How to use Hindi for RTI, FIRs, and government portals

You don't have to struggle with English jargon

You are trying to file a complaint about a scholarship delay on a government portal. The page loads in English, filled with technical terms like "redressal," "stipulated," and "affidavit." You understand English, but the legal phrasing feels like a maze. You know you could explain your problem much better in Hindi, but you hesitate. Will a Hindi application be ignored? Is there a "Switch to Hindi" button that actually works? Does the law even allow you to ignore English in a formal setting?

The short answer is yes. Whether you are dealing with a local police station or a massive central portal like RTI Online, you have a constitutional and legal right to use Hindi. You don't have to be a "translation machine" for your parents or yourself just to get basic civic work done. This guide shows you how to flip the switch, both on your screen and in the office.

What the law says about your right to use Hindi

India does not have a single "National Language," but it has two "Official Languages" for the Union government: Hindi and English. This isn't just a fun fact for a quiz; it is a right backed by the Constitution and specific Acts of Parliament.

1. The Constitution: Article 350

Article 350 of the Constitution of India is your primary shield. It states that every person is entitled to submit a representation for the redress of any grievance to any officer or authority of the Union or a State in any of the languages used in the Union or in the State. This means if you are writing to a government department to complain about a pothole or a missing marksheet, they cannot legally reject your letter just because it is written in Hindi.

2. The RTI Act, 2005: Section 6(1)

When it comes to seeking information, the law is even more explicit. File an RTI online using Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which allows you to make a request in English, Hindi, or the official language of the area. The Public Information Officer (PIO) is legally bound to accept your Hindi application. If they claim they only process English files, they are in direct violation of the Act.

3. The Official Languages Act, 1963

Section 3 of this Act mandates that both Hindi and English must be used for certain official purposes of the Union. More importantly, the Official Languages Rules, 1976, divide India into three regions (A, B, and C). In Region A (states like Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi), communication between central government offices and individuals should ideally be in Hindi. If they send you an English letter, you have the right to ask for a Hindi translation.

4. Police and Courts: BNSS 2023

Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which replaced the CrPC in 2024, language rights are protected during criminal proceedings. How to file an FIR under Section 173 of the BNSS involves the police recording your information. If you give your statement in Hindi, the police must record it as such. Section 202 of the BNSS also gives State Governments the power to determine the language of the courts within the state, ensuring that you aren't forced into a language you don't speak fluently during a trial.

Step-by-step: How to switch to Hindi for civic action

Moving from English-only to Hindi involves two parts: knowing where to click on a screen and knowing what to say in person.

Step 1: Navigating the Digital "Switch"

Most major Indian government portals have a "Switch to Hindi" or "हिंदी" toggle. Here is where to find them:

1. RTI Online (rtionline.gov.in): Look at the top right corner of the header. You will see a link that says "Hindi." Clicking this doesn't just translate the menu; it changes the entire interface, including the instructions for filing.
2. PGPortal (pgportal.gov.in): For lodging grievances with the PMO or central ministries, the language toggle is at the top right.
3. National Consumer Helpline: If you are reporting a brand for a fake refund, you can switch the entire portal to Hindi.
4. Bhashini Integration: Keep an eye out for the "Bhashini" logo on newer portals. This is the government's AI-led translation initiative. It allows you to speak in Hindi and have it transcribed or translated in real-time.

Step 2: Drafting your content (The Tech Hack)

Don't use "Hinglish" (writing Hindi words in English script) for official applications. It looks unprofessional and can be misinterpreted.

1. Use Unicode: Ensure you are typing in Unicode (Mangal font is the standard). This ensures that the officer reading your file sees the same characters you typed, regardless of their computer system.
2. Google Input Tools / Microsoft IME: If you aren't fast at Hindi typing, use phonetic tools where you type "Namaste" and it converts to "नमस्ते".
3. Clarity over Complexity: You don't need to use "Shuddh Hindi" (pure, Sanskritized Hindi). Use the Hindi you speak. For example, using "शिकायत" (complaint) is better than trying to find a complex synonym you aren't sure about.

Step 3: Filing an RTI in Hindi

1. Log into the RTI portal and switch the language to Hindi.
2. In the "Text for RTI Request application" box, type your queries clearly in Hindi.
3. Mention specifically: "सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम, 2005 की धारा 6(1) के तहत मैं यह जानकारी हिंदी में मांग रहा हूँ।" (I am seeking this information in Hindi under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005).
4. If the PIO replies in English and you find it difficult to understand, you can file a First Appeal stating that as per the Official Language Rules, the reply should have been in Hindi (especially if you are in Region A or B).

Step 4: Dealing with the Police (FIRs)

When you go to a police station to report a crime, such as online harassment, follow these steps:

1. Speak your language: Tell the officer clearly that you want your statement recorded in Hindi.
2. Read before signing: Under Section 173(2) of the BNSS, the information recorded must be read over to you. If the officer has written it in English and you aren't 100% sure of the wording, do not sign it.
3. Demand a translation: Ask the officer to explain every sentence in Hindi. If they refuse, you can write a note at the bottom of the document (in Hindi) stating that the contents were not explained to you in your language before you were asked to sign.

Step 5: Using Bhashini for translations

If you receive a 50-page government report in English and need to find the section relevant to your village or college, use bhashini.gov.in.

1. Upload the document to the "Document Translation" section.
2. Select English as the source and Hindi as the target.
3. While AI translations aren't 100% perfect for legal nuances, they will give you enough context to know if you need to take the document to a lawyer or a consultant.

Browse all civic-action guides for more ways to navigate the Indian system.

Where it usually breaks

Even though the law is on your side, the "system" can be glitchy or stubborn. Here is where your Hindi-language journey might hit a wall and how to bypass it:

1. The "Unicode" Mess: You type a brilliant RTI application in Hindi on a government portal, but when you hit 'Submit' or download the PDF, it looks like a series of boxes or gibberish (e.g., "हिनà¥"). This usually happens because old government servers don't support modern Hindi fonts.

   • Workaround: Always keep a copy of your text in a Notepad file. If the portal is mangling the text, upload your Hindi application as a PDF attachment instead of typing directly into the text box. Most portals allow a 1 MB or 2 MB PDF upload.

2. The "I don't understand Hindi" Excuse: If you are dealing with a Central Government office located in a non-Hindi speaking state (Region C, like Karnataka or Tamil Nadu), an official might claim they can't process your file because they don't know the language.

   • Workaround: Remind them politely that under the Official Languages Rules, 1976, Central Government offices are required to have translation facilities. You can say: "Sir, Article 350 of the Constitution allows me to submit this in Hindi. If you need help, the department’s Hindi Officer (Rajbhasha Adhikari) can assist with the translation." Every major Central department has a Hindi cell specifically for this.

3. The English-only Reply: You file everything in Hindi, but the department replies in English jargon.

   • Workaround: If you are in Region A or B (North and West India), you have a stronger right to a Hindi reply. If the reply is too complex, file a follow-up RTI or a grievance on PGPortal asking for a translated version of the order, citing the Official Languages Rules.

4. Police Resistance: A constable might tell you to "come back with a written English complaint" because the "Bada Babu" (Station House Officer) only reads English.

   • Workaround: Under Section 173 of the BNSS, the police are required to record your information. They cannot force you to provide it in a specific language. If they refuse, you can send your complaint via registered post to the Superintendent of Police (SP). A physical post with a tracking slip is harder for them to ignore than a verbal conversation.

Templates / script

1. Script for the Police Station (if they refuse a Hindi statement)

You: "नमस्ते, मुझे चोरी की रिपोर्ट लिखवानी है।" (Namaste, I want to report a theft.) Officer: "English में लिख कर लाओ, यहाँ सब English में चलता है।" (Bring it in English, everything works in English here.) You: "सर, भारतीय नागरिक सुरक्षा संहिता (BNSS) की धारा 173 के तहत आप मेरी जानकारी हिंदी में लेने से मना नहीं कर सकते। संविधान का अनुच्छेद 350 भी मुझे किसी भी भाषा में शिकायत देने का अधिकार देता है। आप कृपया मेरी बात दर्ज करें।" (Sir, under Section 173 of the BNSS, you cannot refuse my information in Hindi. Article 350 of the Constitution also gives me the right to complain in any language. Please record my statement.)

2. RTI Application Body (Hindi)

If you are filing an RTI for a delayed marksheet or scholarship, copy-paste this into the description box:

विषय: सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम, 2005 के तहत आवेदन।

महोदय/महोदया, कृपया मुझे निम्नलिखित जानकारी प्रदान करें:

1. मेरे [Scholarship/Marksheet Name] के आवेदन की वर्तमान स्थिति क्या है?
2. मेरे आवेदन पर अब तक किन अधिकारियों ने कार्रवाई की है? कृपया उनके नाम और पद बताएं।
3. नियमों के अनुसार यह काम कितने दिनों में पूरा हो जाना चाहिए था?

मैं इस आवेदन का शुल्क [Online Payment/IPO] के माध्यम से जमा कर रहा/रही हूँ। कृपया जानकारी हिंदी में प्रदान करें।

3. Email to Portal Support (for language glitches)

Subject: Technical Issue: Hindi font not rendering on [Portal Name] Body: "Hi Team, I am trying to file a grievance/application in Hindi on your portal. However, the Hindi text is appearing as broken characters/boxes in the final preview. As per Article 350, I wish to submit this in Hindi. Please look into this technical bug. I am attaching my application as a PDF for now. Please ensure it is processed. My User ID: [Your ID]."

FAQs

1. Can I use "Hinglish" (Hindi written in Roman script) on government portals? Technically, no. Official Hindi means the Devanagari script. If you write "Mera scholarship nahi aaya" in the text box, the officer might understand it, but it doesn't count as an official Hindi application. Use a Hindi keyboard (like Google Indic Keyboard) to type in Devanagari.

2. Does filing in Hindi make the process slower? In Central departments, it shouldn't. In fact, many offices have "Hindi Pakhwada" (Hindi fortnights) where they are incentivised to work in Hindi. However, in some South or North-East Indian state offices, English or the local state language is faster. For Central portals like RTI Online or PGPortal, Hindi is processed at the same speed as English.

3. What if I want to use Hindi in a High Court? This is tricky. Under Article 348(1) of the Constitution, the language of the Supreme Court and High Courts is English. However, some High Courts (like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar) allow Hindi proceedings if the Governor has authorized it. For District Courts, the state government decides the language, and it is almost always the local language or Hindi.

4. Is there an extra fee for Hindi applications? No. The fees for RTI (usually ₹10) or any government service remain the same regardless of the language you choose. If someone asks for a "translation fee," they are trying to scam you.

5. Can a government officer reject my application just because it is in Hindi? Absolutely not. If they do, it is a valid ground for an appeal or a complaint to the Central/State Information Commission. Cite Section 6(1) of the RTI Act or Article 350 of the Constitution in your appeal.

6. I’m from a non-Hindi state; can I use my mother tongue? Yes! Article 350 says you can use any language used in the Union or the State. If you are in Maharashtra, you can use Marathi; in West Bengal, Bengali. The "Switch to Hindi" right is just more universally applicable to Central Government offices across India.