BCI Backs Plea To Hold CLAT 2024 In Indian Languages

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has informed the Delhi High Court that organising the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) in languages other than English could extend opportunities to a wider array of individuals to participate in the exam and pursue a legal career.

The foremost governing body for the legal profession conveyed its stance through a sworn statement submitted in reply to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) requesting that the CLAT 2024 be conducted not only in English but also in regional languages.

BCI has expressed its "endorsement" of the matter raised by Sudhanshu Pathak, a law scholar from Delhi University.

Currently, the CLAT, overseen by the Consortium of National Law Universities, is administered exclusively in English, with the CLAT-2024 slated for December 2023.

The petitioner, in their PIL, contends that the CLAT (UG) exam unfairly "disadvantages" students whose educational backgrounds are rooted in regional languages, and that it fails to offer an equitable platform.

The BCI's affidavit stated, "The Bar Council of India supports the petitioner's plea to conduct the CLAT examination in languages other than English, as this modification would open doors for a larger segment of the nation's populace to participate in the test and pursue a career in law."

In response, the BCI clarified that, as per the Legal Education Rules, English is mandated as the medium of instruction for both the integrated five-year and three-year law courses. However, institutions are granted the flexibility to provide instruction in languages other than English.

For instances where legal education is not delivered in English, students are required to undertake an obligatory English course, the BCI added.

Additionally, the BCI revealed that the All India Bar Examination is offered in 23 languages, encompassing English, Hindi, and various regional languages.

The Consortium of National Law Universities conveyed to the high court that preparations for the impending CLAT-2024 are well underway. It cautioned that an immediate court order compelling the inclusion of additional language options for the current year, without due deliberation and assessment, could lead to considerable administrative and operational challenges.

The consortium highlighted the establishment of an expert committee comprised of vice chancellors from five member NLUs (National Law Universities) to scrutinize the feasibility of incorporating additional languages, apart from English, into the CLAT examination. The committee aims to devise a comprehensive roadmap after examining the perspectives of stakeholders and potential obstacles.

The consortium, in its response to the petition, noted that the expert committee convened its inaugural meeting on June 25 and delineated specific aspects concerning the subject matter.