For GenX, it is important to know

Youngsters have decided they want to improve the system, and their tool of choice is RTI
When you call them you hear songs like Hotel California and We will rock you playing on their cell phones. They indulge in luxuries, experience their bouts of ups and downs and like nothing better than hanging out. But nowadays, you will find them in NGO offices, learning how to file RTI applications. Yes, we are talking of the awakened generation that believes in “changing the lives of some people at least”.
History (H) student at St Stephens, Vanya Vaidehi Bhargava, is joining an NGO, Josh, to understand how the RTI Act can benefit students. “I feel pathetic when I come across the ‘I don’t care’ attitude of people. I’ll do my bit by learning how to file RTI applications. I don’t want to become a politician but this will help me find my voice. I will start after my exams.” Following her example is Hansraj College’s student, Akhil Jain, who says, “As a collective effort, we have filed more than 400 RTI applications in the Delhi University demanding that our answer sheets be shown to us post correction. Aruna Roy and Arvind Kejriwal have turned around the system and given results. They inspire me. I am also planning to file an RTI application in connection with Nithari killings.”
People often question this lot about whether they care about their social responsibility. Devahuti Choudhury from DU answers, “I don’t think I’ll enjoy anything under
the sun unless I know that I am a part of a clean and strong system. If I have to make that system for me, I will – by giving it some time. And RTI is just the tool. I associate a lot of optimism with youngsters of my age, as I know that we are not being cynical, we’re just trying to smoothen the rough edges.”
This motto is shared by all of them: “A system’s importance will be over if you don’t question it”. Student Kanika Tripathi says, “If I pay a fee for the maintenance of the garden, I need to know how many trees were planted. If a new gate was installed at my college, I want to know the cost incurred, because it’s important to know.” They know that they represent hardly 10 per cent of their generation but don’t get discouraged. Devahuti says, “Ten per cent is not bad for a start. I know when word goes around that filing an RTI is better than standing, staring and lamenting about things to happen, they’ll hop on to the bandwagon.”
JAYA DRONA, TOI, Jan 19, 2007, Delhi Times, Pg 39