NEW DELHI, Nov 11: The Centre has decided to involve law students to analyse RTI applications, their replies given by the concerned departments and the suo motu disclosures made by them.
The analysis will help a ministry or department consolidate and document its experience in the implementation of the RTI, its successes, constraints in implementation, identify the areas which need more attention, address the gap areas and suggest what more needs to be done to help achieve the objectives of the transparency law, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.
Under the ‘Improving transparency and accountability in government through effective implementation of the Right to Information Act’, the DoPT is offering short-term internships to undergraduates who are in the second year pursuing five year integrated course in law or graduates in the first year pursuing three years graduation course in law from recognised and reputed universities to conduct the analysis in select public authorities.
“The interns would also study the status of suo motu disclosure of the ministry or department alloted to them for their internship and would submit a report in this regard,” it said in an order.
The internship will be for a duration of one month beginning from December 1. The interns will be provided necessary logistics support, like office space and photocopy facility, the DoPT said.
“Travel costs of interns will be reimbursed on actual basis upto Rs 5,000 on submission of reports,” it said.
The DoPT will coordinate with the selected public authorities or government departments for the internship programme.
The RTI Act allows a citizen to get time-bound information on governance-related matters. (PTI)