Delhi High Court Upholds Confidentiality of Academic Records

The Delhi High Court ruled that educational qualifications are personal information under the Right to Information Act, thus protecting them from public disclosure. This decision overturned a previous directive to disclose Prime Minister Narendra Modi's university degrees, emphasizing the need for confidentiality in academic records.

In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has reaffirmed that educational qualifications, such as degrees and marks, are considered 'personal information' under Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. This decision, announced on Monday, prohibits the disclosure of such information merely to appease public curiosity, underscoring the statutory protections for confidentiality.

The judgment arose from a challenge to the Central Information Commission's 2016 directive for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's undergraduate degree records to be disclosed by Delhi University. Justice Sachin Datta highlighted that public interest should not be confused with mere public curiosity, and individuals' private details remain protected.

The court emphasized the fiduciary nature of the relationship between educational institutions and their students, akin to the dynamics seen in doctor-patient and lawyer-client interactions. Consequently, it overturned the previous order enabling record inspection and reinforced the RTI Act's provisions safeguarding confidential academic records.

(With inputs from agencies.)