Fact Check Policy

RatanSardar.in is dedicated to publishing content that is truthful, accurate and evidence-based. We recognise that misinformation causes serious harm to individuals, communities and society. Our fact-checking commitment reflects our responsibility as a digital media platform operating in Maharashtra and India.

Our fact-checking is guided by the following core principles:

• Truth First — We publish only what we reasonably believe to be true, based on available evidence and reliable sources.
• Non-Partisanship — We apply the same rigorous standards to all claims regardless of the political, religious or ideological affiliation of the claimant.
• Transparency — We disclose our sources, methodology and any limitations in our verification process.
• Accountability — We acknowledge and correct our own errors publicly, promptly and transparently.
• Open Funding — This platform operates independently. We declare that no external organisation funds or influences our fact-checking work.

We fact-check content across the following categories on our platform:

• Government Notifications & Policies — Central and Maharashtra State government announcements, schemes, recruitment notifications and official orders.
• Educational Information — Exam dates, results, admit cards, syllabus updates and competitive exam news.
• Current Affairs — National and international news, economic data, statistics and public interest information.
• Legal & Citizen Rights Information — Legal provisions, court orders, rights and entitlements of citizens.
• Financial & Economic Data — Budget figures, economic indicators, banking information and investment-related facts.
• Health & Science Information — Medical, scientific and public health claims.
• Viral Social Media Claims — Widely shared claims on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) and Telegram that require verification.

Every claim we verify follows this structured process:

We prioritise primary and official sources above all others. Our trusted source hierarchy is:

We use clear, simple verdict labels so readers can quickly understand the result of our fact-check:

RatanSardar.in applies identical fact-checking standards to all claims regardless of political affiliation, religion, caste, gender, nationality or ideology of the person or organisation making the claim.

• No Political Alignment — We do not favour or target any political party. Claims from all sides are evaluated on evidence alone.
• No Commercial Influence — Advertisers, sponsors and commercial partners have zero influence on fact-check conclusions.
• No Government Pressure — Government entities and officials are subject to the same fact-checking standards as private individuals.
• Editorial Sovereignty — All fact-check conclusions are made solely by the Editor based on evidence and journalistic judgment.

• Source Disclosure — Every fact-check article names or links the sources used. Where a source cannot be publicly disclosed (e.g., a confidential official document), the reason is explained.
• Funding Transparency — RatanSardar.in is an independent platform operated by Prof. Ratan Gautam Sardar. It does not receive funding from any political party, foreign government, advocacy group or undisclosed commercial sponsor.
• Revenue Sources — The platform generates revenue from educational content, courses and advertising. None of these commercial activities influence fact-check conclusions.
• Ownership — The platform is owned and operated by Prof. Ratan Gautam Sardar, Pune, Maharashtra. Full ownership details are available on the About Us page.
• AI Disclosure — Where AI tools assist in research or writing, the final content is reviewed by a human editor. AI involvement is disclosed where significant.

If we publish incorrect information — even in a fact-check — we correct it openly and without delay.

• Correction Notice — All corrections are prominently displayed at the top of the relevant article with the correction date and a clear explanation of what changed.
• No Silent Edits — We never edit published content without noting the change. Substantive changes always include a correction notice.
• Verdict Reversal — If a fact-check verdict changes due to new evidence, the article is updated with the new verdict, date and full explanation.
• Retraction — In rare cases where an article is fundamentally flawed, it may be fully retracted. A notice explaining the retraction is published in its place.
• Response Time — Correction requests submitted to [email protected] are reviewed within 48 hours. Confirmed corrections are published within 7 working days.

We are aware of and fully compliant with Indian laws governing misinformation and harmful content. RatanSardar.in does not knowingly publish false or misleading information. The following Indian laws directly govern our fact-checking obligations:

Direct Copy-Paste from AI — Why It Is Prohibited:

• Legally Risky — Under IT Rules 2021, the publisher is fully responsible for all published content. “AI wrote it” is not a valid legal defence under Indian law. If AI content contains false information, the publisher faces liability under IPC Section 505.
• Factually Unreliable — AI tools can generate plausible-sounding but factually incorrect information, wrong dates, incorrect legal sections and outdated data. Unverified AI content directly harms readers.
• Google Penalty Risk — Google’s Helpful Content policy (2023-2026) explicitly penalises purely AI-generated content that lacks human expertise and original value. This affects AdSense approval and search ranking.
• Press Council Violation — Publishing unverified AI content without editorial review violates Press Council of India Norm 2 (Accuracy) and Norm 3 (Corrections).
• Reader Trust — Students and citizens rely on RatanSardar.in for accurate exam, legal and government information. Unverified AI content directly betrays their trust.

Our Mandatory 5-Step AI Content Review Process:

AI & Deepfake Fact-Checking Standards:

• Deepfake Detection — AI-generated or manipulated images, videos and audio are identified using reverse image search, metadata analysis and verification tools before sharing.
• Synthetic Media Policy — AI-generated video or audio presenting a real person making statements they did not make is never published on this platform.
• Viral AI Content — Before sharing or commenting on viral AI-generated content, we verify the original source and authenticity.
• AI Fact Hallucination — AI tools sometimes “hallucinate” facts — inventing plausible but false citations, court cases or statistics. All AI-provided facts are independently verified before use.

We welcome readers to submit fact-check requests and report errors. As required under IT Rules 2021, our Grievance Officer details are:

You can submit a complaint or request for:

• Reporting a factual error or inaccuracy in any published article
• Requesting a fact-check on a claim you have encountered
• Disputing a fact-check verdict with supporting evidence
• Reporting a correction that was not applied or inadequately applied
• Reporting potential misinformation or fake news for verification

This Fact Check Policy and all related activities on RatanSardar.in are governed by: