On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court directed Delhi University (DU) to respond to petitions requesting the condonation of delay for filing appeals concerning the disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bachelor’s degree information. A Bench consisting of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela provided the university with three weeks to present its objections. The appeals contest an August 25 order issued by a single judge that overturned a Central Information Commission (CIC) directive to release Modi’s degree records.
The judge determined that holding public office does not automatically render all facets of an individual’s private information subject to public examination, asserting that the Right to Information (RTI) Act encourages transparency in governance but is “not intended to incite sensationalism.” The court further remarked that educational qualifications are not a legal prerequisite for holding public office. The case is scheduled for a hearing on January 16, 2026. The appeals were initiated by RTI activist Neeraj, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, and advocate Mohd Irshad, who are challenging the single judge’s ruling. They contend that public access to the Prime Minister’s academic records is essential for transparency and accountability.
Previously, the CIC had permitted the inspection of DU’s 1978 BA exam records, the year Modi allegedly graduated, based on an RTI request from 2016. However, DU attempted to prevent this disclosure, asserting that while the university had no objection to presenting records in court, it opposed public access. The single judge described the CIC’s prior ruling as “thoroughly misconceived,” noting that the situation could differ if educational qualifications were legally mandated for public office.