IIM-B to specify criteria for selection of disabled candidates

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore to categorically specify procedures for selection of disabled candidates.

Bangalore-resident Vaishnavi Kasturi, a visually handicapped person, after failing to make it through to the prestigious management institute had filed an RTI application seeking details regarding evaluation criteria adopted for shortlisting disabled candidates.

Kasturi, who secured a competitive percentile of 89.29 in the Common Entrance Test (CAT)-2006 had sought information on her overall result and performance details of other disabled candidates who were shortlisted for admission to the 2007-batch of the institute.

"The Commission in the interest of transparency, recommends the institution to finalise procedures which would dispel any doubt regarding criteria for selection, especially with regard to PWD candidates (People with Disability)," Information Commissioner O P Kejariwal said in a recent order.

Rejecting the institute's plea that details on names and percentile marks obtained by shortlisted candidates were 'third party information' and hence exempted from disclosure, the CIC directed it to provide the information to Kasturi by July 30.

"The Commission finds it difficult to accept the submission (of 'third party information') because marksheet - after the examination was over - are in the public domain and there is no reason why this should not be disclosed or even liberally displayed," Kejariwal said in his order.