Government Revokes Non-Profit Status of The Reporters’ Collective

Calls Journalism Not a Public Service

January 29, 2025

The government has cancelled the non-profit status of The Reporters’ Collective, stating that investigative reporting cannot qualify as a charitable activity as it does not serve a public purpose, according to a statement by the collective. The organisation has lost its tax-exempt privileges.

In its written response, The Reporters’ Collective said, “We have consistently worked with public purpose as a non-profit and in adherence to all Indian laws, without fear or favour.” The removal of the status “severely impairs our ability to do our work and worsens the conditions for independent public-purposed journalism in the country,” the group added.

Formed in 2021 as a registered non-profit trust, The Reporters’ Collective had been producing investigations, trainings and research projects for more than five years prior to its formal incorporation. Its founders said they initially pooled “meagre resources” before seeking private donations and grants from citizens, which served as the trust’s primary source of funding.

Members stated that “investigative journalism that holds the powerful accountable essentially serves the citizens, particularly the poor and the marginalised,” and added, “We stand by all our colleagues at The Collective who have shown exceptional courage, skills, and perseverance to produce journalism that we all are proud of. We are not done yet.”

The collective said it will challenge the decision in court and continues to operate its website. It also maintains training programs for emerging reporters.

In its work, The Reporters’ Collective has been focusing on stories in the public interest, including in-depth reports on policy decisions, government spending and the impact of political or economic developments on local communities.

Training sessions hosted by the group have been open to journalists working in various languages, with the aim to support underreported narratives and equip journalists with research skills to conduct thorough investigations, according to the statement.

Investigative journalism undeniably qualifies as a public service, operating as the very backbone of a healthy democracy. It holds power to account, exposing corruption, injustice and inefficiencies that would otherwise remain hidden from public scrutiny. By bringing critical information to light, investigative reporters empower citizens to make informed decisions and promote a culture of transparency and accountability in governance.

The 2024 Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) stated India’s media had “fallen into an ‘unofficial state of emergency,’” noting that ownership of major outlets had become concentrated among a few private conglomerates aligned with the ruling government.

RSF’s report added that “through pressure and influence, the old Indian model of a pluralist press is being called into question,” and pointed to anti-terrorism and sedition laws sometimes being used against journalists.

India has an extensive media ecosystem with around 900 privately owned TV channels, nearly half of which focus on news, according to the RSF data. More than 140,000 publications are issued in over 20 languages, and some 20,000 of these are daily newspapers.