US EditionDelhi HC Sets Aside CIC Order to Disclose Info on PM Modi's Degree
The Delhi High Court ruled that academic records are personal and exempt from disclosure under the Right to Information Act, emphasizing privacy over public curiosity.
- The Delhi High Court quashed the Central Information Commission's 2016 order directing Delhi University to disclose 1978 BA records linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25, 2025, in New Delhi.
- The case arose from an RTI application by activist Neeraj seeking inspection of Delhi University's 1978 BA registers, which the CIC ruled as public records, but the university challenged claiming fiduciary duty.
- The court, handling six petitions including four from Delhi University, found the CIC's order misconceived and held that disclosing academic details without overriding public interest violates student confidentiality under RTI Act Section 8.
- Justice Sachin Datta stated the university statutes forbid third-party disclosure of marks and acknowledged procedural irregularities but no malafide intent, while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued RTI is not to satisfy mere curiosity.
- The High Court's ruling implies protection of educational records as personal information and limits RTI applications to cases with clear public interest, protecting confidentiality of millions of students' data nationwide.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Delhi court blocks disclosure of Modi’s educational records
NEW DELHI: Amid growing criticism of Narendra Modi’s qualification to head the Indian government — particularly after his May debacle and the imposition of US tariffs—the Delhi High Court has blocked public access to his educational records, quashing a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) that had permitted inspection of his B.A. degree details from Delhi University. According to Kashmir Media Service, Justice Sachin Dutta of t…
PM Modi's degree details cannot be disclosed as its 'personal info': Delhi HC
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday, August 25, set aside a CIC order directing disclosure of details related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bachelor’s degree, saying only because he was holding a public office, it did not render all his “personal information” to public disclosure. Justice Sachin Datta ruled out any “implicit public interest” in the information sought, and said that the RTI Act was enacted to promote transparency in gov…
PM Modi’s degree is ‘personal information’, Delhi University does not have to disclose: High Court
Delhi HC on PM Modi Degree Row: In 2016, the CIC directed inspection of records of students who passed BA Programme from the varsity in 1978 — the year when Modi graduated from DU with a bachelor’s degree.
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