RTI Filing Online 2026 — Step-by-Step Guide, Fees, First Appeal
RTI 2026: How to file an RTI application online (₹10) at rtionline.gov.in, draft the question, get reply within 30 days, and file the first appeal. Sample format and rejection fixes.
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Quick summary. The Right to Information Act, 2005 lets any Indian citizen ask for information from any public authority. File online at rtionline.gov.in — ₹10 fee, no documents needed, no reason required. Reply window — 30 days (48 hours if it concerns life or liberty). If unsatisfied, file the First Appeal within 30 days (free), and if still unsatisfied, the Second Appeal at the Central / State Information Commission within 90 days. As of FY 2025–26, 17 lakh online RTIs have been filed in the year; the average reply time is 27 days.
The RTI Act is one of India’s most powerful citizen tools. It binds every public authority — Ministries, departments, PSUs, government-funded NGOs, even private bodies that take government grants — to disclose information unless explicitly exempt under Section 8. The user-side process has been radically simplified since 2013 when the central RTI portal launched online filing for over 2,200 central public authorities; many states have similar portals.
The trick to a good RTI is specificity. A vague question gets a vague reply — usually with the line “the information sought is not available in the format requested”. A precise, fact-based question with file numbers / dates / scheme names gets a precise reply. This article shows you how.
At a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Act | Right to Information Act, 2005 |
| Fee — online central RTI | ₹10 |
| Fee — paper RTI | ₹10 (cash / IPO / DD / court fee stamp) |
| Fee — BPL applicants | Free (PoP required) |
| Reply timeline — normal | 30 days |
| Reply timeline — life/liberty | 48 hours |
| First appeal — within | 30 days of reply / non-reply |
| Second appeal — within | 90 days of first-appeal reply / non-reply |
| Online portals | rtionline.gov.in (central) + state RTI portals |
Who can file an RTI?
Educational Qualification
Not applicable
Age Limit (As on Date of filing)
0 to 120 Years
Other Requirements
- Nationality: Indian citizen (only)
- Companies, partnerships, NGOs cannot file RTI in their own name — only individual citizens can
- Members of NGOs / corporations may file in their personal capacity citing their interest
- BPL applicants are exempt from the ₹10 fee; attach BPL ration-card copy
- OCI / PIO holders cannot file RTI under the central Act (they are not Indian citizens)
- RTI cannot ask for opinions, suggestions, or future-event information — only existing records that are 'held by' or 'under the control of' the public authority
What can you ask?
| You CAN ask | You CANNOT ask |
|---|---|
| Copies of files, orders, decisions taken | Personal information about other private individuals (Section 8(1)(j)) |
| Inspection of records | Information that endangers life or physical safety (Section 8(1)(g)) |
| Status of pending applications | Cabinet papers, deliberations of Council of Ministers (Section 8(1)(i)) |
| Reasons for any administrative decision | Foreign government / sovereign / strategic information (Section 8(1)(a)) |
| Audit / inspection / inquiry reports | Trade secrets / commercial confidence (Section 8(1)(d)) |
| List of beneficiaries under any scheme | Speculative or hypothetical questions (“What would happen if…”) |
| Tendering / contract / award information | Opinion / suggestion / advice that doesn’t exist on record |
Section 8 exemptions are limited and most can be overridden if “the public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interest” (Section 8(2)). The PIO bears the onus of proving the exemption applies.
How to file an RTI online (central)
Step 1 — Draft the question
Open a fresh document and write:
Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005
To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
[Public Authority — e.g., Ministry of Rural Development, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi]
Sir / Madam,
Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, kindly furnish the following information:
1. [Specific question — with file number / dates / scheme name where possible]
2. [Specific question]
3. [Specific question]
I have paid the requisite fee of ₹10 vide [transaction reference] as required.
Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
[Your address — needed for postal reply]Keep questions to 5–7 specific points in one application — the PIO can transfer / reject if too broad.
Step 2 — File on the portal
- Open rtionline.gov.in → Submit Request.
- Click Submit Request → I have read the guidelines.
- Pick the Public Authority from the dropdown (e.g., “Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare”).
- Fill personal details (name, mobile, email, address). Indian-citizen declaration.
- Paste your RTI text (3,000-character limit) OR upload a PDF.
- Pay ₹10 via UPI / net-banking / debit card.
- Receive an acknowledgement with Registration Number by email + SMS.
Step 3 — Wait for reply
The PIO must reply within 30 days of receipt. Replies arrive by email + speed post (whichever address you gave). The reply may be:
- Information furnished — point-by-point answer
- Information transferred to another public authority (within 5 days, with intimation to you)
- Partial reply with exemption claimed under specific Section 8 sub-clauses
- Refusal with reasons cited
Step 4 — First appeal (if needed)
If you receive no reply in 30 days, or are unsatisfied with the reply:
- Open rtionline.gov.in → Submit First Appeal with the original Registration Number.
- State the grounds for appeal (no reply / partial reply / wrong exemption claimed).
- First Appellate Authority (FAA) must reply within 30 days (extendable to 45 days). No fee.
Step 5 — Second appeal (CIC / SIC)
Within 90 days of the first-appeal decision (or non-reply), file the Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) for central authorities or your State Information Commission for state authorities. The CIC has the power to direct disclosure, impose penalties on the PIO, and award compensation.
⏰ Last Date: Open (no deadline)
File RTI onlineClicking this button will take you to the official government portal.
Sample RTI questions that work
| Topic | Example RTI question |
|---|---|
| Pending pension | ”Provide certified copy of file noting on Sanction No. SAN/2024/123 dated 15.05.2024 in respect of my IGNOAPS application bearing reference [XYZ]; reasons for delay beyond 75 days; expected date of first credit.” |
| Scheme beneficiary list | ”Provide a copy of the list of beneficiaries enrolled under PM Kisan in Gram Panchayat [name], District [name], for Q4 FY 2025–26, with name, Aadhaar last-4-digits, sanctioned amount and credit date.” |
| Tender award | ”Provide the bid documents, technical and financial evaluations, and award notification for Tender No. [XYZ] published on [date] by [Department].” |
| Complaint status | ”Provide action-taken note on grievance ID [PG/D/2025/01234] filed on [date] including officer-in-charge name, current stage, and expected resolution date.” |
Common rejection reasons & how to avoid them
| Rejection ground | How to avoid |
|---|---|
| Question too vague (“provide details about scheme X”) | Be specific — file number, dates, scheme name, your reference number |
| Asks for opinion / advice | Reframe as “provide the file noting / order / circular dated…” |
| Personal information of third parties | Limit your question to your own case or aggregated data |
| Information not “held” by the public authority | First check the right authority — RTI Online lets you see ministries’ subordinate offices |
| Disproportionate diversion of resources | Limit to 5–7 specific questions; pay extra fee for voluminous photocopying (₹2 per page beyond 50 pages) |
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the RTI fee in 2026?
2. How long does the PIO have to reply?
3. Can I file an RTI in any language?
4. What if the PIO doesn't reply in 30 days?
5. Can I ask my own information that I have lost?
6. Can RTI be used to ask about a private company?
7. What is a Section 8 exemption?
8. Is there a CIC for state RTIs?
Latest updates
In April 2026, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) launched RTI Online 2.0 with a redesigned interface, mobile-friendly layout, and DigiLocker integration for BPL fee waiver. The CIC backlog stood at 22,800 cases as of March 2026 — the average wait for a second-appeal hearing is now around 8–10 months, down from 14 months in 2023. The 2026 budget retained the ₹250-per-day penalty on PIOs for delayed replies.
Official links
Disclaimer. SarkariBaba is an independent information publisher. RTI fees, timelines and online-portal interfaces are subject to DoPT notifications — verify on rtionline.gov.in before relying on this article.
