Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree 'authentic': DU Registrar

NEW DELHI: Downplaying allegations of glaring discrepancies, Delhi University today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BA degree as circulated by BJP is "authentic" and it has all the relevant records relating to his graduation while terming as "minor error" mention of 1979 in his degree when he passed out a year earlier.

The clarification by Delhi University's registrar Tarun Das came amid the raging controversy over Modi's educational qualifications with AAP continuing to question genuiness of the BA degree.

"We have checked our records and it has been authenticated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree is authentic. He cleared the examination in 1978 and was awarded the degree in 1979," he said hours after an AAP delegation went to the university seeking details of the degree.

Asked about certain discrepencies being alleged by AAP in his marksheets and degree certificate, he said, "the discrepancies in names in two marksheets exist in university records as well."

"The university seeks to maintain privacy of any student who is getting enrolled with it. In view of the queries and reports in media, we would like to state that Narendra Damodardas Modi had qualified for degree of Bachelors in Arts. His enrollment number was CC 594/74 and his examination roll number number was 16594," Das said.

Asked about variations in Modi's names in marksheets, Das said it is a common error as far as middle names are concerned. "Similar errors are often pointed out by other students as well which are rectified when requested."

On being asked about AAP's allegation that why he was awarded the degree in 1979 when he graduated in 1978, Das said "It is difficult to comment on minor errors."

Yesterday, BJP president Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had released copies of Modi's BA and MA degrees in response to AAP's allegations.

The AAP had said the documents were "forged" and had "glaring discrepancies" in them.