By Arvind Bhatikar

THE controversy regarding Prime Minister Narendra odi’s educational qualifications began in 2016. First through social media and then through an RTI application. Prime Minister Modi claims to have been conferred a BA degree from Delhi University in 1978 and an MA degree from Gujarat University in “Entire Political Science” in 1983. After these claims were challenged in public domain, Home Minister Amit Shah in a press conference in 2016 showed to the press the MA degree awarded by Gujarat University to Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi has reportedly got his BA degree from the School of Open Learning of Delhi University. When an RTI applicant asked for relevant details of the degree, the university rejected his application, saying details are not available. However, Tarun Das, Registrar of Delhi University, reportedly stated that the BA degree conferred on Narendra Modi was authentic and genuine. Tarun Das does not seem to have explained where he got his information from, when Delhi University itself said no information was available. When an RTI applicant sort the information from Gujarat University at Ahmedabad about whether Narendra Modi was given an MA degree in 1983, the university refused to provide any information. The Chief Central Information Commissioner then directed Gujarat University, Delhi University and the PMO to give details of the prime minister’s BA and MA degrees.
The Gujarat University challenged the orders of the CIC before the Gujarat High Court. The Gujarat High Court upholding the decision of the Gujarat University imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi and the applicant under the RTI Act.
A similar appeal pending in the Delhi High Court stands adjourned to May 3, 2023.
The rejection of the RTI applications, pertaining to the educational qualifications of the prime minister in our “Mother of Democracy” by Gujarat and Delhi universities and the Gujarat High Court, is to say the least, regrettable.
Sanjay Singh, a senior leader of AAP, alleged in a press conference that the so-called MA degree shown to the press in 2016 by Home Minister Amit Shah, was fake, because
a) University has been spelt as “Unibersity” in one place and “University” in another place on the degree certificate.
b) The font used for writing “Master of Arts” was introduced only in 1992 and it was not available in 1983.
c) In 2005, Narendra Modi has mentioned in a speech that he had studied up to school level and not beyond that.
Prof Jayantibhai Patel of Gujarat University had reportedly clarified that “Entire Political Science” was never taught and never offered at the post-graduate level in Gujarat University.
In the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 from the Varanasi Constituency, Narendra Modi had claimed in his affidavit that he had a post- graduate degree from Gujarat University and graduate degree from Delhi University. The Election Law in India provides that any candidate who makes false statements in his affidavit is liable to be disqualified from Lok Sabha or the state assembly whichever is applicable.
The questions are now whether the degrees claimed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his affidavit are fake and if so, institutions in this “Mother of Democracy” are working overtime to hide this fact from voters. Will Indian voters have to vote in the 2024 general election without getting answers to these questions?