Amid the raging row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications, the Gujarat University shared details of his Master’s degree on 1 May. The University claims that Narendra Modi scored 62.3 percent as an external student of the varsity.
The details were shared by the Gujarat University after the Central Information Commission (CIC) directed it to provide them to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had recently criticised the functioning of the panel.
Narendra Damodardas Modi passed his MA in Political Science in 1983 with first class, securing 499 out of 800 marks, which comes to 62.3 percent, as an external student.MN Patel, Gujarat University’s Vice Chancellor
After an RTI application to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which demanded the details of his electoral photo identity (EPIC), Kejriwal said in a letter to the CIC that he was ready to share information sought by RTI applicants, but the CIC must also order disclosure of educational qualifications of the Prime Minister.
Following Kejriwal’s letter, the CIC had ordered the University of Delhi on Friday, from where Modi pursued his Bachelor of Arts (BA), and Gujarat University, from where he completed his Master’s, to reveal the details of his education qualifications.
Vice Chancellor Patel, Gujarat University had responded to this and said that since he had not received any order of the CIC so far, but had only come to know about it from the media, he would give the details to those concerned only if he received the order.
The details (of Modi’s degree) were sought through several Right to Information (RTI) applications filed before the university, but we were not in a position to share the details under the RTI Act on technical grounds. The details of marks can only be provided to the candidate himself, and we do not provide details of university records beyond 20 years.MN Patel
However, now the VC confirms Modi’s Master’s degree from Gujarat University.
When asked about the details of Modi’s BA degree, Patel said they do not have it. “Modi did his MA as an external candidate. He secured 237 out of 400 marks in MA first year, and 262 out of 400 marks in MA second year,” Patel said.
“The breakup of marks in second year MA shows that Modi obtained 64 marks in political science, 62 marks in European and social political thoughts, 69 marks in modern India/political analysis, and 67 marks in political psychology,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)