New Delhi: Union minister Smriti Irani’s educational qualifications had always been controversial with the opposition claiming that she is not a graduate and Irani rubbishing their claim. However, the matter has taken a new turn this election season as Irani has accepted on Thursday that she enrolled for an undergraduate course in Delhi University but did not complete it.
Her poll affidavit revealed that Irani undertook her exams for Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) the first year from Delhi University’s School of Open Learning, but “did not complete the three-year degree course”.
Ever since it emerged that Irani had made contradictory declarations when she contested the parliamentary elections in 2004 and 2014, Opposition had been raising the issue every now and then and the latest revelation could provide fodder for fresh controversy.
Smriti Irani had declared that she had a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree when she filed nomination as a candidate in 2004 elections from Chandni Chowk in Delhi. But when she filed an affidavit in the 2014 elections from Amethi, the Union minister had said, “Bachelor of Commerce Part-1, School of Open Learning (Correspondence), University of Delhi-1994” after clearing Class XII in 1993.
Now in the latest affidavit, it is specifically mentioned ‘three year degree course not completed’.
Irani had also boasted at a media event in August 2014 that she has a degree from the prestigious Yale University in the US. Congress.