Rise in RTI queries on IIM-A

The number of applications filed under Right to Information Act (RTI) asking questions about Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has seen an increase in recent times.

According to the highly placed sources in the institute, while most of the applications have been filed seeking information about admission of students, some of the applications, filed by the institute’s administrative and research staff members, question the appointments of the institute’s senior officials.

An official in the institute, who wished anonymity, said, “There is a significant increase in the number of applications filed under RTI. Earlier, there used to be about 40-50 applications on an average every year, but the number has now increased to nearly 75 this year.

Most of the applications have questions related to the process of students’ admission for various courses. Generally, students who don’t get admissions in the institution file such applications.”

But, there are some RTI applications filed by the administrative and research staff of the institute. In fact, it is such applications which have put the information officials in a spot.

The IIM-A official said, “These applications are filed by employees probably because of discontent among employees regarding the process followed at the time of appointing those in crucial positions, such as the chief administrative officer (CAO), the senior-most officer of the institute. Also, there are appeals pending with the Central Information Commission, which has made some serious observations and warned the appellate authority to desist from making comments.”

He also said, “There are a recruitment process in place and it is well defined even for the junior-level officers. The appointment procedure is conducted after giving advertisements in national newspapers, inviting applications. Moreover, announcements for vacant posts were also done within the institute. But, no procedure was followed for appointing the present CAO, who is also a secretary to the governing board of the institute.”

However, the IIM-A CAO, N V Pillai, and the appellate authority of RTI said some dissatisfied employees have been raising this issue.  He said, “We generally get four to five RTI applications every year, but this year the number has increased to 10-12. This is because one single employee has filed some five-six applications. As far as my appointment is concerned, the then CAO of the institute suddenly quit, and I being the senior-most officer after him was appointed as CAO by the director of the institute.”