Updated on 01.09.2023

Click here to find FAQs about NIOT
Click here to find FAQs about getting information under RTI Act

FAQs about NIOT
1. When was NIOT established?
NIOT was established in November 1993 as an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth
Sciences, Government of India.
2. What is major aim of NIOT?
Major aim of starting NIOT under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is to develop reliable indigenous
technologies to solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting of non-living andliving resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is about two-thirds of the landarea of India. Please visit About Us section for more information about NIOT, mission statement andkey objectives.
3. Which are major technological areas of NIOT?
NIOT works on development of various niche technologies related to ocean. Information about this canbe found on main website https://www.niot.res.in/index.php.

4. What are the qualifications required for Technical / Administrative Posts?
Qualifications required for Technical /https://www.niot.res.in/niot_administration.php

Administrative

Posts

are

available

at

5. Where one can find information on projects?
Information on projects of the institute are available at https://www.niot.res.in/index.php underTechnology tab.
6. How will I know list of regular staff of NIOT?
Details of regular staff available at https://www.niot.res.in/niot_staffs.php
7. Where can I find details on internship?
The functions of the Human Resource Development department includes imparting expertiseand knowledge to NIOT staff in diversified disciplines, providing internal and external training
programmes for professional development and extra mural lectures. The department
also provides training to students in the field of ocean technology and, co-ordinates students
project work.
8. How much is the duration of the internship program at NIOT?
The duration of various internship programs offered by NIOT is given below.
a) In-plant training for a period maximum duration of 15 daysb) Internship training for a period maximum duration of 2 monthsc) Project for a duration ranging from 3 months to 1 year
9. What is the eligibility criteria such as minimum academic requirements or specificskills/experience etc.?
The eligibility shall be based on academic performance and the student‟s interests towards
NIOT activities. The prospective students are selected from the HRD student portal by the
Scientist-In-Charge-HRD and Group Heads.
10. Does NIOT offer stipend or compensation to student interns?
NIOT does not offer stipend to students.
Page 2 of 17

11. Is there any possibility of getting a full-time job offer after the internship is completed?
Such possibilities are not offered at NIOT.
12. Whom do I contact if I want to further information about student internship/project or if I want
to apply for internship/project?

Name of the staff

Email id

Extn.noHRD Secretariat

hrd@niot.res.in

3572

Dr. N. Vedachalam, Scientist G

veda@niot.res.in /3381

Mr. M. Palaniappan, Scientist Fpalani.niot@gov.in

3476

13. Where can I find details of information officers for RTI matters?
Contact details of CPIO and FAA are available at RTI page.
https://www.niot.res.in/niot_rti_contacts.php

Page 3 of 17

Frequently Asked Questions under Right To Information Act 2005
1. General
Questionsrelated
to
RTI
and
RTI
Act
https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/FAQ_RTI_2012%20%281%29.pdf)(Source:

What is Information?
Information is any material in any form. It includes records, documents, memos, e- mails,
opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers,
samples, models, data material held in any electronic form. It also includes information
relating to any private body which can be accessed by the public authority under any law for
the time being in force.
What is a Public Authority?
A "public authority" is any authority or body or institution of self government established orconstituted by or under the Constitution; or by any other law made by the Parliament or a
State Legislature; or by notification issued or order made by the Central Government or a
State Government. The bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Central
Government or a State Government and non- Government organisations substantiallyfinanced by the Central Government or a State Government also fall within the definition of
public authority. The financing of the body or the NGO by the Government may be direct orindirect.
What is a Public Information Officer?
Public authorities have designated some of its officers as Public Information Officer. They
are responsible to give information to a person who seeks information under the RTI Act.
What is an Assistant Public Information Officer?
These are the officers at sub-divisional level to whom a person can give his RTI application
or appeal. These officers send the application or appeal to the Public Information Officer ofthe public authority or the concerned appellate authority. An Assistant Public Information
Officer is not responsible to supply the information.
The Assistant Public Information Officers appointed by the Department of Posts in various
post offices are working as Assistant Public Information Officers for all the public authorities
under the Government of India.
What is the Fee for seeking information from Central Government Public Authorities?
A person who desires to seek some information from a Central Government Public Authority
is required to send, along with the application, a demand draft or a banker‟s cheque or an
Indian Postal Order of Rs.10/- (Rupees ten), payable to the Accounts Officer of the publicauthority as fee prescribed for seeking information. The payment of fee can also be made by
way of cash to the Accounts Officer of the public authority or to the Assistant PublicInformation Officer against proper receipt. However, the RTI Fee and the mode of payment
may vary as under Section

Page 4 of 17

27 and Section 28, of the RTI Act, 2005 the appropriate Government and thecompetent authority, respectively, by notification in the Official Gazette, makerules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
What is the Fee for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) applicant for seekinginformation?
If the applicant belongs to below poverty line (BPL) category, he/she is not required to pay
any fee. However, he/she should submit a proof in support of his/her claim to belong to the
below poverty line.
Is there any specific Format of Application?
There is no prescribed format of application for seeking information. The application can bemade on plain paper. The application should, however, have the name and complete postal
address of the applicant.
Is it required to give any reason for seeking information?
The information seeker is not required to give reasons for seeking information.
What is the method of seeking information?
A citizen who desires to obtain any information under the Act, should make an application to
the Public Information Officer of the concerned public authority in writing in English or
Hindi or in the official language of the area in which the application is made. The application
should be precise and specific. He should make payment of application fee at the time ofsubmitting the application as prescribed in the Fee Rules.
The information seeker can also submit the application online through the RTI portal athttps://rtionline.gov.in/. The applicant can use the Submit Request form provided in the RTI
portal.
Is there any provision or exemption from Disclosure of Information?
Sub-section (1) of section 8 and section 9 of the Act enumerate the types of information
which is exempt from disclosure. Sub-section (2) of section 8, however, provides that
information exempted under sub-section (1) or exempted under the Official Secrets Act, 1923
can be disclosed if public interest in disclosure overweighs the harm to the protected interest.
Is there any assistance available to the applicant for filling RTI application?
If a person is unable to make a request in writing, he may seek the help of the PublicInformation Officer to write his application and the Public Information Officer should render
him reasonable assistance. Where a decision is taken to give access to a sensorily disabled
person to any document, the Public Information Officer, shall provide such assistance to theperson as may be appropriate for inspection.
What is the time period of supply of information?

Page 5 of 17

In normal course, information to an applicant shall be supplied within 30 days from thereceipt of application by the public authority. If information sought concerns the life or liberty
of a person, it shall be supplied within 48 hours. In case the application is sent through theAssistant Public Information Officer or it is sent to a wrong public authority, five days shallbe added to the period of thirty days or 48 hours, as the case may be.
Is there any provision of appeal under the RTI Act?
If an applicant is not supplied information within the prescribed time of thirty days or 48
hours, as the case may be, or is not satisfied with the information furnished to him, he may
prefer an appeal to the first appellate authority who is an officer senior in rank to the PublicInformation Officer. Such an appeal, should be filed within a period of thirty days from thedate on which the limit of 30 days of supply of information is expired or from the date on
which the information or decision of the Public Information Officer is received. The
appellate authority of the public authority shall dispose of the appeal within a period of thirtydays or in exceptional cases within 45 days of the receipt of the appeal.
Is there any scope for second appeal under the RTI Act?
If the first appellate authority fails to pass an order on the appeal within the prescribed period
or if the appellant is not satisfied with the order of the first appellate authority, he may prefera second appeal with the Central Information Commission within ninety days from the dateon which the decision should have been made by the first appellate authority or was actually
received by the appellant.
Whether complaints can be made under this Act? If yes, under what conditions?
If any person is unable to submit a request to a Public Information Officer either by reason
that such an officer has not been appointed by the concerned public authority; or theAssistant Public Information Officer has refused to accept his or her application or appeal forforwarding the same to the Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the casemay be; or he has been refused access to any information requested by him under the RTI
Act; or he has not been given a response to a request for information within the time limit
specified in the Act; or he has been required to pay an amount of fee which he considers
unreasonable; or he believes that he has been given incomplete, misleading or false
information, he can make a complaint to the Information Commission.
What is Third party information?
Third party in relation to the Act means a person other than the citizen who has made request
for information. The definition of third party includes a public authority other than the publicauthority to whom the request has been made.
Is there any organization(s) exempt from providing Information under RTI Act?

Page 6 of 17

Yes, Certain intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, areexempted from providing information excepting the information pertaining ot the allegationsof corruption and human rights violations.
2. Questions related to RTI Portal (Source: https://www.rtionline.gov.in/faq.php)
To which Public Authority can I file a request through RTI Portal(https://www.rtionline.gov.in)?
An applicant who desires to obtain information under the RTI Act, 2005 can make a request
through this RTI Online Portal to the Central Ministries/Departments and other Central
Public Authorities mentioned in ONLINE RTI request form.
How do I write my application for seeking the information as per RTI Act 2005?
The text of the application may be written in the prescribed column of the RTI request form.
At present, the text of the application is confined up to 3000 characters only.
In case, the text of an application contains more than 3000 characters, it can be uploaded as a
PDF attachment in the "Supporting Document" column of the form.
How do I make the payment for RTI applications?
After filling the first page of the RTI request form, a non-BPL applicant has to click on "Make
Payment" button for payment of the prescribed RTI fee.
The applicant can pay the prescribed RTI fee through the following modes:(i) Internet banking through SBI payment gateway and its associated banks.
(ii) Using ATM-cum-Debit card of State Bank of India.
(iii) Credit/Debit card of Master/Visa.
It may be noted that no RTI fee is required to be paid by a citizen who is below poverty line,
as per RTI Rules, 2012. However, the BPL applicant must attach a copy of the certificate
issued by the appropriate government in this regard, along with the application.
Do I get any receipt for online filling of RTI applications?
On submission of an application, a unique registration number will be issued, which may bereferred by the applicant for any future reference.
It may be noted that the application filed through this RTI Online Portal will reachelectronically to the "Nodal Officer" of the said Ministry/Department and "Not" to the CPIOof the concerned Ministry/Department.
The Nodal Officer will transmit the RTI application electronically to the concernedCPIO.

Page 7 of 17

What will happen to my application if I select a Wrong Public Authority in the RTI
request form?
In case the RTI application is not meant for the public authority which has been selected by
the applicant, the "Nodal Officer" of the said public authority would transfer the applicationelectronically to the "Nodal Officer" of the concerned Central Public authority, if aligned tothis portal and physically to that Central Public authority which is not aligned to this portal,
under section 6(3) of the RTI Act.
It may be noted that RTI applications filed through this portal for the state public authorities,
including NCT of Delhi, would be returned, without any refund of fee.
Will I be informed about the additional fee/s (if any) is required to pay?
In case additional fee representing the cost is required for providing information, the CPIO
will intimate the same, which can be viewed by the applicant through "View Status" option in
the RTI Online Portal and an e-mail alert or SMS or both will also be sent to the applicant forthe same.
For payment of additional fee online, the applicant needs to use the option „View Status‟ inthe RTI Online Portal and on providing the registration number of the request, option for"Make Payment" will be available.
How do I file an appeal with First Appellate Authority?
For making an appeal to the first Appellate Authority, the applicant has to select the option"Submit First Appeal" in the RTI Online Portal and fill up the form that will appear.
The registration number and e-mail ID of the original application is required for filing thefirst appeal.
Do I need to make any payment for filling an appeal?
As per RTI Act, no fee has to be paid for first appeal.
Do I get any SMS from RTI Online Portal?
Though optional, the mobile number can be provided by the applicant/ appellant in order toreceive SMS alerts.
What can I do if I forgot my login credentials?
You can go to View History column to see your past RTI requests/appeals.
Is it mandatory to create user account on RTI online portal?
No. You can directly file your RTI on "Submit Request" tab.
How much time RTI request / appeal retain at this portal?
In the View History/View Status citizen can see RTI Cases retained for a period of3 years.

Page 8 of 17

What should I do if amount is deducted from my account but registration number is not
generated?
Please do not attempt to make payment repeatedly or try to submit request once again. Kindly
wait for the 24 to 48 working hours as registration number will be generated afterreconciliation. If it is not generated within stipulated time frame, then kindly send an e-mailat helprtionline-dopt[at]nic[dot]in with your transaction details.
What should I do when portal is not allowing me to file the first appeal?
This may happen under following two situations:
When your RTI application has been physically transferred to other public authority, which is
not aligned to this portal. In such a case, you are required to file your appeal in physical modeto the concerned public authority.
1) Another case can be if your RTI application has not been replied to by CPIO and30 days period has not lapsed. In such a case, you may file first appeal only after
completion of stipulated time period of 30 days.
Can I file online first appeal for any RTI application filed physically in thefirstplace?
No, online first appeal can only be filed against previously filed online RTI application.
Why RTI application filed by me is not reflecting in my user account history?
If you have opted to file RTI or First Appeal directly i.e. without logging into your user
account, then in such cases you will not be able to see the filed RTI or Appeal in yourregistered account‟s history. However, you can always check its status in “View Status”
with the provided registration number.
Why I have received multiple RTI registration numbers, even though I havefiled
single RTI application?
This is the case wherein your RTI application has been forwarded to multiple CPIOs
since the information sought lies with more than one PIO.
How can I view status/ Reply of my RTI application or First Appeal?
Status/Reply of the RTI application or First appeal filed online can be viewed by theapplicant by clicking on “View Status”.
What if the Registration number is not received on my Email or Mobile No. even after 48
working hours?
Registration Number is generated after reconciliation of bank scrolls for cases whose
numbers are not generated instantly after the payment. This procedure may take 24 to 48
working hours. If someone till does not receive the Registration Number, they may contact
their respective bank for refund of amount.
How to upload a supporting document if an alert comes as “SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FROM APPLICANT”?

Page 9 of 17

When a Public Authority requests for supporting document, an alert is sent to the applicant tohis/her Mobile or Email Id. In such situation, the applicant is requested to visit the RTI
Online Portal and enter the details in “View Status”. Once the details are entered, thecurrent status of the RTI application is shown along with the option for uploading the
supporting document.
What queries can be raised with Helpline Email id helprtionline-dopt@nic.in?
Helpline mail id is exclusively meant for queries or problem being faced while filing theonline RTI through this portal. Please do not send mail to this helpfile for any other matter or
asking for any other details. The reply is limited to RTI online portal of Central Government
only.
What should I do when my browser show certificate error while opening RTIOnline
Portal?
You should ignore the certificate error and proceed forward. Kindly Select the following
based on the browser you use.
Mozilla Firefox – I understand the risk add exception
Google Chrome – Proceed Anyway.
Internet Explorer – Continue to this website.
Can I file RTI application for state public authorities through this portal?
No. This Portal is exclusively meant for Public Authorities under Central Government
only.

3.

FAQs related to Central
https://cic.gov.in/faq#n3402)

Information

Commission(CIC)(Source:

What is the policy of the commission regarding retention of records?
The records relating to the second appeals and complaints are retained for a period of six
months from the date of disposal of the case. As regards the administrative/financial recordsof the Commission, the same is retained as per the policy from time to time.
To whom the application is to be addressed if information pertaining to the Commission
as a public authority is sought”
If the information is sought relating to this Commission, the application may be addressed to
the Central Public Information Officer of this Commission in Ground Floor, CIC Bahwan ,Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka, New Delhi-110067.
Has the CIC power to reconsider or review its order(s) on merit?
No.
Is the decision of this Commission binding?
Yes, it is binding under section 19 (7) of the Act.
How information about disposal of a case is conveyed to the parties?
Page 10 of 17

After hearing of the cases by the Chief IC or IC concerned, a formal order is passed, ahard copy of which is provided to the complainant/appellant and the CPIO concerned free ofcost. A copy of the order passed is also uploaded on the websiteof the Commission.
Has this commission powered to compensate the complainant for any loss or other
detriment suffered by him?
Yes, in appropriate cases this Commission may order the public authority to compensate thecomplainant.
Is the complainant or the appellant entitled to hearing in the penalty proceedings under
section 20 of the RTI Act?
No.
Has this commission powered to recommend disciplinary action against the CPIO under
the applicable service rules?
Yes, this Commission may recommend for disciplinary action against the CPIO under theservice rules if the Commission is of the opinion that the CPIO has, without any reasonablecause and persistently failed to receive an application for information or has not furnishedinformation within the time specified under sub- section (1) of section 7 or malafidely denied
the request for information or knowingly given incorrect, incomplete or misleading
information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request or obstructed inany manner in furnishing the information.
Is the CPIO entitled to opportunity of hearing before imposition of penalty?
Yes, the CPIO is entitled to a reasonable opportunity of hearing before any penalty is
imposed on him.
Has this commission powered to order for penalty while deciding a complaint or an
appeal?
Yes, this Commission may impose penalty on the CPIO if this Commission is of theopinion that the CPIO has, without any reasonable cause, refused to receive an application for
information or has not furnished information within the time specified under sub-section (1)of section 7 or malafidely denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect,
incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of therequest or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information, it shall impose a penalty of
two hundred and fifty rupees each day till application is received or information is furnished,so however, the total amount of such penalty shall not exceed twenty-five thousand rupees.
Can the information or record relating to a third party or supplied by a third party andtreated as confidential by the third party be supplied under the Act?
Such information may be supplied only after giving a written notice to the third party andtaking into account the submission of the third party. The information may be disclosed if
the public interest in disclosure outweighs in importance any possible harm or injury to theinterests of such third party.
On whom does the onus rest to prove that a denial of request is justified?
Page 11 of 17

In any appeal proceedings, as per section 19 (5) of the Act, the onus to prove that a denial ofa request was justified rests on the CPIO who denied the request.
Is facility of hearing through video conferencing available?
Yes, facility of hearing through video conferencing is available at almost all district
headquarters of National Informatics Centre (NIC) in the country.
Is the appellant required to be present in person at the time of hearing of thesecond
appeal by this commission?
The appellant may be present in person or through his duly authorizedrepresentative.
Is a complainant or an appellant entitled to priority in hearing cases?
The complaints and second appeals filed in this Commission under the RTI Act are taken up
for hearing in chronological order. However, the Commission in a particular matter may
decide to accord precedence depending on the facts and circumstances of the case.
Is the appellant entitled to a hearing before the second appeal is decide by thiscommission?
Yes.
Generally, how much time is taken by the commission in deciding a complaint/appeal?
Receipt of second appeals/complaints is a continuous process and they are disposed of as
expeditiously as possible. The complaint/appeal is taken up as per its turn. A priority hearing
is accorded in a particular case or class of cases as per orders of the Chief IC/IC concerned. A
complete list of pending cases of Chief IC/ each IC is available on the website of theCommission. Cause List indicating the date of hearing of the cases is also available on thewebsite of the Commission.
What are the activities undertaken after receipt of a complaint or second appeal?
After the receipt of a complaint or appeal in the Dak Section the following activities are takenon it:(a) After the receipt of a complaint or appeal, a dak registration number is given.
Those who deliver the dak personally, they are given a receipt immediately. For any
inquiry, applicant must quote this number. Once the case is registered, the case no.
should be quoted.
(b) After classification of the dak in the dak section, if it pertains to a freshcomplaint or appeal, it is sent to the CR Section.

Page 12 of 17

(c) The dak is scrutinized in the CR Section as per the provisions in the RTI Act &Rules framed thereunder.
(d) If the appeal is in order as per the RTI Rules, it is registered and given a casenumber. Similarly, if it is a complaint under section 18 and is accompanied by atleast a copy of the RTI request, it is registered and given a case number. After
registration it is sent as per allocation of work.
(e) If the appeal is not accompanied by the specified documents, it is returned
pointing out the deficiencies with a facilitation memo., for removing the
deficiencies and re-filing the same. Similarly, if the complaint is not accompanied
by an RTI request, a letter is issued asking for a copy of the same.
(f) If the appeal is premature i.e. filed without first filing a first appeal before theFirst Appellate Authority in the public authority concerned or filed without waiting
for a period of 45 days from the date of filing the first appeal; in such cases it isrejected as premature.
Is any fee required to be paid in case of second appeal/complaint filed in thecommission?
No fee is required to be paid along with the second appeal/complaint.
Can a second appeal or a complaint be filed in this commission electronically? Yes, asecond appeal or a complaint can be filed electronically on www.cic.gov.in online alongwith the requisite documents as per RTI Rules, 2012. The documents must be duly signed/
self-attested/ verified before scanning and attaching with theappeal or complaint being filed.
What is the difference between and Appeal and a Complaint under the RTI Act?
A second appeal under section 19 (3) of the Act is filed against an order of the FAA in a
public authority or when the FAA does not make a decision within the specified time. A
complaint under section 18 of the Act may be filed directly on the grounds mentioned in subsection (1) of this section. The main difference between a complaint and a second appeal isthat in the case of an appeal, this Commission may pass orders directing the CPIO to provide
the requested information to the appellant in appropriate cases whereas such orders cannot bepassed while dealing with a complaint.
Is a formal request for condonation of delay to be made if the second appeal is not filed
within the specified period?
Yes. If a formal request for condonation of delay is not made along with the second appeal
not filed in the specified time, the same is liable to be rejected.
Has this commission powered to admit the appeal after the expiry f the period of (90)ninety days?
Yes, if this Commission is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause fromfiling the appeal in time.

Page 13 of 17

Is there any time limit for filling a complaint?
No, however, a complaint should be filed within a reasonable period, as soon as a cause ofaction in the matter has arisen.
Can a complaint be filed directly before this commission? If yes, the groundson which
a complaint may be filed?
Yes, a complaint may be filed directly in this Commission under section 18 of the RTI Act,by a person:(a) who has been unable to submit a request to a Central Public Information Officer
either by reason that no such officer has been appointed under the Act, or because
the Central Assistant Public Information Officer has refused to accept his or her
application for information or appeal under this Act for forwarding the same to theCentral Public Information Officer or senior officer specified in subsection (1) ofsection 19 or this Commission;(b) who has been refused access to any information requested under this Act;c) who has not been given a response to a request for information or access to
information within the time limit specified under this Act;(d) who has been required to pay an amount of fee which he or she considers
unreasonable;(e) who believes that he or she has been given incomplete, misleading or false
information under this Act; and(f) in respect of any other matter relating to requesting or obtaining access torecords under this Act.
How many copies of the second appeal are required to be submitted to this commission?
Only one copy of second appeal along with the proof of service of the appeal on the CPIO andthe First Appellate Authority is to be submitted to this Commission.
Are the documents submitted along with the second appeal required to be signed or self
attested by the appellant?
Yes, all the documents submitted along with second appeal are required to be signed/selfattested/verified by the appellant. If the second appeal is filed online, complete copies of all
the required documents bearing signatures of the persons concerned are to be uploaded.
What are the documents required to be submitted along with second appeal?
The following documents are to be submitted along with second appeal:(i) a copy of the application submitted to the Central Public Information Officer;(ii) a copy of the reply received, if any, from the Central Public Information
Officer;(iii) a copy of the appeal made to the First Appellate Authority;(iv) a copy of the Order received, if any, from the First Appellate Authority;

Page 14 of 17

(v) copies of other documents relied upon by the appellant and referred to in his
appeal; and(vi) an index of the documents referred to in the appeal.
Is there any format for filing second appeal before this commission?
Yes, the following format of appeal has been prescribed under the RTI Rules, 2012 framed
under the Act:FORMAT OF APPEAL(See Rule 8)
I. Name and address or the appellant
2. Name and address of the Central Public Information Officer to whom theapplication was addressed
3. Name and address of the Central Public Information Officer who gave reply to
the Application
4. Name and address of the First Appellate Authority Who decided the First Appeal
5. Particulars of the application
6. Particulars of the order(s) including number, if any, against which the appeal ispreferred
7. Brief facts leading to the appeal
8. Prayer or relief sought
9. Grounds for the prayer or relief
10. Any other information relevant to the appeal
11. Verification/authentication by the appellant
Is there any time limit for filing second appeal?
Yes, a second appeal against the decision of the First Appellate Authority may be filed before
this Commission within 90 (ninety) days from the date on which the decision should havebeen made by the FAA or was actually received.
Is it necessary to file a first appeal before the First Appellate Authority, before filing thesecond appeal before this commission?
Yes, a first appeal before the First Appellate Authority should be filed before moving second
appeal before this Commission. If a second appeal is filed without filing a first appeal, thesame is liable to be returned.
At what stage the applicant can approach the commission for second appeal? Anapplicant can approach the Commission in second appeal under section 19 (3) of the RTI
Act against the decision of the First Appellate Authority or when no decision is passed by
the FAA within the specified time (maximum period of 45days).
Has this commission had jurisdiction over a State Information Commission or can acomplaint or appeal against an order of State Information Commission be filed in thisCommission?
Page 15 of 17

No, this Commission does not have jurisdiction over a State Information Commission nor acomplaint or appeal can be filed in this Commission against an order of a State Information
Commission.
What is the distribution of work amongst the Chief Information Commissionerand theother Information Commissioners?
The distribution of work amongst the Chief IC and other ICs is available on thewebsite (https://cic.gov.in/cic-profile).
What are the Public Authorities over which this Commission has jurisdiction as Second
Appellate Authority?
As Second Appellate Authority, the Commission has jurisdiction over all public authorities
under Government of India which are established, constituted, owned, controlled andsubstantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the Central Government or
the Union territory administration including NCT of Delhi. These include all
Ministries/Departments, Public Sector Undertakings under the Government of India. A list of
public authorities is on the Commission‟s website (The list of Nodal Officers and Public
Authorities is at http://cic.gov.in/sites/default/files/Rtinodalofficer_0.pdf).
What is the composition of this Commission?
This Commission consists of the Chief Information Commissioner and Information
Commissioners not exceeding 10. The present composition is available on thewebsite.
Is there any Facilitation Desk functioning in the Commission?
Yes, a Facilitation Desk is functioning at Ground Floor, CIC Bhawan, Baba Gangnath Marg,
Munirka,New Delhi - 110 067 to provide assistance to those who visit the Commission
personally for second appeal and complaints. The working hours are 0930 hrs to 1800 hrs(excluding Saturday, Sunday and Gazetted holidays).
Is there any helpline numbers?
Yes, the helpline number is 011-26183053.
Where is the office of this commission located?
The office of this Commission is located at CIC Bhawan, Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka,
New Delhi -110067.
4.

Other Questions from different sources

What is “Right to Information”?
“Right to information” means the right to information accessible under the Act which is heldby or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to--(i) inspection of work, documents, records;(ii) taking notes, extracts, or certified copies of documents or records;

Page 16 of 17

(iii) taking certified samples of material;(iv) Obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes
or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information isstored in a computer or in any other device.
What type of information may be obtained under the RTI Act?
The type of information which may be obtained is defined under section 2 (f) of the Act as
any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices,press releases, circulars, orders, log books, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, datamaterial held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which canbe accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
Who can seek information under the Right to Information Act, 2005?
As per section 3 of the RTI Act any Indian citizen can seek information under the Act.
Can questions be asked under RTI Act like What/Why/How/When, etc.?
The applicant can ask questions under RTI if the answer to the question is available in theform of a record of public authority or in other records which is under the control of the
public authority. (Ref: Sub-section (f) and (j) of Section (2) of RTI Act, 2005). The applicant
can‟t ask hypothetical questions whose answers are not in record of public authority. The RTI
act does not expect the PIO to provide answers which are not on record.

Page 17 of 17