaign

Youth Task Force is presently running the ‘Campaign on Transparency and Accountability in Delhi University’. Under this the students decided to address different issues related to their campus and college functioning

• Transparency of examination process:
  Questions were raised by the students regarding the system of Internal Assessment in Delhi University. It was revealed that according to the Internal Assessment Ordinance passed in the year 2004, it was mandatory for the students to submit assignments at the end of the year in each subject, and he/she would be marked on both the exam performance and the assignment. This was done with the logic of encouraging divergent and creative thinking amongst students. However, this innovative step taken up the University remained only on paper, until an RTI filed by one of the YTF volunteer revealed the truth. It was revealed that none of the colleges were taking assignments and instead made students write short class test of the assigned marks. After the truth about the Internal Assessment was revealed mass scale campaigning was done. Students did banner signing campaigns to create public opinion against these malfunctioning and lack of transparency in the University. The banners signed by more than 1000 students were handed over to the Vice- Chancellor of Delhi University with the demands of the students.
  
  
• Student wrongly marked absent:
  A second year student of English (H) in Dayal Singh College of Delhi University was wrongly marked absent for one of the papers in her first year examination. On receiving her result she was shocked to know that she was marked absent and thus failed in the particular paper in which she had appeared. On approaching the college authorities, they said that the mistake has been made on the part of the University. Since then she has been running from pillar to post to get the University authorities to rectify to mistake. However, after a lot of struggle, Yogi Bajaj approached YTF, to help her. She then filed an RTI application, asking for reasons of such a mistake. In order to avoid embarrassment in answering her questions, the University immediately corrected the error in her marks.
  
  
• University Roads got built:
  Following an RTI application filed by a student volunteer of YTF the road in front of Ramjas College, University of Delhi got built. This road has been a constant complaint for many passengers for a number of years, but none made any effort to find out why this road remained in this condition. However, after the RTI was filed asking for the contract copy and other vital details regarding this road, the authorities acted immediately to rebuild the entire road.
  
  
• No RTI display Boards in Delhi University:A Compulsory provision under the RTI Act:
  With regards to the different colleges complying with Section 4 of the RTI Act, there are no notice boards, or any form of proactive disclosure done by any of the colleges under Delhi University. In the name of Section 4, Delhi University website offers nominal information, but none of the college websites are updated on this. Complying with Section 4 of the RTI Act is crucial because boards and notices on RTI Act also help in making the students aware of such an Act and thereby encouraging them to use the Act. Questions asked regarding Section 4 implementation was not answered by any of the colleges. However, Delhi University replied by sending us a copy of the manual of Section 4. Answers of the other applications are awaited, but the students are determined to take these matters forward and get to the appeal and complain process.

  At the hearing in the Information Commission, Delhi University has been ordered to comply by Section 4 of the RTI Act, within 14th of November, 2008. The Commission condemned the University for its reluctant attitude towards the RTI Act and ordered that it should ensure that all colleges under it also update and upload all the information

• Revelation of the mal functioning of different college canteens:
  It was revealed after RTIs filed by students that Delhi University has no policy for operating college canteens. This is exclaiming because all these canteens are substantially funded by the UGC and play a crucial role in the health and safety of the students regularly eating there. Therefore the fact that they don’t have regulatory guidelines for the canteens on health, hygiene, price regulation and other functions is appalling.
  
  
  
• Campus street lights started working:
  Students filed Right to Information applications to find out about the light posts in the campus, which got the Engineering Department of Delhi University on a run. After the RTI and inspection, all the lights in the Arts and Law Faculty are functioning.
  
  
  
• Revelation of Special bus services for the students:
  Students filed Right to Information applications on Delhi Transport Corporation to find out the timings of the special University buses, better known as U- Specials. The RTI revealed that none of the U-Specials ply in tandem to the class timings of the University. Authorities mentioned that they ply these buses on their own and have no coordination with the University authorities, which then meant that the whole effort of providing special buses for University students was a wasted initiative.
  
  
• Sexual Harassment Case in Gandhi Bhavan:
  A sexual harassment case was registered against the Director of Gandhi Bhavan, Delhi University. To investigate the above case an enquiry committee was set up by the University. The report submitted by the committee was not made public and was also denied to the victim. The victim contacted JOSH to help her access the above mentioned report. JOSH then helped her by filing an RTI application, asking for the copy of the enquiry report.
  University of Delhi rejected the RTI application by quoting Section 8 of the RTI Act, which says that it;
  • Endangers life or physical safety or identifies confidential sources of     information or assistance
  •  Impedes the process of investigation or apprehension
  
  However, we appealed to the first appellate authority under the grounds that the information was asked by the victim herself and second, the process of investigation was already over, thus cannot be impeded.
  Answering to the first appeal, the report was handed over to the victim and the accused was suspended from his responsibilities.
  
  
  
• Sexual Harassment case in Indraprastha College:
  A sexual harassment case was reported by a student of Indraprastha College of Delhi University during an examination held for recruitment of constable of Delhi Police. On this day, around 50,000 people appeared for this examination, which was been held in North Campus.
  
  In protest to this incident many students demonstrated outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office demanding arrest and punishment of the accused.
  Responding to this case YTF filed several RTI applications to the Commissioner of Police asking details of the number of police person deployed on the particular day, the number of PCR vans available around the area, number of women police constables were posted and their locations etc.
  The answers revealed that there were seven police persons on duty, whereas in reality there were none of them present at their assigned locations. YTF is taking these answers to the students and media to reveal the degree of accountability the police has towards the well-being of common citizens.
  
  
• Revelation about CBSE Examination:
  RTI filed by a student volunteer revealed that the examiners of CBSE Examination take around 14.4 minutes to check one paper which a student spends 3 hours to write and for which they get Rs. 8. This is especially crucial revelation because this is the examination which claims lives of many students every year who commit suicide after either failing or performing poorly, therefore the fact that so little time is spent on a paper needs to be seriously looked into by the authorities.