Right to Information Fellowship

What is the Right to Information Fellowship?

The Right to Information Fellowship is a short-term research fellowship offered by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which is the nodal department for the Right to Information Act, 2005 under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. According to the RTI portal maintained by DoPT, the fellowship supports researchers from the media, civil society professionals and RTI trainers to carry out field-based research on themes relating to the Right to Information.

The purpose is to deepen understanding of how the RTI Act works in practice and to generate documented evidence that can help improve the RTI regime. The fellowship is deliberately small and competitive: it offers four short-term fellowships, each intended to produce a concrete research output within a fixed period.

This is a professional research fellowship, not a student scholarship or a general grant. It is aimed at people who already work with information rights; journalists, activists and trainers, rather than at the general public.

How much does the RTI Fellowship pay?

According to details of the scheme, each selected fellow receives:

• A monthly stipend of Rs 50,000 for three months; Rs 1,50,000 in total.
• A one-time grant of Rs 50,000 to cover research-related expenses such as books, travel and production costs.

Taken together, a fellow can receive up to about Rs 2,00,000 over the fellowship. The research output may take various forms, a monograph, an investigative story, or a multimedia project — and, per the scheme terms, is owned by the Government of India, which may publish it to enhance the RTI regime.

Who is eligible for the RTI Fellowship?

You can apply if you are:

• A researcher from the media (print, broadcast or digital journalism), or
• A civil society professional, or
• An RTI trainer, with
• Demonstrated experience in RTI-related work, and a credible research proposal on an RTI theme.
• Applicants are generally expected to fall within the 25 to 40 age band.

You cannot apply if you:

• Have no background or proven experience in RTI work. The fellowship targets practitioners, not first-time researchers.
• Are outside the notified eligibility band or do not meet the conditions set in the specific call under which the fellowship is opened.

Because the exact eligibility conditions and age limits can be revised from one call to the next, the guidelines issued for the current call are the final word. Confirm them before applying.

How to apply for the RTI Fellowship

The fellowship is offered against periodic calls issued by DoPT rather than through a permanent online form. When a call is open:

1. Read the current guidelines on the RTI portal (rti.gov.in) and the DoPT website to confirm eligibility, the research themes invited, the stipend terms and the deadline.
2. Prepare a detailed research proposal on an RTI-related theme, this is the heart of the application and the main basis for selection.
3. Compile your supporting documents, CV/bio-data showing RTI experience, proof of age, and samples of prior work.
4. Submit the application to the Department of Personnel and Training in the manner and format specified in the notification, before the stated deadline.
5. Await selection, which is made on the strength of the proposal and the applicant's track record; selected fellows are then engaged for the three-month period.

What documents are required?

Is this the right guide for you?

The Right to Information Fellowship is a niche, practitioner-focused research grant with only four positions and periodic calls. If you are looking for a student scholarship, this is not it: see the education and scholarship schemes of the Ministry of Education instead. If you are a journalist, activist or RTI trainer with a solid research idea, watch the DoPT RTI portal for the next call and prepare your proposal in advance, since the application window is short when it opens.