The Delhi High Court on Monday, August 25, set aside a 2016 directive of the Central Information Commission (CIC) that had ordered Delhi University to reveal Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 1978 Bachelor’s degree records.
Justice Sachin Datta held that educational qualifications fall under the category of personal information under the RTI Act and cannot be disclosed without overriding public interest. The court underlined that privacy rights remain intact even for public figures unless such details are directly linked to statutory requirements of their office.
The ruling came on DU’s plea challenging the CIC order. The university argued that students’ academic records are held in a fiduciary capacity and cannot be disclosed simply to satisfy curiosity. The court agreed, observing that unauthorized third-party access would compromise individual privacy.
The decision means DU is no longer bound to disclose Modi’s academic details. The CIC order had been passed nearly a decade ago following RTI applications seeking proof of the Prime Minister’s degree.
