Delhi HC Rejects Plea Seeking Home-Based Exam For CLAT 2020 [Read Order]

While dismissing the petition, the Single Bench of Justice Jayant Nath noted that home-based exams may not be appropriate for approximately 78,000 candidates who are to take the exam.

The court further observed that the possibility of the exams being compromised or manipulated by the participants/coaching centers cannot be ruled out.

The order has come in a plea seeking a direction to be issued to quash the CLAT- 2020 examination notification issued by Consortium of National Law Universities in so far as it mandates/directs the Petitioner to physically go to the examination centre and take the exam.

The Petitioner had argued that he suffers from asthma and as such falls under the vulnerable category of individuals who are advised by the Government not to go outside in the present time.

The Respondents, on the other hand submitted that, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has on 06.07.2020 issued instructions for conducting examinations at physical test centers for final term examinations for Universities, IIT-JEE, NEET, etc. These instructions would also cover the conduct of CLAT-2020.

It was further submitted by the Respondents that in case there are restrictions on movement in certain areas, admit/identity cards issued to the candidates would be treated as a pass for the movement of students. Moreover, the State Governments would issue instructions to all local authorities to issue movement passes to invigilators and all personnel engaged in the conduct of examination.

'All precautions would be taken i.e. steps would be taken for disinfection of the entire examination center, provision for sanitizer at the entry gate, examination rooms, staff rooms, seating plans to ensure proper social distancing, thermal screening of all concerned individuals at entry gates, etc. would be done', the Respondents argued.

In light of these submissions, the court dismissed the petition by observing that the pleas of the petitioner are misplaced and cannot be a ground for postponing the exams/change of mode to conduct the exam.