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—rti-mastery [2026/06/03 17:01] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
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 +{{htmlmetatags>metatag-keywords=(rti mastery,rti legal,rti act 2005 explained,rti process,rti first appeal,rti second appeal,cic rti,rti drafting,rti law india,rti mastery 2026)&metatag-description=(Pillar hub — master the Right to Information Act, 2005. From the Act's text to appeal strategy, from drafting etiquette to exemptions — the definitive reading map.)}}
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 +<WRAP center round tip 95%>
 +**Need help drafting this RTI?** Use our free **[[https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/rti-assistant-app.html|RTI Assistant]]** — describe your problem, get a ready-to-file Section 6(1) application with your name and address pre-filled. Also handles First Appeal and Second Appeal to the CIC/SIC.
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +====== Pillar 5 — RTI Mastery (Legal + Process) ======
 +
 +{{ :social:auto:pillar-mastery.png?direct&1200 |Pillar — RTI Mastery — RTI Wiki}}
 +
 +<WRAP info>
 +**In one line.** This is the long-form reading list for the citizen, the activist, the journalist, the researcher who wants to move from occasional filer to serious practitioner — the Act, the Rules, the exemptions, the drafting, the appeals, the case law.
 +
 +**What you'll find.**
 +  * The **Act** — full text with section-wise notes.
 +  * The **process** — filing, replying, appealing.
 +  * The **exemptions** — Section 8, Section 9, Section 24.
 +  * The **Commissions** — CIC, SICs, their orders.
 +  * The **etiquette** — responsible use, drafting discipline.
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +<div didyouknow>
 +**Did you know?** The RTI Act is a compact law — only 31 sections. The first 6 set up rights; the next 15 set up procedures; the last 10 set up the Commissions. Mastering 31 sections takes a weekend; applying them takes a lifetime.
 +</div>
 +
 +===== Start here =====
 +
 +  * [[:rti-for-beginners|RTI for beginners — everything before your first application]].
 +  * [[:file-rti-online-india|File RTI online — 12-step walk-through]].
 +
 +===== Read the Act =====
 +
 +  * [[:act|The Act — full text]].
 +  * [[:act:summary|Summary and notes]].
 +  * [[:act:section-1|§1 — Short title]].
 +  * [[:act:section-2|§2 — Definitions]] — "information", "public authority", "record".
 +  * [[:act:section-4|§4 — Obligations of public authorities]] — proactive disclosure.
 +  * [[:act:section-6|§6 — Request for information]].
 +  * [[:act:section-7|§7 — Disposal of request]] — the 30-day rule.
 +  * [[:act:section-8|§8 — Exemptions from disclosure]].
 +  * [[:act:section-11|§11 — Third-party information]].
 +  * [[:act:section-19|§19 — Appeals]].
 +  * [[:act:section-20|§20 — Penalties]].
 +
 +All 31 sections are linked on [[:act|the Act page]].
 +
 +===== Rules =====
 +
 +  * [[:rules:start|RTI Rules, central and state]].
 +  * [[:rti-fees-by-state|RTI fees by state]].
 +  * [[:state-rti-portals-directory|State RTI portals directory]].
 +
 +===== Process and drafting =====
 +
 +  * [[:guide:applicant|For applicants — drafting primer]].
 +  * [[:templates:start|Templates library]].
 +  * [[:guide:applicant:application:sample:start|Sample applications]].
 +  * [[:ai-to-draft-your-rti|AI to draft your RTI]].
 +  * [[:rti-query-builder|RTI query builder]].
 +
 +===== Appeals =====
 +
 +  * [[:guide:applicant:first-appeal|First Appeal under Section 19(1)]].
 +  * [[:guide:applicant:second-appeal|Second Appeal before the Information Commission]].
 +  * [[:guide:applicant:second-appeal:cic|Central Information Commission]].
 +  * [[:tracking-your-appeal-via-ai|Track your appeal via AI]].
 +
 +===== Exemptions and limits =====
 +
 +  * [[:explanations:grounds-for-rejection|Grounds of rejection under Section 8]].
 +  * [[:explanations:grounds-for-rejection|Section 8(1)(j) — personal info]].
 +  * [[:blog:dpdp-rules-2025-amendment-to-rti-act|DPDP Rules, 2025 — Section 8(1)(j) amendment]].
 +  * [[:blog:pio-reply-section-8-1-j-after-dpdp-2025|PIO reply guide — post DPDP 2025]].
 +
 +===== PIO-side =====
 +
 +  * [[:guide:guidelines-for-public-information-officer|Guidelines for PIOs]].
 +  * [[:guide:guidelines-for-first-appellate-authority|Guidelines for FAAs]].
 +  * [[:guide:guidelines-for-public-authority|Guidelines for public authorities]].
 +
 +===== Case law =====
 +
 +  * [[:important-decisions:start|Case law library]].
 +  * [[:important-decisions:court|High Court decisions]].
 +  * [[:important-decisions:cic-case-laws|CIC orders]].
 +  * [[:landmark-rulings-2021-2026|Landmark rulings 2021–2026]].
 +  * [[:important-decisions:cbse-and-anr-vs-aditya-bandopadhyay|CBSE v. Aditya Bandopadhyay]].
 +  * [[:important-decisions:court:girish-ramchandra-deshpande|Girish Deshpande v. CIC]].
 +  * [[:important-decisions:k-s-puttaswamy-vs-union-of-india|K.S. Puttaswamy v. UoI — privacy]].
 +  * [[:important-decisions:electoral-bonds-adr-2024|Electoral Bonds, ADR 2024]].
 +
 +===== Etiquette =====
 +
 +  * [[:rti-responsible-use|Responsible use of RTI]].
 +  * [[:rti-vs-grievance-portals|RTI vs grievance portals]].
 +  * [[:rti-vs-complaint|RTI vs complaint — which to file]].
 +
 +===== Editorial and developments =====
 +
 +  * [[:blog:start|Blog]].
 +  * [[:updates:start|Live tracker]].
 +  * [[:blog:rti-act-decade-of-change-2015-2025|Decade of change, 2015–2025]].
 +
 +===== A learning path — six weekends =====
 +
 +  - **W1** — Read the Act. [[:act|Full text]].
 +  - **W2** — File one practice RTI on a known personal file (your own PF, passport). Observe the reply.
 +  - **W3** — Study Section 8 and exemptions. [[:explanations:grounds-for-rejection|Grounds of rejection]].
 +  - **W4** — Read 10 CIC orders. [[:important-decisions:cic-case-laws|CIC orders]].
 +  - **W5** — Draft two First Appeals — one on an evasive reply, one on non-reply.
 +  - **W6** — Pick a community issue. File a community RTI. See it through to completion.
 +
 +After six weekends, you will be a competent RTI practitioner.
 +
 +===== How this pillar fits =====
 +
 +  * **Daily-life problems** → [[:rti-for-daily-life|Pillar 1]].
 +  * **Community issues** → [[:rti-for-community|Pillar 2]].
 +  * **Students / scholarships** → [[:rti-for-students-and-youth|Pillar 3]].
 +  * **Schemes / money** → [[:rti-for-money-and-schemes|Pillar 4]].
 +
 +//Last reviewed on: 21 April 2026 — RTI Wiki editorial team.//.
 +//Last reviewed: 24 April 2026.//
 +
 +===== 🔗 Related guides =====
 +  * [[:rti-act-2005-complete-guide|The complete RTI Act 2005 guide — citizen + officer reference (2026)]]
 +  * [[:act|RTI Act, 2005 (Amended 14 Nov 2025): Full Text]]
 +  * [[:citizen-rti-playbook|Citizen RTI playbook — file, escalate, win (2026)]]
 +  * [[:city-rti-master-guide|City-by-city RTI guide — 50 cities, every municipal service (2026)]]
 +  * [[:file-rti-online-india|File RTI Online — 12 steps + free tools]]
 +
 +{{tag>rti act law pillar mastery}}