Pune's Shrirang Barne, five-time best parliamentarian, clears 10th exam at the age of 58

Shrirang Barne, the two-time Member of Parliament from Pune's Maval constituency, has updated his educational qualification from "10th class fail" to "SSC pass" in his recent affidavit filed for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This change comes after years of carrying the weight of his educational setback from 1980.

Barne, who has been honored with the Sansad Ratna award five times and Maha Sansad Ratna once, expressed his long-standing regret over the discrepancy in his educational credentials. "Though I tasted success in politics, the failure in my 10th class exam had continued to haunt me for all these years," Barne revealed to TOI.

The 60-year-old MP, known for his contributions to Pune's political landscape, decided to rectify this discrepancy by clearing his SSC examination in 2022. Despite achieving numerous accolades in his political career, Barne chose to disclose his educational milestone only when filing his third affidavit for the general elections.


Barne's journey into politics traces back to 1997 when he followed his elder brother's path to become a corporator in Pimpri Chinchwad. After serving in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation for over 15 years, Barne transitioned to the national level, winning the Lok Sabha seat from Maval in 2014 and again in 2019.

Close associates of Barne revealed his persistent concern regarding his educational background. Uday Awate, a friend of Barne, shared insights into Barne's introspection during his tenure in Delhi as a Member of Parliament. "He would always confess that the failure at SSC back in 1980 was bothering him despite him being awarded the best parliamentarian award so many times," Awate stated.

Amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, Barne utilized his time to prepare for and clear his SSC examination. Awate highlighted Barne's dedication to self-improvement, emphasizing his commitment to learning even at the age of 58.