The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to grant interim relief to a Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) PG candidate who challenged the Rs 20,000 upfront counselling fee charged by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs), terming it “exorbitant” and discriminatory.
Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta, while hearing the plea, issued notices to the Consortium of NLUs, the Bar Council of India (BCI), University Grants Commission (UGC), the Ministry of Education, and other respondents, seeking their replies by July 2. However, the court did not permit the petitioner to bypass the payment requirement for the upcoming round of counselling.
Appearing for the petitioner, the counsel submitted that his client was unable to participate in the second round of counselling held on June 20 due to the mandatory Rs 20,000 deposit, despite having already paid a refundable Rs 30,000 for the first round. “This is the only exam in the country that imposes such a heavy financial burden on candidates. Many students are unable to afford participation in multiple rounds,” he argued.
The petitioner had sought an interim order allowing participation in the third round of counselling scheduled for July 4 without paying the additional Rs 20,000. He contended that the current fee structure was arbitrary, discriminatory, and disproportionately high, preventing economically weaker students from availing counselling opportunities.
The matter will be heard next on July 2
