It has been 65 years since we gained independence. But it was only seven years ago that we gained the right to information. The passage of the RTI Act in 2005 has resulted in many social changes. We have read about activists using the RTI.

But did you know that even you could file an RTI application?

That’s what nine-year-old Aishwarya Parashar did. This little girl from Lucknow has filed three RTIs with the Prime Minister’s Office.
Her efforts have resulted in the removal of a garbage dump near her school. Don’t you want to be a change-maker too?

File an RTI application in 5 simple steps:

1. Identify the department/subject of your query. Is it a state or a central subject? Keep in mind that different rules apply even though
they fall under the same Act.

2. Do a little background research. Find out what information falls under the purview of the department concerned.

3. Phrase your questions wisely and precisely. Ask for a copy of the documents. Fill up the RTI application form (application form given).

4. Attach court fee stamp or Indian Postal Order of worth Rs 10 with the application and keep a copy of it with you for future reference.

5. Post your application or hand it over personally to the ‘TAPAL” also called as Inward/Outward section of the respective department.

Find out more about RTI at http://rti.gov.in/