Former Vice Chancellor of NLSIU, Prof. (Dr) R. Venkata Rao and an aggrieved parent of a CLAT aspirant had moved to Supreme Court challenging the sudden withdrawal of NLSIU Bangalore from CLAT 2020, to hold a separate entrance test namely NLAT 2020.
Advocate Sughosh Subramyam have contended that such “unilateral decision” of NLSIU to hold a separate examination has thrown the aspirants of CLAT 2020 into a frenzy and is a serious violation of their fundamental rights, including the right against arbitrary actions of the State secured under Article 14 and the Right to Education and other concomitant rights under Article 21.
It was further contended that the move is solely directed at creating an “elitist institution” which caters to those who are able to afford to take the test and have the luxury fulfill other “absurd conditions” imposed by the University.
These petitions have been raised because NLSIU has released the technical requirements for taking NLAT 2020. The same mandates a computer system/ laptop with at least 1 Mbps bandwidth. The pleas contend that such requirements owes to an unreasonable obligation upon aspiring students. The decision has been taken without application of mind and while completely ignoring the aspirations of poor, marginalized, and less privileged candidates.
The decision of the University has created a state of fear and confusion among students and it has also severely jeopardized the position of NLSIU in the NLU Consortium. It is thus prayed that the NLSIU Admission Notice dated September 3 be quashed and the University be directed to admit students only through CLAT 2020 scores.
