The Central Information Commission has dismissed school board CBSE’s argument the educational qualifications were personal information and could not be disclosed adding that Textiles Minister Smriti Irani’s board exam results be made public.
The direction came from Information Commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu, who asked the CBSE to allow the inspection of the minister’s records from Class 10 and 12 boards.
Incidentally, Acharyulu had earlier ordered the inspection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s academic records before being reportedly removed from the HRD ministry’s charge.
According to a report by NDTV, Acharyulu said that the CBSE should “facilitate inspection of relevant records and provide certified copies of documents” within 60 days.
The only information that can be withheld are personal details in the minister’s admit card and marksheet.
The order, almost identical to that of in the case of Modi, read, “When a public representative declares his educational qualifications, the voter has a right to check that declaration… Smriti Irani, being an elected MP, is a public authority under RTI.”
In his order Acharyulu asked the textiles ministry and Delhi’s Holy Child Auxilium School, where Irani claims she took her board exams, to provide her roll number.
Although a lower court had dismissed a petition filed by a freelance writer, who requested for Irani’s degrees to be made public, the Delhi University had last year sensationally told that documents related to her educational qualifications were missing.
Ever since Irani was handpicked by Modi to head the Union HRD Ministry, several opposition parties had questioned the PM’s decision citing her lack of higher education.