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Study Guide · General Knowledge

RDO Full Form — Revenue Divisional Officer

RDO stands for Revenue Divisional Officer. It is an administrative post in the revenue department of several Indian states. The RDO works under the District Collector and is responsible for revenue administration, land records management, revenue dispute resolution, and disaster relief at the divisional level. RDO is a senior position above a Tahsildar.

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What is the full form of RDO?

Answer

RDO stands for Revenue Divisional Officer. It is an administrative officer in the revenue department of Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The RDO works under the District Collector and is senior to the Tahsildar.

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Key Facts

RDO = Revenue Divisional Officer.

Works under the District Collector in the revenue administration hierarchy.

Rank: above Tahsildar/MRO, below District Collector.

Functions: revenue collection, land records, disaster relief, land dispute adjudication.

Prominently found in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala.

Equivalent to Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) or SDM in north Indian states.

Full Form and Rank

RDO = Revenue Divisional Officer

Hierarchy in Revenue Administration:

  1. District Collector (IAS Officer) — top of the district
  2. Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) — divisional level
  3. Tahsildar / Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) — taluk/mandal level
  4. Revenue Inspector (RI)
  5. Village Officer / Patwari

RDO is typically a Group A or Group B Gazetted Officer, often a State Civil Service Officer.

Functions and Powers of RDO

Key functions of a Revenue Divisional Officer:

  1. Revenue administration: Supervises collection of land revenue, maintenance of land records
  2. Land disputes: Hears appeals against Tahsildar/MRO decisions; adjudicates land boundary disputes
  3. Natural disasters: Coordinates relief and rehabilitation at division level during floods, droughts, cyclones
  4. Certificates: Issues income certificates, community/caste certificates, nativity certificates in some states
  5. Appeals court: Acts as first appellate authority against Tahsildar decisions
  6. Law and order: Assists Collector in maintaining law and order
  7. Election duties: Supervises election activities at divisional level

States Where RDO Posts Exist

RDO is prominently found in these states:

• Andhra Pradesh — Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) • Telangana — Revenue Divisional Officer • Tamil Nadu — Revenue Divisional Officer • Karnataka — Revenue Divisional Officer / Assistant Commissioner • Kerala — Revenue Divisional Officer

In other states, similar posts may be called: • Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) — in UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, etc. • Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) — in Delhi and other states

Questions and Answers

What is the full form of RDO?+

RDO stands for Revenue Divisional Officer. It is an administrative officer in the revenue department of Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The RDO works under the District Collector and is senior to the Tahsildar.

What are the functions of an RDO?+

Functions of RDO: (1) Revenue administration and land record supervision, (2) Hearing appeals against Tahsildar decisions, (3) Land boundary dispute resolution, (4) Coordinating disaster relief at divisional level, (5) Issuing certificates (income, caste), (6) Election supervision, (7) Maintaining law and order.

What is the difference between RDO and Tahsildar?+

RDO (Revenue Divisional Officer) is a senior officer who supervises multiple taluks/mandals and hears appeals against Tahsildar decisions. Tahsildar (or MRO) operates at the taluk/mandal level and handles day-to-day revenue work. RDO > Tahsildar in the hierarchy.

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