Mumbai: In order to complete the examination and admission process through Common Entrance Test (CET) for LLB, the Bombay High Court has directed all the educational boards to coordinate and complete the process to achieve the objectives of guidelines chalked out by the various University Grants Commission (UGC) and Bar Council of India (BCI) of providing minimum number of teaching days available to the students or otherwise.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne, on May 2, also refused to “dictate schedule of examination/declaration of results” noting that it would “render entire process havoc”.
“It would not be possible for the Court to dictate the schedule of examination/declaration of results and the dates of various rounds of the admission process. The Court cannot interfere with the schedule already fixed. Interference with the schedule, at this stage, would render the entire process havoc,” the bench said.
However, for future exams the HC has asked the CET cell and various boards to coordinate. “For future exam or admission process for the CET Cell and various boards to coordinate and complete the process so as to achieve the objectives of the various UGC and BCI guidelines of providing minimum number of teaching days available to the students or otherwise,” it said.
The HC was hearing a public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an associate professor of a law college Sharmila Ghuge highlighting delay and haphazard manner in the admission process for CET, which was introduced from 2016. She sought streamlining of the admission process to avoid delays in commencement of the academic year for the LLB (3-year) and BLS/LLB (5-year) courses.
Her plea sought that Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell) and Directorate of Higher Education be directed to expedite and adhere to the schedule for the upcoming MH-CET 2023 and declaring results on time and streamlining the admission process. She also sought that the University of Mumbai be directed to follow the rules of Semester pattern of 90 teaching days, grant study leave to students prior to examination days and release the exam time table 30 days prior to the date of examination.
However, counsels for the respective respondents argued that there are five boards operating in the State. Each board has a different date of declaration of result of Class 12 and unless their results are declared; further process of admission cannot be concluded.
The bench noted that the academic bodies have to consider all the relevant aspects, such as the eligibility of a student for admission to the law course, the marks to be obtained in the qualifying examinations, one of which is passing Class 12 examination.
Hence, the HC said it cannot dictate exam and results schedule but directed CET Cell and various boards to coordinate for streamlining future admission process.
