CIC: Provide the details of the numbers of journals received and selected for UGC care list as available in their records free of cost via speed post; UGC to publish the information indicated in Section 4(1)(b) and 4(1)(c) on its website
7 Nov, 2023
Information sought:
The Appellant sought following information:
1. Please provide information on the name of journals (month wise details) received in the office of UGC CARE PUNE (UGC Cell for Journal Analysis) for approval from the North Zone (Jawahar Lal Nehru University). Please provide all details since beginning of the UGC Care list.
2. Please provide information on the name of journals (month wise details) selected for inclusion in the UGC Care list. How many were not approved from the UGC Cell for Journal Analysis
3. Please provide information on the rules and guidelines followed for selection of the Journal by the UGC cell for Journal Analysis. Are these parameters of selection at the UGC Care Pune office listed on any public URL or the UGC Care website: https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in/appsl/home/index
4. Please provide information whether UGC Cell for Journal analysis has notified to the publisher or to any other public forum on the reason for excluding the journals from the UGC care list. Etc.
• PIO furnished reply, vide letter dated 08.08.2022, as under:
1) The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
2) The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
3) Follow the same website.
4) The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
5) Every title submitted by UGC-CARE Council members and UGC-CARE Universities, will be analyzed by the UGC Cell at SPPU, as per the protocols for journal analysis approved by the Empowered Committee of UGC-CARE, A stringent methodology would be used for analysing new titles. It consists of three parts:
UGC-CARE Protocol Part I: Basic information
UGCCARE Protocol Part II: Primary Criteria
UGC-CARE Protocol Part III: Secondary Criteria
6) The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
7) Check the names of the UGC-CARE Empowered committee members,athttps://ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/CareECMember Google scholar will provide list of publications of these members.
8) For more details check the following website https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/ScopusDelisted Recently 9 journals from Group II are discontinued.
9) UGC-CARE Journal selection criteria is being followed.
10) These journals are included because they fulfill the UGCCARE protocols. If any undeserved journal is found anywhere in the List, it may kindly be reported through the feedback option available on the UGC-CARE website along with the necessary proof.
• Dissatisfied with the response received from PIO, Appellant filed First Appeal, vide letter dated 08.08.2022.
• The FAA vide order dated 07.09.2022 held as under:
the reply to the queries raised in RTI were submitted as under :
1)The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
2)The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
3)Follow the same website.
4)The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed.
5)Every title submitted by UGC-CARE Council members and UGC-CARE Universities, will be analyzed by the UGC Cell at SPPU, as per the protocols for journal analysis approved by the Empowered Committee of UGC-CARE, A stringent methodology would be used for analysing new titles. It consists of three parts:
UGC-CARE Protocol Part I: Basic information
UGC-CARE Protocol Part II: Primary Criteria
UGC-CARE Protocol Part III: Secondary Criteria
6)The information received from concerned is available with the university in fiduciary capacity, the disclosure of which has got no relations with any public activity interest of purpose. Hence the same cannot be disclosed. 7)Check the names of the UGC-CARE Empowered committee members at https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/CareECMember Google scholar will provide list of publications of these members.
8)For more details check the following website https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/ScopusDelisted Recently 9 journals from Group II are discontinued.
9)UGC-CARE Journal selection criteria is being followed
10)These journals are included because they fulfill the UGCCARE protocols. If any undeserved journal is found anywhere in the List, it may kindly be reported through the feedback option available on the UGC-CARE website along with the necessary proof.
• Written submission dated ‘Nil’ has been received from the Appellant and same has been taken on record perusal.
Grounds for Second Appeal:
The PIO has not provided correct information to the Appellant.
Relevant Facts emerging during Hearing:
The following were present: -
Appellant: Present
Respondent: 1. Mr. Rajesh Kumar, UGC 2. Mr. Gurmeet Walia
The Appellant reiterated the averments made in their written submission and stated that the relevant information has not been furnished to him till date. He stated that the PIO has furnished incomplete and misleading information. He requested to direct the PIO to furnish the information as sought in instant RTI Application.
The Respondent stated that the Appellant has sought information relating to journals received in of UGC Care Pune for approval which is held in fiduciary capacity and same is exempted from disclosure under Section 8 (1)(e) of the RTI Act. He stated that the information relating to members of the UGC Care Empowered Committee is already available on their website.
Decision:
Commission, after perusal of case records and submissions made during hearing, directs the concerned PIO to revisit the instant RTI Application and provide a revised reply with respect to point No. 1 and 2 specifically mentioning the numbers of journals received and selected for UGC care list as available in their records, with regards to the instant RTI Application, to the Appellant, free of cost via speed post, within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order and accordingly compliance report to this effect be duly sent to the Commission by the PIO.
In case relevant information, as sought in the instant RTI Application, pertains to some other Branch/Department of Respondent authority, then the PIO should procure and provide the same to the Appellant. In doing so, PIO must make sure that information which is exempted from disclosure under RTI Act, 2005 must not be disclosed to the appellant.
However, as regards to the other points of the RTI Application, the Commission observes that an appropriate response as per the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005 has been provided by the Respondent.
Commission also observes that information should be easily accessible and to the extent possible should be in electronic format with the Central Public Information Officer. As per Section 4 of the RTI Act, the information, which a public authority is obliged to publish under the said section should be made available to the public and specifically through the internet. There is no denying that the Respondent is duty bound by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 of the RTI Act to publish the information indicated in Section 4(1)(b) Every public authority shall publish within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act,- (i) the particulars of its organisation, functions and duties; (ii) the powers and duties of its officers and employees; (iii) the procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability; (iv) the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions; (v) the rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions; (vi) a statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control; (vii) the particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof; (viii) a statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public; (ix) a directory of its officers and employees; (x) the monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations; (xi) the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made; (xii) the manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes; (xiii) particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by it; (xiv) details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form; (xv) the particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use; (xvi) the names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers; (xvii) such other information as may be prescribed and thereafter update these publications every year; and 4(1)(c) Every public authority shall publish all relevant facts while formulating important policies or announcing the decisions which affect public; on its website so that the public have minimum resort to the use of the RTI Act to obtain the information. Accordingly, the Respondent Public Authority is advised to place the maximum information about the guidelines/parameters for selection of journal by the UGC and selected or rejected journals for UGC Care list on their official website as per the provisions of Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005 in the larger public interest. No further action lies. The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Heeralal Samariya
Information Commissioner
Citation: Prabhat Mittal v. University Grants Commission, CIC/UGCOM/A/2022/660648; Date of Decision: 18.09.2023