This is Set 1 of 40 in the smartvidya question bank on the Right to Information Act, 2005 and RTI Rules, 2012, with the latest amendments. Part I: Preliminary and definitions. This set covers Section 1, enactment, scheme of the Act, chapters, schedules and the Freedom of Information Act, 2002.
Try each question first, then tap Show answer to see the correct option, a short explanation and the section or rule reference. The questions are useful for departmental and promotion examinations, for PIOs and First Appellate Authorities, and for citizens who use the RTI Act.
Set 1: RTI Act: Background, Structure and Commencement
1. The Right to Information Act, 2005 is numbered as
(a) Act No. 22 of 2005
(b) Act No. 5 of 2005
(c) Act No. 15 of 2005
(d) Act No. 31 of 2005
Ans. (a) Act No. 22 of 2005 — Explanation: The RTI Act was enacted by Parliament as Act No. 22 of 2005. [Ref: Section 1]
2. The RTI Act, 2005 received the assent of the President on
(a) 26 January 2005
(b) 15 June 2005
(c) 12 October 2005
(d) 15 August 2005
Ans. (b) 15 June 2005 — Explanation: Presidential assent was given on 15 June 2005, and the Act was published in the Gazette on 21 June 2005. [Ref: Section 1]
3. The RTI Act came fully into force on
(a) 26 January 2006
(b) 15 June 2005
(c) 1 April 2006
(d) 12 October 2005
Ans. (d) 12 October 2005 — Explanation: Section 1(3) brought the remaining provisions into force on the 120th day of enactment, which was 12 October 2005. [Ref: Section 1(3)]
4. Under Section 1(3), the provisions not brought into force at once came into force on
(a) the date notified by the Central Government
(b) the one hundredth day of its enactment
(c) the one hundred and twentieth day of its enactment
(d) the ninetieth day of its enactment
Ans. (c) the one hundred and twentieth day of its enactment — Explanation: Sections 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), 12, 13, 15, 16, 24, 27 and 28 came into force at once; the rest on the 120th day. [Ref: Section 1(3)]
5. Which of the following provisions came into force at once on enactment of the RTI Act?
(a) Sections 12 and 13 on constitution of the Central Information Commission
(b) Section 7 on disposal of requests
(c) Section 20 on penalties
(d) Section 19 on appeals
Ans. (a) Sections 12 and 13 on constitution of the Central Information Commission — Explanation: Provisions needed to set up the machinery, including Sections 12, 13, 15 and 16, came into force immediately. [Ref: Section 1(3)]
6. Which provision was NOT among those that came into force immediately on enactment?
(a) Section 6 on request for information
(b) Section 27 on rule-making by the appropriate Government
(c) Section 5(1) on designation of PIOs
(d) Section 4(1) on obligations of public authorities
Ans. (a) Section 6 on request for information — Explanation: Section 6 came into force on the 120th day along with the other operative provisions. [Ref: Section 1(3)]
7. The RTI Act, 2005 repealed which earlier law?
(a) The Freedom of Information Act, 2002
(b) The Public Records Act, 1993
(c) The Official Secrets Act, 1923
(d) The Indian Evidence Act, 1872
Ans. (a) The Freedom of Information Act, 2002 — Explanation: Section 31 repeals the Freedom of Information Act, 2002. [Ref: Section 31]
8. The RTI Act, 2005 contains how many sections?
(a) Twenty-five
(b) Twenty-eight
(c) Forty
(d) Thirty-one
Ans. (d) Thirty-one — Explanation: The Act has 31 sections arranged in six chapters, with two Schedules. [Ref: Arrangement of Sections]
9. The RTI Act is divided into how many chapters?
(a) Five
(b) Six
(c) Eight
(d) Four
Ans. (b) Six — Explanation: Chapters I to VI cover preliminary matters, rights and obligations, the CIC, the SICs, powers and appeals, and miscellaneous provisions. [Ref: Arrangement of Sections]
10. The First Schedule to the RTI Act contains
(a) the list of intelligence and security organisations
(b) the list of public authorities
(c) the forms of oath or affirmation for Information Commissioners
(d) the fee schedule
Ans. (c) the forms of oath or affirmation for Information Commissioners — Explanation: The First Schedule prescribes the oath or affirmation under Sections 13(3) and 16(3). [Ref: First Schedule]
11. The Second Schedule to the RTI Act lists
(a) rules framed by competent authorities
(b) categories of exempt information
(c) forms of oath
(d) intelligence and security organisations established by the Central Government
Ans. (d) intelligence and security organisations established by the Central Government — Explanation: Section 24 excludes organisations specified in the Second Schedule, subject to exceptions. [Ref: Second Schedule; Section 24]
12. Chapter III of the RTI Act deals with
(a) definitions
(b) the State Information Commission
(c) penalties
(d) the Central Information Commission
Ans. (d) the Central Information Commission — Explanation: Chapter III contains Sections 12 to 14 on the Central Information Commission. [Ref: Chapter III]
13. Chapter V of the RTI Act deals with
(a) right to information and obligations of public authorities
(b) powers and functions of Information Commissions, appeal and penalties
(c) the State Information Commission
(d) miscellaneous matters such as rule-making
Ans. (b) powers and functions of Information Commissions, appeal and penalties — Explanation: Chapter V contains Sections 18 to 20 of the Act. [Ref: Chapter V]
14. Chapter II of the RTI Act contains Sections
(a) 12 to 14
(b) 18 to 20
(c) 3 to 11
(d) 1 and 2
Ans. (c) 3 to 11 — Explanation: Chapter II covers the right to information and obligations of public authorities. [Ref: Chapter II]
15. Chapter IV of the RTI Act, on the State Information Commission, contains Sections
(a) 18 to 20
(b) 21 to 31
(c) 12 to 14
(d) 15 to 17
Ans. (d) 15 to 17 — Explanation: Sections 15, 16 and 17 deal with constitution, term and removal for State Information Commissions. [Ref: Chapter IV]
16. As originally enacted, Section 1(2) extended the RTI Act to the whole of India except
(a) Scheduled Areas
(b) the Union Territories
(c) the North-Eastern States
(d) the State of Jammu and Kashmir
Ans. (d) the State of Jammu and Kashmir — Explanation: After the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the exception was removed and the Act extends to the whole of India. [Ref: Section 1(2)]
17. The RTI Act now applies to Jammu and Kashmir as a result of
(a) the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
(b) a Supreme Court judgment of 2005
(c) the RTI (Amendment) Act, 2019
(d) the DPDP Act, 2023
Ans. (a) the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 — Explanation: The Reorganisation Act omitted the J&K exception and the State's own RTI law ceased to apply. [Ref: Section 1(2)]
18. The Preamble to the RTI Act refers to setting up a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of
(a) political parties only
(b) public authorities
(c) courts only
(d) private companies
Ans. (b) public authorities — Explanation: The Preamble aims to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. [Ref: Preamble]
19. Which of these is an objective stated in the Preamble to the RTI Act?
(a) To contain corruption and hold Governments accountable to the governed
(b) To regulate the press
(c) To regulate private data processing
(d) To protect official secrets
Ans. (a) To contain corruption and hold Governments accountable to the governed — Explanation: The Preamble links informed citizenry and transparency to containing corruption and accountability. [Ref: Preamble]
20. The Preamble recognises that revelation of information may conflict with other public interests including
(a) commercial profit of private firms
(b) personal convenience of officers
(c) efficient operations of Governments, optimum use of fiscal resources and confidentiality of sensitive information
(d) political party funding
Ans. (c) efficient operations of Governments, optimum use of fiscal resources and confidentiality of sensitive information — Explanation: The Act seeks to harmonise these conflicting interests while preserving democratic ideals. [Ref: Preamble]
21. The right to information is primarily traced in Indian constitutional law to
(a) Article 14, equality before law
(b) Article 21A, right to education
(c) Article 19(1)(a), freedom of speech and expression
(d) Article 300A, right to property
Ans. (c) Article 19(1)(a), freedom of speech and expression — Explanation: The Supreme Court has held that the right to know is implicit in Article 19(1)(a). [Ref: Preamble; constitutional basis]
22. Which State was among the first to enact its own right to information law, before the central Act?
(a) Bihar
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Punjab
Ans. (c) Tamil Nadu — Explanation: Tamil Nadu (1997) and Goa (1997) were among the earliest State RTI laws. [Ref: Background]
23. The mass movement in Rajasthan that pressed for the right to information was led by
(a) Narmada Bachao Andolan
(b) Chipko Movement
(c) Bhoodan Movement
(d) Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
Ans. (d) Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) — Explanation: MKSS campaigned in the 1990s for access to records of public works and wages. [Ref: Background]
24. The enacting formula of the RTI Act shows that it was enacted by Parliament in the
(a) Sixtieth Year of the Republic
(b) Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India
(c) Fifty-fifth Year of the Republic
(d) Fiftieth Year of the Republic
Ans. (b) Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India — Explanation: Acts passed in 2005 carry the formula of the Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India. [Ref: Enacting formula]
25. Section 1(1) of the Act provides that it may be called
(a) the Freedom of Information Act, 2005
(b) the Right to Information Act, 2005
(c) the Public Records Access Act, 2005
(d) the Transparency Act, 2005
Ans. (b) the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Explanation: Section 1(1) gives the short title. [Ref: Section 1(1)]
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These questions are prepared for practice from the Right to Information Act, 2005 as amended (including the 2019 amendment and the November 2025 change to Section 8(1)(j) made by the DPDP Act, 2023), the RTI Rules, 2012 and the 2019 Rules. Check the latest notifications and DoPT instructions before relying on any detail.