CLAT 2018: Unsatisfied with testing method, SC directs MHRD to take penal action against NUALS

NEW DELHI, JUNE 14: The Supreme Court, in an order on June 13, reprimanded the National University of Advanced Legal Studies Kochi (NUALS) on the way it held the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) on May 13, 2018. The SC bench of Justices UU Lalit and Deepak Gupta also asked the Union Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) to appoint a committee to look into the irregularity and take appropriate measures including penal actions against the exam conducting body.

The apex court order, which came exactly after a month of the national-level law examination, sternly pointed out that the court was not at all satisfied with the way examination was conducted. The Supreme Court also marked that it was the duty of the conducting NLU to ensure proper facilities at the CLAT 2018 exam centres.

The Supreme Court order reads, “We must record that we are not at all satisfied with the way the examination was conducted. The body which was given the task of conducting the examination was duty bound to ensure facilities of uninterrupted UPS and generator facility. The record indicates complete inadequacy on that point.”

SC’s directions to MHRD

In addition to rebuking NUALS, the Supreme Court has also directed the Union Ministry of Human Resources and Development to appoint a committee to look into the irregularities.

“It is therefore directed to the HRD Ministry to appoint a Committee to look into the matter and take ‘appropriate remedial measures, including penal action’, against the body entrusted with the conduct of the examination,” the Court order read.

The SC also asked the MHRD to ensure that no such instances are repeated in future editions of CLAT. The Court also observed that the tradition of giving the responsibility of the conduct of CLAT to different NLUs every year needs to be revisited.

The Court further stated that the fees candidates had to shell out were 'far in excess' compared to the amount spent on the testing process by the exam conducting body.

The SC asked MHRD to get the special committee report on all the issues within three months.

Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the petitions pending in various High Courts were directed to be disposed of.