Hasan Suroor

Controversy “extremely unfortunate”

LONDON: The Cambridge University on Tuesday confirmed that Rahul Gandhi was a student at Trinity College from October 1994 to July 1995 and was awarded an M.Phil in Development Studies in 1995.

Newspaper allegation

This follows an allegation in an Indian newspaper that he had given misleading information about his degree while filing his election nomination papers in Amethi.

The university released a copy of a letter that Vice-Chancellor Alison Richard wrote to Mr. Gandhi on April 27 to set the controversy at rest. Professor Richard wrote that it was “extremely unfortunate” that a controversy had arisen regarding his degree and that the university would like to set it at rest “immediately.”

“Conduct exemplary”

The letter said: “The University of Cambridge would like to clarify that Mr. Rahul Gandhi was a student at the University of Cambridge as a member of Trinity College from October 1994, to July 1995, and was awarded an M.Phil in Development Studies in 1995. Mr. Gandhi’s conduct was exemplary and he remained in good standing throughout while at the University of Cambridge.”