THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Information Commission has ruled that self-financing educational institutions under the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) will come under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. It includes institutions directly run by the university as well as those affiliated with the university.
The Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies (CPAS) which coordinates the functioning of these institutions will also come under the Act’s purview, said an order issued by Information Commission A Abdul Hakkim. The order came on appeal over the denial of information by the Nursing Education Institute at Chuttippara in Pathanamthitta.
The complainant was T Sajeev, father of Ammu Sajeev, who died at the institute’s hostel on November 15, 2024. The institution’s management denied information regarding the death. The institute had claimed that the RTI Act was not applicable for self-financing institutions.
The commission observed that the institute’s action was illegal. The commission had earlier directed the institute to provide the requested information free of cost before February 19. The latest order came based on the father’s second complaint. The commission asked the director of the nursing institute at Chuttippara to provide the requested info free of cost before May 17. The receipt should be submitted to the commission by May 20.
The commission stated that an institution established as per the directions in the Constitution or under a law will come under the ambit of RTI.