CLAT 2018: A third Petition filed in Rajasthan HC [Read Petition]

The Rajasthan High Court may soon hear a third petition against the conduct of CLAT 2018. Sixteen students who contend to have faced a host of technical and other difficulties in writing the exam this year have filed a writ petition at the Jaipur Bench of the Court.

While the Jaipur Bench had already issued notice in a similar petition last week, the Jodhpur Bench issued notice in yet another petition today.

The latest petition filed through Advocates Aditya Jain and Ravi Saini raises specific issues in relation to each petitioner. Broadly summed up, the cumulative list of complaints includes the following.

Technical glitches

• The exam did not start on time
• Questions did not appear on the screen
• Screen repeatedly froze during the exam
• The mouse did not work properly. One candidate has contended that she had to click a single tab ten times for it to respond.
• Clicking on the “Next Question” tabled to questions being skipped.

Poor Invigilation and general mismanagement

• Seats were not allotted in a systematic or pre-planned manner. Students were told to sit in any vacant seat.
• Invigilators were untrained to handle various issues
• Invigilators made false promises to some candidates that they would be given extra time.
• As a result of poor invigilation, many students were able to openly discuss answers
• As a result of the technical glitches, some of the petitioners were forced to change their computers as many as 3-4 times.

The petitioners have therefore prayed that the CLAT be re-conducted in a free, fair and efficient manner. Further, they have sought for an inquiry into the conduct of the officials at the Jaipur exam centres where the petitioners gave their exam. In the interim, a stay on CLAT results has also been sought for. The petition is likely to be taken up on May 25.

Read copy of Petition: