Opponents of the Nehru-Gandhi family have long claimed that none of its scions, starting from Indira Gandhi, ever completed his/her formal education.

This allegation can now be laid to rest at least as far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned.

The Congress candidate from Amethi has claimed, in his affidavit filed along with his nomination papers, that he has an MPhil in Development Economics from Trinity College, Cambridge University.

rediff.com decided to check this and so got in touch by e-mail with the Old Records Office at Trinity College.

The request was apparently forwarded to the press and publications office of Cambridge University, from where rediff.com received an official reply today.

It said: 'Rahul Gandhi was a student at the University of Cambridge as a member of Trinity College from 1994 to 1995, and was awarded an MPhil in Development Economics.'