If I ask for Any document related to my employment can authority reply that we preserve docs of only 3 years?

Question

I have worked as Assistant Professor in one Engineering college. Under pune univeristy. I have asked to SPPU to provide me an appintment order which college used to submit to SPPU after teachers approval. SPPU pune has replied that my approval has happened in 2015 and they preserves the documents only for 3 years. Now they dont have it and they cant provide it. Can they reply in this way? Really there is limitation of no of years for preserving the docuemnts?

Answer 1

Under the RTI Act, 2005, a PIO is obliged to provide access to information to a citizen unless as stipulated by Section 7(1), furnishing of such information is covered by one of the exemptions provided under Section 8 or Section 9 of the RTI Act. The meaning of information under Section 2(f) of RTI Act clearly states that it includes any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e‑mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form.

Section 8(3) of the RTI Act states,

“Subject to the provisions of clauses (a), (c) and (i) of sub-section (1), any information relating to any occurrence, event or matter which has taken place, occurred or happened twenty years before the date on which any request is made under Section 6 shall be provided to any person making a request under that section.

So, you can ask information regarding your appointment details under RTI from the University.