Home›Blog›RTI Filing Guide

Sibin O, Founder

Verified June 20, 2026 · Researched from official government portals

RTI10 MIN READ📅 May 28, 2026

How to File RTI Online in India — Complete 2026 Guide

A few years ago, there was a stretch of road near my place in Bengaluru that had been dug up for some cable work and just... left. Months passed. I called the helpline, got nowhere. Someone in the neighbourhood WhatsApp group said to file an RTI. I was skeptical — I'd vaguely heard of RTI but assumed it was for lawyers or journalists or people with a lot of time. Turns out I was completely wrong.

I filed my first RTI online. Paid ₹10. Within 25 days, I had a detailed response — contractor names, fund disbursal records, the works. The road work restarted a month later. One application, ten rupees, and the government actually moved. I've been a believer ever since.

RTI — the Right to Information Act, 2005 — is genuinely one of the most powerful tools an Indian citizen has. It forces any government department to answer your specific questions within 30 days or face consequences. Most people have no idea how to use it. That's exactly why I put this together.

⚡ Quick Facts

Filing fee: ₹10 (central) — free for BPL cardholders
Response deadline: 30 days (48 hours for life/liberty matters)
3-tier system: PIO → First Appeal → CIC/SIC
Can be filed online at rtionline.gov.in for central departments
Penalty on PIO for wrongful denial: up to ₹25,000

Step-by-Step Process to File RTI

The process looks intimidating on paper but it genuinely is not. I've broken it into 7 steps — most people complete this in under 20 minutes the first time, faster after that.

Identify the Public Authority

Determine which government department holds the information you need. RTI can be filed with any 'public authority' — central or state government departments, PSUs, courts (admin wing), local bodies, and even some aided institutions.

Draft Your RTI Application

Write a clear, specific application in English or Hindi (or official state language). Address it to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the department. State your questions clearly — one subject per RTI is recommended.

Pay the Application Fee

Central RTI: ₹10 (by postal order, demand draft, or online). State RTIs have their own fee structures — most are ₹10-50. BPL cardholders are exempt from paying fees — attach a copy of your BPL ration card.

Submit Online or by Post

Online: use rtionline.gov.in for central departments. By post: send to the PIO of the concerned department. In person: submit at the department's RTI counter and get an acknowledgment.

Wait for Response

PIO must respond within 30 days (or 48 hours if the matter concerns life/liberty). Keep your application reference number safe.

File First Appeal if Ignored

If you get no reply within 30 days, or if you are unsatisfied with the response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) of the same department within 30 days of the reply (or non-reply).

File Second Appeal with CIC/SIC

If the First Appeal fails, escalate to the Central Information Commission (CIC) for central departments, or State Information Commission (SIC) for state departments. File within 90 days of the FAA decision.

Step 06 and 07 are where most people give up — and that is exactly where you should not. The appeal process exists because departments routinely ignore or deflect first applications. Persistence, not legal expertise, is what wins RTI battles.

Pro Tips for Filing a Strong RTI

These are not obvious. I learned most of them the hard way — either from my own vague early applications that got vague responses, or from talking to people who have filed hundreds of RTIs. The single biggest mistake people make is being too general.

🎯

Be specific

Ask for specific documents, dates, files, or data — not vague questions like 'What is your policy?'

📋

One subject per RTI

Avoid mixing topics. File separate RTIs for separate subjects for cleaner, faster responses.

🔢

Cite file numbers

If you know the relevant file/case number, mention it. Officers can locate information much faster.

⚖️

Don't ask for opinions

RTI is for information and documents — not for seeking opinions or asking 'why' questions directly.

📅

Track deadlines

Mark your calendar: 30 days for PIO reply, then 30 days to file First Appeal, then 90 days for CIC/SIC.

💡

BPL exemption

If you have a BPL ration card, attach a copy — you pay zero fees for RTI filing.

What Information Cannot Be Given Under RTI

Departments love to cite exemptions — sometimes legitimately, sometimes not. Know the actual list so you can push back if something is being wrongfully withheld. Even exempted information can be ordered disclosed if the public interest is strong enough.

Information affecting national security, sovereignty, or intelligence agencies
Cabinet papers and deliberative process documents
Information that would harm a third party's commercial interests
Personal information that has no connection to public activity
Information held in fiduciary capacity
Information that would impede law enforcement investigations

Note: Even for exempted categories, if public interest outweighs protected interest, information can be ordered to be disclosed by CIC/SIC.

Sample RTI Application Format

Keep it short, plain, and specific. No need for legal language. The format below is what I use — modify the questions section to suit your situation. I have seen 3-line RTIs get full responses and 2-page RTIs get ignored because the questions were too vague.

To,
The Public Information Officer,
[Name of Department],
[Address]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005

Respected Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Name], resident of [Your Address], wish to seek the following information under the RTI Act, 2005:

1. [Specific question — e.g., Please provide the status of my application number XYZ dated DD/MM/YYYY]
2. [Second question if any]

I am enclosing application fee of ₹10/- by [postal order/online payment].

Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
[Contact Number] | [Email]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions I actually get from people — not made-up ones. The one about job applications comes up constantly, especially from people who applied to government exams and want to verify their scores or the selection list.

Can I file an RTI about a private company?

Only if the private company is substantially financed by the government or is performing a public function. Pure private companies are not covered under the RTI Act.

Can I file RTI to find out about my pending government job application?

Yes. You can ask for details of the selection process, marks awarded, cut-off marks, and list of selected candidates. This is one of the most common uses of RTI.

What happens if a PIO refuses to give information?

File a First Appeal immediately. If that also fails, escalate to CIC/SIC. The Information Commission can order the PIO to provide information and impose a penalty of up to ₹25,000 on the PIO for wrongful refusal.

Can I file RTI anonymously?

No. The RTI Act requires you to provide your name and contact address. However, your application details are generally not disclosed to the public authority without your consent in certain sensitive cases.

Is there an RTI for private schools receiving government aid?

Yes. Schools substantially aided by the government fall under RTI. You can ask about fee structures, admissions criteria, teacher salaries, and utilisation of government grants.

A note from Sibin O, Founder — NagrikIQ

RTI is the closest thing we have to a citizen superpower in India. It is imperfect — you sometimes have to fight for information that should have been public anyway — but it works. I built NagrikIQ partly because I kept watching people around me give up on government processes out of sheer confusion, not because they lacked rights.

If you've been sitting on a grievance with a government department and feeling helpless — file an RTI. Ten rupees and a clear question can move mountains. If this helped you, share it with someone who needs it.

📋 Use Our RTI Assistant

Our free RTI Assistant helps you choose the right template, fill in the details, and generate a ready-to-send RTI application in minutes.

Generate RTI Application →