My Railway recruitment result was announced but I didn't make it. Can RTI tell me why?

Yes. You can file an RTI with the relevant Railway Recruitment Board asking for your marks in each stage, the cut-off marks for your category, the number of vacancies in your category for your RRB zone, and a copy of your OMR sheet with the answer key applied. This helps you understand the exact reason — whether it was marks, a category cut-off, or a document issue.

Which authority do I file with — Railway Board, Zonal Railway, or RRB?

It depends on your issue. For recruitment and exam results: file with the relevant Railway Recruitment Board (RRB). For employee service matters (salary, posting, transfer, promotion): file with the relevant Divisional Railway or Zonal Railway. For ticket refunds and IRCTC issues: file with IRCTC Limited (a separate public authority under Ministry of Railways) or the relevant Zonal Railway's Commercial Department. For policy or Railway Board-level matters: file with the Railway Board, New Delhi.

Can I get a copy of my OMR sheet through RTI?

Yes. The Supreme Court of India and the Central Information Commission have consistently held that candidates are entitled to copies of their OMR sheets and answer keys used for evaluation. The RRB cannot refuse this under Section 8 unless exceptional circumstances apply. This is one of the most effective uses of RTI for Railway recruitment.

Can I use RTI to get information about another candidate's marks or result?

No. Information about another individual's marks, personal details, or service record is protected under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act as personal information. You can only seek information about your own application, marks, and result.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI with Indian Railways (Jobs, Refunds, Complaints)

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How to File RTI with Indian Railways (Jobs, Refunds, Complaints)

Q: What if the Railway Recruitment Board doesn't respond within 30 days?

File a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the relevant RRB within 30 days of the date of the decision or the expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. If the FAA's response is 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 date it should have been made.

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI application with Indian Railways for recruitment status, ticket refunds, employee service matters, and grievances. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryMinistry of Railways

Address RTI ToPIO of the relevant Zonal Railway, Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), or Railway Board

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rtionline.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

Indian Railways is one of the world's largest public employers, operating through the Railway Board, 18 Zonal Railways, 68 Divisions, and 21 Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs). As a central government organisation, all of these entities are public authorities under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, and are fully subject to the Act.

RTI is particularly valuable for Railway recruitment candidates who want to understand why they did not advance to the next stage, for employees with unresolved service grievances, and for passengers dealing with unresolved ticket refund claims.

What Can You Achieve with an RTI to Indian Railways?

For recruitment candidates:

Get your marks and score in each stage of the recruitment examination
Obtain the cut-off marks for your category and RRB zone
Get a certified copy of your OMR sheet with the answer key applied
Know the total vacancies in your category and the rank at which candidates were shortlisted
Find out the specific reason you were not shortlisted for document verification or medical examination

For employees:

Get information on the status of a promotion or seniority dispute
Obtain copies of departmental inquiry proceedings (your own case)
Know the basis for a transfer order affecting you

For passengers and general public:

Get information on ticket refund processing status from IRCTC or the Commercial Department
Obtain inspection and safety reports for a particular station or section
Get information about tender and contract details for railway projects

Which Authority to File With

Indian Railways has a layered structure. Filing with the wrong office wastes your 30-day window.

Your Issue	File With
Recruitment exam, OMR, result	Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) of your zone
Employee service (salary, transfer, promotion)	Divisional Railway Manager's Office or Zonal Railway HQ
Ticket refund, IRCTC cancellation	IRCTC Limited (separate RTI) or Zonal Railway Commercial Dept.
Railway Board policy, rule clarification	Railway Board, New Delhi

How to identify your RRB zone: The RRB zone is mentioned in the recruitment notification (CEN). There are 21 RRBs across India (e.g., RRB Allahabad, RRB Mumbai, RRB Chennai). File your RTI with the RRB that issued the notification for the post you applied for.

On the RTI Online portal, navigate to: Ministry of Railways → RRB Name / Zonal Railway / Railway Board as applicable.

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Identify the Correct Authority

Before filing, confirm which office holds the information you need. Using the table above, identify whether your issue is with an RRB, Zonal Railway, Divisional office, or IRCTC.

Step 2: Gather Your Details

For recruitment matters:

Your Registration Number from the RRB application portal
The CEN (Centralised Employment Notification) number
The post name and your category (General/OBC/SC/ST/EWS)
The examination stage you appeared for and the approximate date

For employee service matters:

Your employee number / PF number
The specific order or notification you are inquiring about (with date and number if known)

Step 3: Draft and File

Be precise in your questions. "Why was I not selected?" will get a vague response. "Provide my marks in CBT-1, the cut-off for OBC category in RRB Chennai, and the total vacancies in my category" will get actionable data.

File at rtionline.gov.in, select the correct Ministry of Railways sub-authority, and pay ₹10 online.

Step 4: Appeals

If there is no response within 30 days, or the response is unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the same office within 30 days of the date of the decision or the expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. If the FAA's response is also absent or inadequate, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

For recruitment RTI, these questions produce the most useful responses:

My marks in each stage — CBT-1, CBT-2, and any skill test or physical test
Cut-off marks for General/OBC/SC/ST/EWS category in RRB zone for the relevant post
Total number of vacancies for post name in category in RRB zone
Copy of OMR sheet with answer key applied (certified copy)
Whether my documents were found satisfactory at DV stage — if not, the specific deficiency
The merit list rank at which candidates were shortlisted for each stage

For employee service RTI:

Basis and date of the transfer/posting order bearing reference XXX
My seniority position in the cadre/grade as on date, with the seniority list
Status of my Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme case
Certified copy of the departmental inquiry report in case no. XXX

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO),
Railway Recruitment Board,
[RRB Office Name and Address]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Status of Recruitment Application

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], residing at [Your Full Address], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

My application details:
  Post applied for: [Post Name]
  Notification/CEN Number: [Notification Number]
  Registration Number: [Your Registration Number]
  Date of Application: [DD/MM/YYYY]
  Examination/Stage: [CBT-1 / CBT-2 / Document Verification / Medical Examination]

Information sought:

1. The current status of my application bearing Registration Number [XXX] for the post of [Post Name] under CEN [Number].

2. My marks/score obtained in [CBT-1/CBT-2/other stage] and the cut-off marks for my category ([General/OBC/SC/ST/EWS]) in my RRB zone.

3. Whether I have been shortlisted for the next stage of recruitment. If not, the specific reason(s) for non-shortlisting.

4. A copy of the OMR sheet/response sheet for my examination, with the answer key applied to my responses, if applicable.

5. The total number of vacancies in my category for my RRB zone, and the rank at which candidates were shortlisted for the next stage.

6. If my documents have been verified — the outcome of verification and any deficiency or objection noted against my candidature.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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