Right to Information Wiki Blog
DPDP Rules, 2025: The amendment to Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act
Did you know? The 14 November 2025 amendment to Section 8(1)(j) quietly removed the proviso that said information which cannot be denied to Parliament cannot be denied to a citizen. It is the most significant structural change to the RTI Act since 2005.
A practitioner note on what changed on 14 November 2025, how the amended clause must be read, and what Public Information Officers, First Appellate Authorities, and applicants should do differently.
The Impact of Delhi High Court's Ruling on %%PhD%% Theses Under RTI Act: Balancing Academic Freedom and Research Transparency in India
delhi-hc-ruling-phd-theses-and-rti_1_.pdf
The Delhi High Court's landmark ruling in December 2024 regarding the disclosure of PhD theses under India's Right to Information (RTI) Act has sent ripples through the academic landscape, establishing a critical precedent that redefines the balance between intellectual property protection and public access to academic research. This judgment not only clarifies the legal framework governing research dissemination but also fundamentally influences academic freedom, research practices, and institutional policies across Indian universities. The court's nuanced approach acknowledges the complexities of modern research environments while reinforcing the principle that scholarly work, particularly that conducted at public institutions, must ultimately serve the broader academic community and public interest.
Discussion