Delhi HC Issues Notice On ABVP's Petition Challenging CLAT, 2018; Asks Centre To Look Into It

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice on the Petition challenging Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), 2018 filed by Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), along with one candidate who appeared for CLAT UG and another law graduate who appeared for CLAT PG.

During the hearing, the petitioners asserted that CLAT shouldn't be looked at as a mere competitive examination, but as a "selection examination", as the scores facilitate admissions to Post-graduate courses as well, with several PSU's taking in such candidates. ABVP was represented by Senior Advocate Chetan Sharma, who was briefed by Advocate Namit Saxena.

Justice Rekha Palli then asked Standing Counsel for the Centre, Kirtiman Singh to look into the issue, and directed the CLAT administration committee to file their counter-affidavit within one week. The matter has now been posted on 30 May.

ABVP's Petition seeks the Court's intervention against the "inconsistent, negligent, sub-standard and inefficient implementation" of CLAT-2018, which was conducted on 13 May for granting admissions to Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate programs in the discipline of law offered at premier national law schools of India.

The Petition begins by highlighting the "mismanagement and incompetency" of the National Law Universities in conducting CLAT on rotational basis, and asserts, " From the past many years, due to the irresponsible behaviour of the universities who negate the hard work being put down by thousands of aspirants, which leads to dreams being tarnished by the mere inconsistencies and repeated mismanagement."

It then goes on to contend that this year's exam, conducted by the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, has been the worst conducted examination for entrance in National Law Schools till date.

It, therefore, alleges violation of fundamental rights of the appearing candidates before the Delhi High Court and demands that the exam be quashed and a fresh examination free from all hindrances be ordered.

The Petitioners also seek a thorough enquiry into affairs of CLAT 2018, along with a direction to the Union of India through Ministry of Law and Justice or through Ministry of Human Resource Development or any other autonomous organization like UPSC or SSC or BCI or CBSE to take over the conduction of CLAT.

Further, as in interim measure, it demands a stay on all further proceedings in CLAT, 2018, including the declaration of result. It also prays for restraining the CLAT committee for this year from tampering with any evidence of reported or unreported mismanagement.