New Delhi: The question is not whether the prime minister is “educated”, but whether he can lead, deliver, inspire confidence and improve the lives of millions, BJP leader Amit Malviya wrote Monday, in response to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s post on social media asking whether India “desperately needs an educated PM”.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief said in a video message on X: “First NEET, then CBSE, then SSC, then UPSC, and now CUET. Every child in this country has started to feel that this government cannot conduct even a single examination properly. One paper after another is going wrong, and the Prime Minister is silent, he has no concern at all. Actually, this government doesn’t even know the importance of education.”
In a lengthy response to Kejriwal’s post, Malviya wrote that the “the verdict belongs to the people, not to self-appointed gatekeepers of intelligence”, adding that what makes Kejriwal’s remark particularly revealing is its underlying elitism.
“It reflects a belief that only those from certain backgrounds, institutions, or social circles are fit to lead. India has repeatedly rejected that mindset. Our democracy allows ordinary Indians to rise to extraordinary heights, and that is precisely what some among the entitled elite find difficult to accept,” he further wrote.
Prime Minister Modi holds a postgraduate degree, but that is beside the point. The real issue is that some people, particularly Arvind Kejriwal, seem unable to reconcile themselves to the fact that a man from a humble background, with no dynastic privilege or elite pedigree, rose… https://t.co/QhI65FSOsT
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 1, 2026
The BJP-led Union government and Dharmendra Pradhan-led education ministry have faced severe public outrage due to irregularities, paper leaks, and mismanagement surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination and issues related to CBSE exam papers.
The government had on 29 May told the Supreme Court that PM Modi was “personally supervising” the paper leak issue.
In his response to Kejriwal, Malviya also said that PM Modi holds a postgraduate degree, “but that was beside the point”.
“The real issue is that some people, particularly Arvind Kejriwal, seem unable to reconcile themselves to the fact that a man from a humble background, with no dynastic privilege or elite pedigree, rose to occupy India’s highest elected office through hard work, political acumen, and immense public support,” Malviya added.
The BJP leader further wrote that India’s political history is full of examples that prove leadership is not determined by degrees alone.
He cited the example of K. Kamaraj, who, he said, with limited formal education, transformed Tamil Nadu and pioneered the expansion of the mid-day meal scheme, bringing millions of children into schools. His legacy, Malviya said, continues to shape India even today.
“On the other hand, many who proudly flaunt their educational credentials have little to show for them in public life. Arvind Kejriwal, who never tires of advertising his educational qualifications, left behind a government mired in corruption allegations and administrative failures, eventually losing both his own seat and his party’s grip on Delhi,” he said.
“Others who claim impressive academic pedigrees have spent decades in public life without producing outcomes remotely commensurate with the aura they seek to project around their degrees,” he added.
Coming down heavily on Kejriwal, Malviya said the AAP leader built his political career promising a “new kind” of politics and in reality misled his supporters.
“What the country witnessed instead was a familiar cocktail of hypocrisy, opportunism, and broken promises. He misled supporters, betrayed allies, and squandered the moral capital with which he entered public life. If anything, his political journey is a reminder that degrees may certify education, but they are no guarantee of wisdom, integrity, or leadership,” he said.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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