How to File RTI with ICAR for Seed Variety Release, Multi-Location Trial Results and Agricultural Research Data

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is India's apex body for agricultural research and education, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Established as an autonomous society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, ICAR is substantially funded by the Central Government and is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. ICAR coordinates a vast network of over 100 institutes, National Research Centres (NRCs), and approximately 700 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the country. Farmers, agricultural researchers, seed companies, civil society organisations, and journalists can use the RTI Act to obtain seed variety release criteria and committee composition, multi-location trial results, technology transfer agreement terms, crop research expenditure, and KVK demonstration records.

ICAR's Structure and Why It Matters for RTI

Understanding ICAR's structure is essential for filing an effective RTI application, because each ICAR institute and each KVK has its own CPIO.

ICAR Headquarters at KAB-I, Pusa, New Delhi, holds information on: overall policies and guidelines, ICAR-wide budget and expenditure, Central Variety Release Committee (CVRC) proceedings and composition, national technology transfer policies, and consolidated data across institutes. Specific research institutes hold their own research records, trial data, sponsored research agreements, and staffing information. Some key institutes include:

For policy-level information and variety release matters, file with the CPIO at ICAR Headquarters. For research-specific data held by a particular institute, file with the CPIO of that institute. If in doubt, file with ICAR Headquarters — the CPIO must transfer your application to the correct authority under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act within 5 days.

Seed Variety Release: What RTI Can Get You

The release of a new agricultural variety in India is governed by the Seeds Act, 1966, and involves a structured evaluation process through All India Co-ordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) conducted by ICAR, followed by notification by the Central Variety Release Committee (CVRC) or a State Variety Release Committee (SVRC). This process — from initial trials to official notification — can take several years, and the data generated at each stage is held by ICAR and is subject to RTI disclosure.

Variety release criteria and committee composition

• The minimum performance standards a new variety must meet to be recommended for release — yield advantage over check variety, disease and pest resistance scores, quality parameters (protein content, milling quality, storability)
• The composition of the CVRC or the relevant AICRP advisory committee for a specific crop — names and institutional affiliations of members
• A copy of ICAR's Standard Operating Procedure or guidelines governing the variety release process for a specific crop

Multi-location trial (MLT) and AICRP trial results

• Yield data (kg/hectare) for a named variety across all trial locations in the country in a given year, disaggregated by location and season
• The check variety used for comparison and the yield advantage (percentage) of the new variety at each trial site
• Whether the variety has been recommended by the AICRP co-ordinator for release, and the supporting recommendation letter or evaluation summary
• Number of trial years completed and locations cleared

Why this matters for farmers and researchers: Multi-location trial data tells you how a variety actually performs under different agro-climatic conditions across India. A variety that shows high yield in one region may perform poorly in another. RTI for trial data allows farmers' groups, state agriculture departments, and independent researchers to scrutinise whether a promoted variety genuinely suits the conditions of a particular state or agro-climatic zone.

Technology Transfer Agreements: Accessing Financial and Licensing Terms

ICAR routinely enters into technology transfer agreements with private seed companies and agribusiness firms for released varieties and other innovations. Under these agreements, the private company pays ICAR a license fee or royalty in exchange for the right to produce and sell seed of a public-sector variety or to commercialise a technology developed with public funds.

These agreements are records of a public authority that involves the use of public research funds. The financial terms of such agreements — including the names of licensees, the royalty rates or lump-sum fees, the period of the agreement, whether the license is exclusive, and the amounts actually received — are subject to RTI disclosure.

What RTI can obtain on technology transfer

• The name(s) of private companies that have been licensed to use a specific ICAR variety or technology
• The license fee, royalty rate, or other financial consideration stipulated in the agreement
• Whether the license is exclusive or non-exclusive, and the territorial scope of the license
• The total royalty or license fee actually received by ICAR from each licensee in each year since the agreement was signed
• Whether sub-licensing is permitted and whether any sub-licensee has been authorised

Important note on exemptions: ICAR may seek to withhold specific technical details of the licensed technology under Section 8(1)(d) (information given in confidence by a third party that could harm their competitive position). However, the financial terms — how much public revenue was generated, by whom, and for which publicly funded variety — are financial records of ICAR itself and cannot be withheld on grounds of commercial confidence. If ICAR refuses to disclose royalty amounts received, challenge this in your First Appeal and, if necessary, before the CIC.

Research Expenditure and Sponsored Research

ICAR's budget allocation and expenditure data — by institute, by crop, and by programme — are public records. This information is particularly relevant for understanding how public agricultural research funds are being prioritised.

What RTI can obtain on research expenditure

• Budget allocation and actual expenditure for research on a specific crop (e.g., wheat, pulses, oilseeds) or programme (e.g., National Food Security Mission — Wheat) at a named ICAR institute, for each of the last three financial years
• Whether any portion of the research is co-funded by a private company or foreign institution under a sponsored research or public-private partnership agreement — and if so, the name of the funding entity and the amount contributed
• The number of scientific staff working on a specific crop or programme at a named institute, disaggregated by designation (Scientist, Senior Scientist, Principal Scientist, Director)
• Whether any research project has been discontinued or de-prioritised in recent years and the reasons recorded

Sponsored research agreements — where a private company funds research at an ICAR institute in exchange for licensing rights or access to results — are of particular public interest. The terms of such agreements and the financial contributions involved should be disclosed under RTI, subject to the same caveat about third-party confidentiality as technology transfer agreements.

KVK Records: Tracking Technology Demonstration and Farmer Outreach

ICAR's approximately 700 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), spread across districts of India, are the primary interface between agricultural research and farmers. KVKs conduct on-farm technology demonstrations, organise farmer training programmes, and disseminate improved varieties and practices at the field level. Each KVK is sponsored and monitored by an ICAR zone and submits Annual Performance Reports (APRs) to ICAR.

What RTI can obtain from KVK records

• The list of technologies, varieties, and improved practices demonstrated by a specific KVK in a given year, including the crop, the technology demonstrated, the number of demonstration plots, the area covered, and the number of farmers who participated
• The budget allocated to a KVK for technology demonstration in a specific year and the actual expenditure incurred under different budget heads
• Annual Performance Reports (APRs) submitted by a KVK to ICAR, or the performance ratings assigned to the KVK for a given year
• Whether a KVK has been assessed or graded under ICAR's KVK grading system, and the grade assigned
• Records of farmer training programmes conducted by a KVK — the topics covered, number of participants, and whether the training was conducted as scheduled

Who benefits from KVK RTIs: District-level farmers' groups, state agriculture departments, local journalists, panchayat representatives, and NGOs working on agricultural extension can use KVK records to verify whether technology demonstrations were actually conducted as claimed, whether funds were spent on the intended activities, and whether the KVK is serving farmers in its catchment area effectively.

How to File: ICAR Headquarters and Institute CPIOs

Online filing at rtionline.gov.in:

1. Visit rtionline.gov.in and register or log in
2. Click Submit Request
3. Select: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare → Indian Council of Agricultural Research → Headquarters or specific institute, e.g., ICAR-IARI or ICAR-IVRI
4. Draft your application — specify the crop, variety name, year, institute, or KVK district as applicable; be as precise as possible to avoid a response asking for clarification
5. Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt — select the exemption option and attach a self-attested copy of your BPL card
6. Submit and note your registration number for tracking

For KVK records: KVKs are under the administrative control of a host institution (often a state agricultural university, ICAR institute, or ICAI-affiliated organisation). If the KVK is hosted by an ICAR institute, file with the CPIO of that institute. If hosted by a state agricultural university, the RTI Act may not apply directly — contact ICAR's zonal project directorate for KVK records in that case.

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If ICAR does not respond within 30 days, or if the response is incomplete or unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at ICAR (or the relevant ICAR institute) within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the FAA's response is also absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the First Appeal period. ICAR is substantially financed by the Central Government — the second appeal always goes to the CIC, not to any State Information Commission. The CIC has the power to direct disclosure and can impose a penalty of up to ₹25,000 on the CPIO under Section 20 of the RTI Act for unjustified refusal or delay.