The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) informed the Delhi High Court that it is likely to reassess its decision to use CLAT PG scores as a criterion for the recruitment of lawyers.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was also informed by the NHAI that the deadline for applications has been extended from September 10 to September 25.
These submissions were made in response to a plea contesting an NHAI notification that established CLAT-PG scores as a basis for lawyer recruitment.
After recording the NHAI counsel’s submissions, the court scheduled the matter for September 18.
According to the petition filed by Shannu Bahgel, a lawyer, a candidate’s score in the Common Law Admission Test 2022 (Post Graduate) (CLAT-PG) should not be used as a basis for public employment, as the test is designed solely to evaluate the merit of candidates holding an LLB degree who wish to pursue a master’s degree in law.
The petitioner argued that the intent of the selection process, as outlined in the August 11 notification, was not to facilitate the pursuit of a master’s degree in law but rather to provide legal professional services.
“There does not seem to be any reasonable or rational connection between the objectives intended to be achieved and the basis for merit preparation for such selection,” stated the petitioner.
The bench had previously noted that the purpose of the CLAT-PG examination is to evaluate merit for higher education, not for public employment.
The petitioner contested the NHAI’s August 11 notification, which sought to engage 44 young professional candidates based on scores obtained in CLAT 2022 and subsequent iterations of the post-graduate law admissions test.
He stated that CLAT PG scores should not serve as the foundation for selection in public employment and contended that the notification was “arbitrary and unreasonable” because it limited public employment to the NHAI solely for candidates who took the CLAT PG from the year 2022 onwards.
“The recruitment is confined only to those candidates who participated in CLAT 2022 and subsequent PG examinations, disregarding all other law graduates and practicing advocates who are otherwise fully qualified. The criterion of limiting selection exclusively based on CLAT 2022 onward (post-graduate) scores is arbitrary and irrational,” the plea asserted.
