Don't disclose students' info without consulting parents: CIC to schools

New Delhi, Jan 26: In a stern order, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has said schools and Education Department should not disclose information about children under the RTI Act without consulting their parents.

The Commission admonished the principal of RD Public School and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Directorate of Education (DoE) of Delhi government for disclosing information about a student to his relatives who had a dispute with the student's family.

Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu said the principal of the school himself told the DoE that his school does not come under RTI Act and applicant was involved in a dispute with the school student's family.

"There are several incidents reported that rivals of the parents or quarrelling spouses take the child from the school. Revealing the details of the child might lead to kidnap or murder etc.

"During the stay of child in school, the principal and teachers have a duty of guardian and any negligence on their part might harm the student," Acharyulu said.

The principal apprehended disclosure would cause damage to the boy but still gave documents related to the student, he noted.

"The school should not have furnished the copies of CBSE certificate of the child. Another letter from CBSE given to school granting direct admission to ten students including Nishit Anand was also furnished to appellant," Achayulu said.

The Information Commissioner said the CPIO of DDE gave all this information to RTI applicant Lalit Kapur without applying his mind and not thinking about the security issues that might arise for the boy.

"The Commission directs the CPIO and principal not to disclose personal information of the students to any person, much less to his so called relatives without following the procedure under Section 11 of the RTI Act," he said.

PTI