New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday ruled that Delhi University is not obliged to disclose details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s graduation degree, stating that academic records fall under “personal information” and are protected by privacy laws. The court set aside the earlier order of the Central Information Commission (CIC), which had directed the university to release the records.
Justice Sachin Datta, while pronouncing the verdict, observed, “The fact that the information sought pertains to a public figure does not extinguish privacy/confidentiality rights over personal data, unconnected with public duties.”
The court emphasized that educational qualifications would only require disclosure if they were a mandatory condition for holding public office. Since no such statutory requirement exists in this case, the demand for disclosure does not qualify as being in the public interest.
The legal battle dates back to 2016 when the CIC permitted inspection of records of all students who cleared the BA examination in 1978, the year Prime Minister Modi is believed to have graduated. Delhi University had challenged this decision, and the order was stayed in 2017.
During the hearings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi University, argued that the CIC’s directive undermined the constitutional right to privacy. He said the university holds students’ data in a fiduciary capacity and that “mere curiosity,” without any legitimate public interest, cannot override individual privacy under the RTI Act.
