Gujarat University accused of blocking RTI on finances of animation dept

Ahmedabad: Gujarat University's animation department is embroiled in a dispute for refusing RTI requests on self-financed programmes. The university administration continues to withhold information despite directives from the Gujarat Information Commission and education department.
Devdatt Rana, who filed an RTI application in 2023, requested financial documentation, audit statements and course details from the mobile applications department within the animation faculty. The then-coordinator Kamaljeet Lakhtariya rejected the application, stating self-financed courses were exempt. Lakhtariya, currently imprisoned for a substantial financial fraud, is suspected of intentionally concealing RTI information.

The RTI appeal established that state universities must provide information under the RTI Act, regardless of whether they operate private or self-financed courses. Following the Gujarat Information Commission's disclosure order, the department's name was changed to "Centre for Professional Courses" and the leadership was changed too.
Rana contended that the new administration continues to avoid sharing the requested information, disregarding both the registrar's and information commission's orders. The situation has escalated to the extent that the principal secretary of education has directed the higher education commissioner to address the matter.
Internal sources indicate the university consistently avoids proper RTI responses, often providing incomplete or inaccurate information when pressured. Rana has indicated his intention to pursue legal action in the high court if complete disclosure is not forthcoming. This ongoing situation highlights concerns about the university's transparency and public accountability practices.