Module 01 — Campaign-scale RTI design

Single RTI = one data point. Multi-RTI campaigns = pattern. To prove systemic problems (not isolated incidents), you need: same questions, same period, scaled across geographies / departments / years.

Examples:

1. 'PMAY housing allotment irregularities' — needs 50+ district RTIs
2. 'Mid-day meal scheme leakage' — needs 100+ school + 30+ DEO RTIs
3. 'CAG audit follow-up' — needs ministry + state-cell RTIs

Design every campaign on 4 axes:

1. Geographic axis: districts/states (X RTIs)
2. Time axis: years (FY 2020-21 to 2025-26 = 6 years)
3. Department axis: cross-cutting (revenue + welfare + audit)
4. Question axis: identical sub-questions across all RTIs (so responses can be tabulated)

A tight 4-axis grid produces a publication-ready dataset on receipt.

For tabulation to work, every RTI must have literally identical sub-questions:

1. (a) Number of beneficiaries enrolled in [scheme] in FY [year], your district.
2. (b) Number of beneficiaries who received the FIRST instalment.
3. © Number who received the SECOND.
4. (d) Total funds disbursed (₹ lakh).
5. (e) Number of complaints received about non-disbursal.
6. (f) Number of complaints resolved.

If any RTI varies the question, that data point drops out of the analysis.

For a 100+ RTI campaign:

1. Use a central spreadsheet with columns: state, district, PIO, ref no., filing date, response status, response excerpt.
2. Recruit state coordinators to file from local addresses (some states require local addresses).
3. Pre-stamp + pre-address envelopes at one central location, then ship to volunteers.
4. Consolidated First Appeal pack ready when ~30% of RTIs return refusals.

Once 60-70% of RTIs return:

1. Compare similar districts for variance — large variance = local irregularity worth investigating.
2. Compare year-on-year within a district — sudden change = signal.
3. Compute disclosure rate by state/department — low disclosure rate = system opacity (a story in itself).
4. Identify outliers: 1-2 PIOs who give exemplary responses (use as 'compliance benchmark' in your report).

Quiz available from your course dashboard.

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Last reviewed: 24 April 2026.