New Delhi, Aug.25,2025:In 2016, RTI activist Neeraj Kumar filed a request under the RTI Act seeking details of all students passed in DU’s BA exams of 1978—including roll numbers, names, marks, and results—coincidentally the year PM Modi graduated
PM Modi degree privacy ruling explained
PM Modi degree privacy ruling has now become a landmark legal benchmark. On August 25, 2025, the Delhi High Court formally set aside the Central Information Commission’s (CIC) 2016 order demanding disclosure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 1978 BA degree records from Delhi University (DU). This decision reasserts the sanctity of private academic records, even for public officials, as protected personal data.
RTI, CIC order, and DU’s challenge
The 2016 RTI Application
In 2016, RTI activist Neeraj Kumar filed a request under the RTI Act seeking details of all students passed in DU’s BA exams of 1978—including roll numbers, names, marks, and results—coincidentally the year PM Modi graduated.
CIC’s 2016 Directive
The CIC, in December 2016, ruled that universities are public bodies, and academic registers qualify as public documents. It directed DU to allow inspection of those records.
University’s Legal Stand
DU contested, asserting that:
- Information is held in a fiduciary capacity.
- Disclosure for mere curiosity contravenes RTI limitations.
- It had no problem providing records only in court, not for random public access.
The High Court Verdict
Justice Datta’s Rationales
Justice Sachin Datta of the Delhi High Court ruled in DU’s favor, quashing the CIC directive entirely.
Privacy vs. Public Curiosity
The court emphasized that being of public interest differs fundamentally from public curiosity. Educational qualifications—even of the Prime Minister—fall under protected personal information as per Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.
Legal Principles and Fiduciary Duty
Academic Records as Personal Data
Academic records—such as marks, grades, roll numbers—are inherently personal and cannot be disclosed without compelling public interest. The court stressed the confidential nature of such data.
Fiduciary Trust at Play
The judgment recognized the fiduciary relationship between students and the university, comparable to doctor–patient trust. Disclosure to strangers, for no substantive reason, would violate that trust.
Implications of the Ruling
Setting Precedent on Privacy
This verdict reinforces that even public figures retain fundamental privacy in their personal data. It underscores that RTI is not an open door to satisfying sensational queries.
RTI Limits Reasserted
The court reaffirmed that the RTI Act is not a tool for trivial intrusion—particularly when longstanding exemptions like fiduciary confidentiality apply.
Politics, Privacy, and Precedent
- Political Lens: This ruling could silence persistent demands to publicly audit PM educational credentials.
- Academic Boundaries: Institutions may now lean on fiduciary support to shield student records from undue intrusion.
- Future Cases: Especially relevant for public figures, the decision sets a high bar for “public interest” claims.
Why this PM Modi degree privacy ruling matters now
The PM Modi degree privacy ruling is far more than a procedural win—it’s a statement: personal academic qualifications remain protected, even under RTI. By reaffirming privacy over curiosity, the High Court has struck a balance between transparency and rights. This precedent now stands as a guiding principle in India’s legal-privacy landscape.
