Waiting lists of candidates in recruitment exams must be made public: CIC to DSSSB

Waiting lists of candidates appearing for Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board recruitment examination should be made public, the Central Information Commission has ruled.

Endeavour shall be made by DSSSB to put the drawn select waiting lists on the website/public domain within one week of finalisation, Information Commissioner Yashovardhan Azad said.

Rekha Rani, an aspiring teacher, had applied for the post of PGT (history) for which a total of 34 candidates were to be selected by the DSSSB which does recruitment of individuals by conducting written tests, professional tests and personal interviews for Delhi government services.

She had sought a copy of the waiting list of the selected candidates drawn in the order of merit and details of the cut off marks with rank secured by her.

 

She was informed by the DSSSB in April last year that a waiting list has been drawn up for the post in question but the same is not disclosed in public.

"Admittedly, the appellant figures on top of the waiting list since general category candidates up to rank 33 have been offered appointment. Upon a query by the Commission, the PIO (public information officer) submits that the select wait list of candidates is maintained in the file as per policy of DSSSB and not made public unlike the result of selected candidates," Azad noted.

The Information Commissioner said the policy of DSSSB to not share information of waiting list of selected candidates in a recruitment examination is clearly in violation of the RTI Act.

He said the DSSSB cannot keep such information under wraps especially from candidates of the examination since they have a right to ascertain their likelihood of selection.

Encapsulating such information will only breed corruption and unrest among the candidates. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. The Commission disapproves of any such policy of the DSSSB which cannot be contrary to the mandate of RTI statue, he said.

Issuing directives to provide information within two weeks, Azad directed the DSSSB to publish all drawn waiting lists for recruitment examinations conducted. The direction shall apply prospectively, he said.

"Considering that the select waiting lists of qualified candidates are retained for a period of one year, in general after conclusion of examination, all select wait lists across all recruitment examinations found valid as on January 01, 2018 shall be uploaded on website of DSSSB," he said.