📢 RTI Tricks to Access Restricted Public Data

RTI — Right to Information — is a powerful legal tool in India. But most people either don’t use it, or don’t realize just how much can be accessed legally, including what seems “impossible.”

A well-drafted RTI can get you access to: ✅ Internal government memos
✅ File movement status
✅ Marking history of competitive exams
✅ Land ownership details
✅ Pending recruitment reasons
✅ Scholarship delays
…and even CCTV footage in many cases!

⚖️ What is RTI (Quick Recap)
The RTI Act 2005 allows any Indian citizen to request information from a government department, which is legally bound to reply within 30 days.

📍 RTI works for:

Central & State departments

PSUs (banks, railways, post offices)

Municipalities, panchayats, police, hospitals

Education boards, universities

🚨 Top 7 RTI Hacks Most People Don’t Know:
1️⃣ Ask for File Notings
You can ask:

“Kindly provide the file notings and decision flow for application #XYZ”

→ This reveals who delayed your case and what internal notes were written.

2️⃣ Get Answer Sheets & Marks Breakdown
CBSE, SSC, UPSC, and State PSCs must provide your:

OMR Sheet

Model Answer Key

Marks allocation
✅ Useful to expose incorrect evaluation or technical errors.

3️⃣ Know the Status of Your Complaint or Application
RTI format:

“Provide action taken report and current status of complaint number ______.”

→ Government departments respond faster when RTI is filed.

4️⃣ Ask for Recruitment File Status
You can file:

“Provide reason for delay and current movement status of recruitment file for post ______.”

→ Helps expose delays, backdoor appointments, and favoritism.

5️⃣ Access Land/Plot Ownership Records
Many people use RTI to get:

Mutation file delays

Plot verification status

Government acquisition files

📌 Works in DDA, Housing Boards, Revenue Departments

6️⃣ RTI for CCTV Footage
If it’s on government premises and data is available:

“Provide CCTV footage of incident on ___ at ___ location maintained by ___ department.”

⚠️ Note: Must mention public interest and be within retention period (usually 7–30 days).

7️⃣ Expose Delays in Scholarship Disbursal
Ask:

“Provide reason for non-payment of scholarship ID ___ and name of responsible officer.”

This scares lazy departments and gets your funds moving.

✍️ How to File RTI Online (Central)
Visit: https://rtionline.gov.in
Fee: ₹10 (Online via UPI/Netbanking)
Language: English or Hindi
✅ Reply comes via email + post

For State RTIs, use respective portals or file via speed post.

💬 Real Example:
“I filed RTI asking ‘why recruitment exam results were delayed’. Within 15 days, I got a reply + result released in 2 weeks.”
— Rohit, Bhopal

🔐 Final Tip:
Always end RTI with:

“If information is denied, please provide reason under Section 8 with justification.”

📌 Bookmark this post — RTI isn’t just legal power, it’s bureaucratic accountability at your fingertips.