The Supreme Court today permitted a Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) candidate who is COVID-19 positive to write the exam today at an isolation centre.
Common Law Admission Test, CLAT 2020 is scheduled to be conducted today – September 28, 2020. A plea was presented in the Supreme Court challenging the SOPs laid out by Consortium which does not permit COVID19 positive patients to appear for the examination. Supreme Court has refused to permit the students but has conceded to make an exception.
Minutes before the beginning of the exam, a special petition was moved in the Supreme Court to permit students suffering from COVID19 to appear for the examination in isolation centre. Taking cognizance of the matter, Supreme Court has allowed the petitioner but refused to pass a blanket order ahead of the examination.
While passing the order, the apex court pointed out that the time was too less to discuss and pass a blanket order. The bench has, however, allowed the petitioner to appear for the examination from an isolation centre. The printout of the order would be taken to the exam centre and the candidate would be allowed to appear in isolation rooms.
The bench said, ‘Applicant should be permitted to take his CLAT examination on 28.09.2020 in a separate isolation room to be provided by his Centre Superintendent. The applicant shall ensure that downloaded copy of this order should be presented before his Centre Superintendent as early as possible by any other non-symptomatic person. On such order being produced, Centre Superintendent shall provide a separate room for applicant to appear in the examination.’
Advocate Garima Prashad and Avocate Sumit Chander appearing for the petitioners argued that there are many students but the court pointed out that there was no time as the examination is due to begin shortly. The consortium had released SOPs for conducting the CLAT examination which clearly state that COVID19 positive students would not be allowed to appear for the examination.
Read Order Here:
