The appeal is allowed. The Rector, COMSATS University is directed to provide the following information to the Applicant, with intimation to this commission, within 10 working days of the receipt of this Order:
“Copies of the drawing test along with the number obtained by each candidate who took the test for admission in B-Architecture Fall 2020 semester at Comsats University Islamabad”.
This commission believes that transparency in admission processes is pre-requisite to build trust of citizens in public universities. Therefore, the provision of certified copies of drawing tests along with marks is in public interest.
This commission is of the view that authorization of admission is granted to successful candidates, based on their performance determined through the tests.
Students enrolled in public universities get access to subsidized education paid through the taxes of the citizens of Pakistan. As such, access to subsidized education through admissions in public universities is a privilege granted to successful candidates. Hence, citizens have the right to know about the performance of the successful candidates who enjoy the privilege of subsidised education in public universities. That is why Section 5 (1) (e) states that “particulars about the recipients of any concession, permit, license or authorization granted by the public body” should be made public by federal public bodies through their web sites.
The commission also observed that while all federal public bodies were legally bound to implement Section 5 of the Act within six months of the commencement of this Act, it is painfully obvious from the responses of the public bodies that work on proactive disclosure of information is progressing at a glacial pace. This clearly suggests that the public bodies have demonstrated paper-thin grasp of the significance of the transparent functioning of public institutions through proactive disclosure of information.