Narendra Modi's university degrees are fake
| Narendra Modi's university degrees are fake | |
|---|---|
| UNSUPPORTED | |
| "Narendra Modi's bachelor's degree from Delhi University and master's degree from Gujarat University are forged." | |
| Domain | Politics & Elections |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2016 |
| Origin | Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, beginning in 2016 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on Politics & Elections | |
Narendra Modi's election affidavits state that he earned a BA through distance learning from Delhi University in 1978 and an MA in political science from Gujarat University in 1983. In 2016 Aam Aadmi Party leaders demanded the records and claimed the degrees were fake. The BJP released copies of the certificates, and both universities said they were genuine.
Courts have since ruled that the universities do not have to disclose the records under India's Right to Information Act. Those rulings concerned privacy and disclosure, not authenticity.
What the evidence shows
- University statements. Both universities publicly confirmed that Modi holds their degrees.
- Gujarat High Court. In March 2023 the court set aside a 2016 Central Information Commission order requiring Gujarat University to disclose the records, and fined Kejriwal ₹25,000.
- Delhi High Court. On August 25, 2025, Justice Sachin Datta set aside a 2016 commission order that would have allowed inspection of Delhi University's 1978 BA records.
- Viral fakes. A later claim that India's Supreme Court had declared the degree fake and banned Modi from elections was itself fabricated, according to Factly.
Why it matters
The refusal to release records publicly has kept the question alive, which is a legitimate transparency debate. No evidence has shown the degrees are forged.
Sources
- ETV Bharat, "PM Modi's degree: Delhi HC sets aside CIC order to disclose information," August 25, 2025.
- The Indian Express, "Gujarat HC sets aside CIC order on PM Modi's degree, fines Kejriwal," March 31, 2023.
- Factly, "The Supreme Court did not declare PM Modi's degree certificate fake," fact check.