Breaking:Supreme Court to hear CLAT Age limit challenge on Monday

The petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the age limit prescribed for this year’s Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) are likely to be heard this coming Monday.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde mentioned the matter before Chief Justice JS Khehar, citing urgency, since the exam is scheduled to be held on May 14.

Khehar J. had a brief discussion with his brother judges before agreeing to list the matter on Monday, February 20.

The decision to adopt the age limit for this year’s exam stems from a Bar Council of India notification passed in September, which claimed that Clause 28 of Schedule III, Rule 11 of the Rules of Legal Education, 2008 stood “revived”. That rule imposes an age-limit for entry into law courses.

Earlier, the Court had issued notice in the petition filed by one Rishabh Duggal challenging the age-limit.

A little over a week ago, an orphan IDIA Scholar had impleaded himself in the petition. In his application, he had revealed the harsh circumstances he had persevered through, before deciding to pursue law. He was being trained by IDIA to crack this year’s CLAT, when the BCI through its circular affirmed the age-limit of 20 years for entry into the 5-year BA.LL.B. course. This prompted him to approach the apex court.

The Allahabad High Court recently issued notice to CNLU, Patna, the organisers of this year’s exam in a similar challenge. Last week, the High Court allowed the petitioners to apply for the exam disregarding the age-limit, subject, of course, to the outcome of the petitions in the apex court.