Top 20 RTI Questions You Can Ask Government (With Examples)

• Six categories — governance, finance, services, your own record, infrastructure, environment.
• All are copy-paste — reframe by inserting dates, place names, and file numbers.
• All specify a document — the core rule: ask for records, not opinions.
• 30-day reply — §7(1) of the RTI Act.
• Rs 10 fee — Central; Rs 20 most States; free for BPL.
• If refused — First Appeal within 30 days under §19(1).

To,
The Central/State Public Information Officer,
[Department / Ministry / Office],
[Full address].

Sir/Madam,

Subject: Request for information under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

Under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, I request the following information:

1. [One specific document, list, or fact, with exact date/year/subject].
2. [Second request, separate from the first].
3. [Third request].

I enclose an Indian Postal Order of Rs 10 payable to the Accounts Officer, [department], towards the application fee under Rule 3 of the RTI Fees Rules.

Kindly send the reply to the address below.

Yours faithfully,
[Full name]
[Address]
[Phone and email]
Date:

Now pick any of the 20 questions below and paste it as your numbered request.

Use this when your passport, PAN, ration card, caste certificate, scholarship, or pension application is stuck.

“A copy of the file noting, movement history, and the current status of my application no. [application number] dated [date] in the matter of [subject], including the name and designation of the officer currently in seisin of the file.”

Legally unlocked by the Supreme Court in CBSE and Anr. v. Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011).

“A certified copy of my evaluated answer sheet of [subject/paper code] in the examination held in [month, year], roll number [XXXX].”

“A copy of the order, the file noting, and the rule or circular under which pension, ration, or scholarship payment to the undersigned (PPO or card number [X]) was discontinued in [month, year].”

“A certified copy of the daily diary entry and the final order on my written complaint dated [date] at [police station], along with the present status of FIR no. [number, if issued].”

“A list of students of [college or scheme] who received the [scheme name] scholarship in the financial year [X], along with the date and amount credited. A copy of the sanction order and the utilisation certificate.”

“The current stage, file noting trail, and expected disposal date of my EPF transfer-in claim or pension commencement under PPO [X] dated [date].”

“A copy of the list of beneficiaries under [scheme name] in [panchayat or ward] for the financial year [X], along with the criteria used and the sanctioning authority.”

“A copy of the sanction order, utilisation certificate, and photograph-based inspection report for [specific work, e.g. boundary wall, streetlight installation] under MPLADS or MLALADS in [constituency or ward] during [financial year].”

“A copy of the tender document, contract award, estimated and actual expenditure, and completion certificate for [specific road, drain, park, or streetlight work] in [ward or locality] in the financial year [X].”

“A copy of the last three inspection reports of [government school or Primary Health Centre], along with the attendance register of teachers or doctors for the month of [month, year].”

“A list of starred and unstarred questions asked by [MP or MLA name, constituency] in [House] between [date range], along with the subject of each question and the minister to whom it was addressed.”

“The total expenditure incurred on domestic and foreign travel of [minister name] between [date range], along with dates, destinations, and the purpose of each visit.”

“A copy of the merit list, cut-off marks, and the selection committee's minutes for [post name] advertised under notification no. [X] dated [date].”

“A copy of the tender document, the list of bidders, the evaluation sheet, and the reasons for awarding the contract to [firm name] for [project name] under notification no. [X].”

“A list of beneficiaries of the [scheme name] subsidy or loan waiver in [district or block] for the financial year [X], with name, village, and amount credited.”

“A copy of the purchase order, technical specifications, rate contract, and the utilisation report for [equipment, e.g. laptops for municipal schools] bought in the financial year [X].”

“A copy of the latest office memorandum, standing order, or circular issued by [department] regarding [subject], including all amendments up to [date].”

“A copy of the transfer and posting policy of [cadre or service] in force during [financial year X], along with the list of exceptions granted and the reasons recorded.”

“A copy of the complete file noting, including inter-departmental communications, leading to the order no. [X] dated [date] in the matter of [subject].”

Refer to Girish Deshpande for what survives a Section 8(1)(j) privacy test after DPDP 2025.

The RTI Act reaches every public authority substantially financed or controlled by the government. Examples that many applicants do not try: Reserve Bank of India (on policy, regulation, and supervisory action), UGC-funded universities, IITs and IIMs, ONGC, IOC, SBI and other PSUs, Election Commission of India, Supreme Court and High Court registries (on administrative matters, not judicial proceedings), and regulators like SEBI, TRAI, IRDAI, CAG.

“A copy of [specific order, report, circular, or inspection note] issued by [public authority] in the matter of [subject] during [date range].”

See Thalappalam Co-op Bank (SC, 2013) for the “substantially financed” test.

1. Identify the right public authority. Federal subject (defence, passport, income tax, railway) goes to the Central PIO. State subject (police, land, revenue, school) goes to the State PIO. See Central vs State RTI.
2. Draft the application using the format above. One request per paragraph. Specific dates and subjects.
3. Pay the Rs 10 fee. Indian Postal Order (IPO), Demand Draft, or online for the Central Government at rtionline.gov.in. BPL applicants pay nothing.
4. Send by Speed Post (get a proof of delivery) or file online for central departments.
5. Wait up to 30 days (48 hours if a life or liberty issue is involved, per Section 7(1) proviso).
6. If the PIO refuses or delays, file a first appeal within 30 days using the first appeal format.
7. If the First Appellate Authority also refuses, file a second appeal before the Central or State Information Commission within 90 days using the second appeal format.

1. Asking “why” instead of “what”. Do not ask “Why was my file stalled?”. Ask “A copy of the current file noting on my application”. See the 6 top rejection reasons.
2. Asking for an opinion. “Do you think the road will be built?” is not a document. Ask for the sanction order and work-completion certificate.
3. Combining an RTI with a grievance. Keep action requests separate. See RTI vs Complaint.
4. Naming a third-party individual without cause. Section 8(1)(j) denials follow, especially post-DPDP 2025. Anchor the request in public activity, not the individual.
5. Filing the RTI with the wrong authority. The central Ministry of Education has no files on state-run schools. The state Education Department does.
6. Forgetting the Rs 10 IPO. A missing fee is a common rejection ground, though the PIO should notify you first under Rule 6.
7. Using an anonymous address. The applicant must be a citizen of India (see who is a citizen for RTI).

You can ask multiple questions, but each on a distinct subject with its own clear wording, in numbered paragraphs. A single application must concern one public authority. If your 20 questions span different ministries, file 20 separate RTIs (one fee each). If they all concern one department, file one RTI with 20 numbered requests.

The PIO must answer every request that falls within the public authority's records and is not exempt under Section 8 or Section 9. For each refused item, the PIO must cite the specific sub-clause and give reasons, per Section 7(8).

The receiving PIO must transfer the request to the correct PIO within 5 days under Section 6(3) and inform you. Do not refile on your own during this period.

Yes for supervisory records and regulatory actions. Note the Supreme Court's ruling in RBI v. Jayantilal N. Mistry (2016) on fiduciary relationship claims. Specific depositor files may be blocked under Section 8(1)(e) fiduciary or Section 8(1)(j) privacy.

The PIO must reply in 30 days under Section 7(1). For matters of life or liberty, the reply is due in 48 hours. For third-party information under Section 11, the timeline extends to 40 days to allow for notice and objections.

In practice, a citizen-driven RTI is routine and rarely attracts trouble. If there is retaliation, the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014 provides some cover, and a complaint under Section 18 to the Information Commission is available for the PIO's misconduct.

Pick any one of the 20 questions above. Paste it into the copy-paste format at the top. Post it by Speed Post with a Rs 10 IPO, or file online at rtionline.gov.in. You will have an answer in 30 days.

For state-specific filing, see our state RTI rules. If the reply is inadequate or late, use the first appeal format.

• File your first RTI: 12-step online guide.
• Pick the right wording: Why RTIs get rejected — avoid it.
• For a personal problem: Passport / pension / FIR / mutation / scholarship templates.
• If rejected: First Appeal §19(1) — 30-day window.
• See landmark rulings: 310+ RTI rulings database.

• The RTI Act, 2005 (as amended on 14 November 2025)
• RTI vs Complaint: When to Use RTI and When Not To
• File RTI Online in India: 12 Steps (2026)
• 6 Reasons Your RTI Gets Rejected (And Fixes)
• RTI Application Format 2026 (Copy-Paste)
• RTI First Appeal Format (30-Day Rule)
• RTI Second Appeal: CIC/SIC Format 2026
• 25 RTI Questions Answered (2026 Update)
• Central vs State RTI: Which Should You File?

• State RTI Portal Rankings 2026
• Fees by State

1. Right to Information Act, 2005, Sections 6, 7, 8, 11, 18, 19.
2. RTI Fees and Cost Rules, 2005.
3. Central Information Commission, Annual Report 2023-24.
4. CBSE and Anr. v. Aditya Bandopadhyay, (2011) 8 SCC 497.
5. Girish Ramchandra Deshpande v. CIC, (2013) 1 SCC 212.
6. Thalappalam Ser. Coop. Bank Ltd. v. State of Kerala, (2013) 16 SCC 82.
7. RBI v. Jayantilal N. Mistry, (2016) 3 SCC 525.
8. Government of India, RTI Online Portal.
9. Department of Personnel and Training, Guide on the RTI Act, 2005 (updated 2013).

Last reviewed on: 20 April 2026 Last reviewed: 24 April 2026.