After directing the CLAT Core Committee to include TNNLS in the list of institutes participating in the counseling process, the Madras High Court recently asked GNLU to include TNNLS in the list of participating universities mentioned on the website. Currently, the website only mentions the names of fourteen universities as participants of the CLAT process.

The Madurai Bench of the High Court also asked GNLU, which is organizing this year’s examination, to send the list of candidates opting for TNNLS so that the new law school can complete the admission process.

The direction comes a few weeks after the CLAT Core Committee was directed to include TNNLS in the counseling process, a decision that the Core Committee could not make on its own despite several attempts by TNNLS.

Another institute that has been granted provisional inclusion is the DSNLU, Vishakapatnam although for all practical purposes, the “provisional” inclusion cannot be implemented this year. This is due to the fact that the provisional inclusion rests on the pre-condition that DSNLU reduce the number of seats reserved for those domiciled in Andhra Pradesh, a decision that requires amending the law establishing DSNLU.

Provisional inclusions apart, what is significant about the Madurai Bench’s interim order is the fact that it was passed while hearing a petition that seeks a nodal agency for monitoring and administering the CLAT examination. Given the fact that the CLAT Core Committee has been quick to adhere to the High Court’s directions, it will be interesting to see what the Core Committee decides to do should the High Court recommend the establishment of the nodal agency.