The Delhi High Court on Monday, September 18, permitted the University of Delhi (DU) to admit students in its newly launched five-year integrated law courses based on their Common Law Admission Test - Undergraduate (CLAT-UG 2022) score only for the current academic year 2023-24.
While passing an interim order, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma took into consideration the fact that classes have started in all other universities for this year.
The bench also comprising Justice Sanjeev Narula was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against DU's decision to offer the LLB admissions solely on the basis of the CLAT-UG 2023 score, instead of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
"The matter requires consideration. However, for the present academic year, as in all the universities classes have already started, as an interim relief, the Delhi University is permitted to make admissions based on CLAT 2022 result (only for this year)," the bench ordered.
It was also observed by the high court that the matter involves a main issue, whether CUET should be mandatory for admissions in all central universities or if such varsities should have the liberty to make decisions in the matter of admission.
The plea moved by a student of Delhi University, Faculty of Law contended that the condition imposed for admission to the five-year integrated law courses at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi is "wholly unreasonable and arbitrary."
The petitioner argued that the condition lacks any intelligible differentia and has no rational nexus with the object of admission to the five-year integrated law courses at the Faculty of Law.
During the course of the hearing, the bench perused the affidavit filed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman pursuant to the court's earlier directions. As per UGC's submission, it has been resolved that CUET will be mandatory for admissions in all general degree programmes in central universities.
Further, Senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj was appointed amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter by the high court. The matter will be further taken up on November 23.
