NLSIU Bengaluru allowed to hold NLAT exam; results to be withheld till further notice: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru to hold its online exams tomorrow with a caveat that results or admission will not be declared till the pendency of the plea. The SC's order comes against the backdrop of the row over an online exam system that has been launched by the NLSIU this year keeping in mind the Coronavirus pandemic.

Former NLSIU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr R Venkata Rao has moved the SC expressing the plight of all the CLAT aspirants given the sudden withdrawal of the CLAT 2020 and the introduction of Online National Law Aptitude Test (NLAT) in its place.

The SC bench headed by Justice Bhushan issuing directions on the plea said, "NLAT may take place scheduled for tomorrow. No results shall be declared and no admissions to take place till the pendency of this plea."

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NLAT only 'temporary' assures NLSIU

The plea has argued that the NLSIU can not 'unilaterally' change the entrance exam system from CLAT 2020 to NLAT and has challenged NLSIU's notice dated September 3 for admission to the five-year BA LLB program for the academic year 2020-21.

During the proceedings, senior advocate Arvind Datar appearing for NLSIU had submitted that there was an urgency to complete the admission schedule in the backdrop of the pandemic adding that if the NLAT exam on Septemeber 12, for which all arrangements, was not held, the institute would lose 16 crores. The advocate also assured that the introduction of this new exam system was only for this year, keeping in mind the pandemic, adding that the institute would shift back to the CLAT system next year. 

"If admissions were not completed by September then the institute would have lost 16 crores by not admitting the 120 Under Graduate students and other Post Graduate students. CLAT was postponed thrice. The postponement was not ruled out in the emergency executive council meeting," the senior counsel added. 

The bench, while allowing the NLAT exam to be held tomorrow said, "You have already decided to hold the exams. Students are ready. Hold the exam, but no results can be announced till the pendency of the proceedings." The matter has been slated for further hearing on September 16.

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(With Agency Inputs; Image credits- PTI)