SC to pass order on Sept 21 on plea against decision of NLSIU Bengaluru to conduct NLAT-2020

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday said it would pronounce its order on September 21 on a petition which has challenged the decision of National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, to conduct its separate entrance examination NLAT-2020.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan reserved its order on the plea filed by former NLSIU vice chancellor Professor R Venkata Rao and a parent of the aspirant. The apex court had on September 11 given its go ahead to NLSIU, Bengaluru to hold its separate exam, which was to be held on September 12, but restrained it from announcing the results and admitting any student till the pendency of the plea.

The bench had said that it is an important matter which needs to be decided. It had issued notice to the university and its vice chancellor Professor Sudhir Krishnaswamy and sought their response on the plea. The plea has termed holding of separate examination as "manifestly arbitrary and illegal decision".

NLSIU created unprecedented uncertainty

The NLSIU action has created an unprecedented uncertainty and has imposed an onerous burden and obligations upon thousands of aspirants, who are now uncertain about the future course of action, the plea has claimed.

It has said such a unilateral decision to hold National Law Aptitude Test (NLAT) as entrance exam to the university was taken without any application of mind, “thereby completely prejudicing the students at the final hour and has put their career at jeopardy for purely whimsical reasons”.

The plea has claimed it is apparent that the decision is solely directed at creating an “elitist institution” which caters to those who are able to afford to take the test, while “completely ignoring the aspirations of poor, marginalized, and less privileged candidates”. It has sought quashing of notification for admission to the five-year integrated BA, LLB (Hons.) programme, 2020-21 read with the press release on NLSIU Admissions 2020-21 dated September 4, 2020.

“Through the impugned notification, the Respondent No. 1 University is in direct violation of the fundamental rights of the students who are desirous of gaining admission into the Respondent University, especially during the current and ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic,” it said.

Alternative Admissions Process

It further said that an executive council of NLSIU at its 91st meeting unanimously authorized the university to develop an alternative admissions process in the event that CLAT 2020 was further postponed due to the pandemic. “However, it is respectfully submitted that the Executive Council of the Respondent No. 1 University did not have any such powers vested in it and therefore meeting of the Executive Council for this very purpose was illegal and without any basis under its own bylaws,” the plea has said.

The impugned notification provides that the NLSIU shall not accept the scores of CLAT 2020 for admission to academic year 2020-21 and an examination called NLAT be conducted online. “The sudden and capricious decision of the NLSIU has not only thrown the aspirants of CLAT 2020 into frenzy and in a state of fear and confusion, it has also severely jeopardized the position of the university in the Consortium.

Due to the whimsical conduct of the University, the children are put to extreme pressure and mental stress,” the plea has said.

Also, read:

• NLAT 2020 by NLSIU Bengaluru: Plea in SC challenges Jharkhand HC order
  
• NLSIU refutes NLAT 2020 paper leakage claims; says integrity of test not compromised

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