Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has issued notice to the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLU Consortium) in response to a petition challenging the final answer key for the Common Law Admission Test Postgraduate Examination (CLAT PG) 2025. The Court has also granted interim relief, directing that all selections based on the disputed answer key will remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
“It is directed that any selection made by the respondent pursuant to the final answer key shall be subject to the final disposal of the case,” the Court stated in its order issued on Tuesday.
The plea was filed by Anam Khan, a CLAT PG 2025 candidate, who cited multiple grievances concerning the exam conducted on December 1, 2024. Khan alleged that the provisional answer key, released on December 2, contained “demonstrable errors,” including incorrect answers to 12 questions.
The petition further criticized the objection process, highlighting the limited one-day window provided for raising challenges, which closed on December 3. The petitioner also objected to the ₹1,000 fee per objection, terming it excessive, especially in light of the ₹4,000 examination fee.
The plea requested the suspension of the counselling process for postgraduate law admissions at National Law Universities (NLUs) until the matter is resolved.
Interim Relief and Court’s Observations
A vacation bench comprising Justice SG Dige and Justice Advait M Sethna granted interim relief by making the admissions process contingent on the case’s final decision.
The Court chose to entertain the petition, rejecting the NLU Consortium’s argument on jurisdiction. Advocate Uday Warunjikar, representing the Consortium, argued that the appropriate jurisdiction for the matter was the Karnataka High Court. However, the Court observed, “Since the petitioner had taken the examination at Government Law College in Mumbai, it is appropriate to entertain the petition.”
Parallel Controversies
CLAT 2025 has been surrounded by controversy, with challenges to the exam’s answer keys being raised across multiple courts. While the Madhya Pradesh High Court is hearing a similar plea concerning the PG examination, the Delhi High Court is addressing grievances related to the undergraduate (UG) exam.
The Supreme Court had earlier declined to hear the matter, directing the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional High Court instead.
The Bombay High Court will hear the case next on January 14, 2025, once the Court reopens after the vacation.
This development marks another chapter in the ongoing legal tussle over CLAT 2025, as aspirants await clarity on the way forward amidst allegations of procedural and substantive lapses.
