Fact-Checking Policy
This page explains how we check facts, links, scheme details, eligibility information, deadlines, helplines, and official-source references before publishing or updating content.
Last updated: June 6, 2026
Why fact-checking matters
Government scheme information is highly practical. A wrong link, wrong eligibility condition, wrong last date, or misleading claim can waste a reader’s time and may even cause them to submit personal information on the wrong website. Our fact-checking policy is designed to reduce that risk by prioritizing official sources, human review, and transparent corrections.
We cannot guarantee that every government page will remain unchanged after publication. However, we can commit to a responsible process: verify important details when writing, avoid fake certainty, update pages when verified changes are identified, and clearly direct readers to official portals for final decisions.
Primary-source first
We prefer official government portals, department pages, official PDFs, circulars, notifications, and recognized public-service websites.
Human review
Editors manually review important claims instead of relying only on automated summaries or AI output.
Correction path
Readers can report errors, and verified corrections are reviewed for updates.
Claims we check carefully
- Official scheme name and responsible department or ministry.
- Eligibility criteria including age, income, category, residence, occupation, gender, education, landholding, or document conditions.
- Benefit amount, subsidy percentage, pension amount, scholarship amount, loan amount, or payment frequency.
- Application process, renewal process, correction process, download process, or status-check process.
- Required documents and common document rules.
- Official website, portal, login page, application page, or tracking page.
- Helpline numbers, department addresses, office hours, and support channels where available.
- Deadlines, last dates, important notices, and state-specific variations.
Verification levels
| Level | Meaning | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Officially verified | Information is checked from an official government page, official PDF, notification, department portal, or recognized public authority source. | Application link, eligibility rule, official helpline, scheme guideline. |
| Cross-checked | Information is compared across more than one reliable source when the official source is scattered or unclear. | State-specific scheme process, district implementation details, portal instructions. |
| Contextual guidance | Information is general guidance based on common government-service processes and is not presented as a binding official rule. | Tips to keep documents ready, avoid unofficial agents, save application receipts. |
| Needs confirmation | Information may change quickly or depends on state, district, financial year, applicant category, or official approval. | Last dates, benefit release dates, beneficiary lists, vacancies, funding availability. |
How we handle official links
Official links are important for user safety. When possible, we link to official portals using clear anchor text such as “official application portal,” “official status-check page,” “department website,” or “official notification PDF.” We avoid hiding official links behind unclear wording. We also avoid sending users to random third-party portals for tasks that should be completed on government websites.
When an official link changes, redirects, or becomes unavailable, we may update the article, add a note, or replace it with a higher-level official department page until the direct link can be verified again.
How we handle AI-assisted content
AI tools may help us organize information, create drafts, improve grammar, or identify missing sections. AI is not used as a factual authority for government scheme details. Before publishing important claims, our editorial team checks them against official or reliable public sources. If a claim cannot be verified, it should be removed, softened, or clearly framed as general guidance rather than official fact.
Reader safety checks
Many government services involve sensitive personal information. We include safety reminders where relevant, especially for pages involving Aadhaar, PAN, bank accounts, OTPs, passwords, caste/income certificates, health records, student data, or employment details.
When facts conflict
Sometimes different government pages show different details because one page is old, one is state-specific, or a new notification has not been reflected everywhere. When facts conflict, we prefer the latest official notification, the responsible department’s current page, or the portal used for the actual application. If a conflict cannot be resolved confidently, we may explain the uncertainty and advise readers to verify with the official department before acting.
Report a fact-check issue
If you find an error, outdated link, changed scheme rule, or missing official update, please send the page URL, the issue, and any official source link through our Contact Us page. We review credible correction reports under our Corrections Policy.