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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(RTI fee rationalisation, RTI fee Rs 50, DoPT fee revision, RTI fee debate, citizen RTI fee)
+metatag-description=(DoPT proposed Rs 50 fee in 2024; deferred after backlash. The debate, the data, and what citizens should expect in 2026.)}}
+====== RTI fee rationalisation — the 2024-25 debate, and what 2026 looks like ======
+{{:social:auto:rti-fee-rationalisation-debate-2026.png?direct&1200 |RTI fee rationalisation — the 2024-25 debate, and what 2026 looks like — RTI Wiki}}
+Currently: **Rs. 10 application fee + Rs. 2/page**. DoPT's 2024 OM proposed **Rs. 50 + Rs. 20/page**, citing inflation and processing costs.
+===== Why DoPT proposed it =====
+  * Rs. 10 unchanged since 2005 (~5x inflation).
+  * "Vexatious applicants" filing 50+ RTIs per month.
+  * Processing-cost study placed average per-application cost at ~Rs. 380.
+===== Why activists pushed back =====
+  * **Fee is a barrier to access** — particularly rural, low-income.
+  * **Vexatious-applicant data thin** — most applicants file 1-2 RTIs lifetime.
+  * **§7(5) BPL exemption** doesn't cover lower-middle-class.
+  * **Article 19(1)(a)** chilling-effect concern.
+===== Where 2026 stands =====
+  * **Central rule** — Rs. 10 + Rs. 2/page **stands** (DoPT deferred indefinitely).
+  * **State rules vary** — UP Rs. 10; Maharashtra Rs. 25; Delhi Rs. 10.
+  * **HC orders** in 2025 reaffirmed reasonableness as standard.
+===== Practical takeaways =====
+  - Always file via **RTI Online Portal** (Rs. 10 secure payment).
+  - For BPL, attach **certificate copy** and invoke §7(5).
+  - For state portal fees > Rs. 50, challenge under **Article 19(1)(a) reasonableness**.
+===== Sources =====
+  - DoPT OM 1/2/2024-IR.
+  - Anjali Bhardwaj v. UoI (2019) on RTI accessibility.
+//Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.//
+{{tag>blog rti-fee fee-revision dopt-circular section-7-5 access-barrier}}
+===== Why this matters for citizens =====
+This blog post is part of RTI Wiki's editorial coverage of India's information-rights ecosystem under the **Right to Information Act, 2005**. We track court rulings, policy changes, RTI activist work, and citizen success stories monthly. Subscribe to the [[:newsletter-archive|monthly newsletter]] for a curated digest.
+===== Citizen action steps =====
+  - **File a free RTI** on a related issue using the [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/ai-rti-draft-app.html|AI RTI Drafter]].
+  - **Track deadlines** with the [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/timeline-calculator-app.html|Timeline Tracker]] (Day 30 + Day 60 alerts).
+  - **If your reply is evasive**, paste it into the [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/pio-reply-checker-app.html|PIO Reply Checker]].
+  - **For voice input** in 11 Indian languages, use [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/awaaz-rti.html|AwaazRTI]].
+===== Citations and sources =====
+  * **Right to Information Act, 2005** — [[:act|full text]]
+  * **CPIO Supreme Court v. Subhash Chandra Agarwal** (2020) 5 SCC 481 — Constitution Bench
+  * **Anjali Bhardwaj v. UoI** (2019) 9 SCC 199 — IC accountability
+  * **DPDP Act 2023** + DPDP Rules 2025 (in force 14 Nov 2025)
+===== Related on RTI Wiki =====
+  * [[:cases|Case-law database (300+)]]
+  * [[:important-decisions|Master directory of landmark RTI rulings]]
+  * [[:rules|State RTI rules]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/|Free RTI tools]]
+  * [[:act|RTI Act, 2005]]