CLAT-2018: SC refuses to stay counselling, admission process

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 6

A week after paving the way for declaration of results of the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2018, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the counselling process for admissions to 19 national law universities.

Around 54,000 candidates had undertaken the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2018 conducted by National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi on May 13 with the help of M/s Sify Technologies Ltd for admission to LL.B. courses.

While refusing to stall the counselling and admission process, a Vacation Bench headed by Justice AK Goel, however, made it clear that seat allotment for admissions shall be subject to the final outcome of the petitions challenging CLAT-2018.  

As advocates representing the petitioners requested the Bench to stop the counselling process, the Bench said: “We cannot stop it.”

The petitioners alleged technical glitches and gross mismanagement in the test held on May 13.

Meanwhile, a grievance redressal committee set up by NUALS to examine complaints filed by candidates, submitted its report to the Bench, which directed that copies of the report be given to the parties concerned and posted the matter for further hearing on June 11.

The Supreme Court had on May 30 rejected a plea for cancellation of CLAT-2018, paving the way for declaration of results that would form basis for admission to 19 top law colleges in India.

As many as 29 law aspirants had earlier moved the top court seeking cancellation of CLAT-2018, alleging gross mismanagement and technical glitches.

Contending that CLAT was a merit-based competitive examination, the petitioners had submitted that their rank would drastically vary even based on a score gap of one or two marks. In such a test with a limited time frame of 120 minutes, loss of time due to technical issues may render the entire effort of the petitioners futile.

The petitioners alleged that some candidates were given extra time on account of technical glitches, which amounted to violation of their right to equality and vitiated the idea of merit.

But the top court on May 30 rejected their demand to cancel CLAT 2018 and hold a re-test after senior Counsel V Giri, representing NUALS, had produced a report of the grievance redressal committee headed by Kerala High Court former judge Hariharan Nair regarding 162 representations made by candidates adversely affected by technical glitches and gross mismanagement. 

CLAT-2018 has been hitting headlines since May 13 with several petitions being filed against it in various high courts and the top court seeking its cancellation.