The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2015 expert panel, which was formed twice to examine alleged errors in the CLAT 2015 question papers, was composed of secret members. CLAT 2015 convenor RMLNLU Lucknow rejected a right to information (RTI) request for the names of the members of the panel which had dismissed allegations that one-fifth of the CLAT 2015 LLB paper was error-ridden.
RMLNLU, through its joint registrar Dr JD Gangwar, replied on 13 July to a 29 June RTI by Alok Ratnoo, refusing to disclose the names of the expert panel members and also stating that “grievances received [on CLAT’s email ID ] within a specific time were looked in” by the panel.
RMLNLU had formed the expert panel twice. It formed the panel once two days after CLAT declared results for the first time and candidates and CLAT experts alleged up to 40 errors in the LLB paper and 16 errors in the LLM paper. The first panel reported that there were six errors in the LLM paper and only two errors in the LLB paper.
Several writs were filed by candidates dissatisfied with this report and pursuant to the Bombay high court’s order in a writ before it, RMLNLU formed the expert panel for the second time. But the convenor did not notify about the formation of this expert panel on CLAT’s website, and before the timeline given in the Bombay high court’s order could lapse RMLNLU announced on the CLAT’s website that the CLAT admission process for 2015 stood closed.
RMLNLU then reported to the Punjab & Haryana high court in a sealed cover that the second expert panel had found that none of the dozens of alleged errors in the CLAT 2015 papers were in fact errors. The P&H HC judge looking at the sealed cover objected to this report observing that even he could make out at least one error in the LLB question paper.
RMNLU Lucknow did not even notify the result of the second expert panel’s examination on the CLAT’s website.
Gangwar had told Legally India in a phone interview after the first expert panel was formed that he couldn’t reveal the names of the panel members to protect them from being contacted individually by stakeholders, about various errors.
In the same interview he had claimed that RMLNLU was committed to the cause of transparency during CLAT 2015, but later rejected an RTI asking for a copy of the three MoUs signed between CLAT NLUs since 2007. An older RTI later revealed that the earliest of the three MoUs had already been publicly disclosed three years ago by then CLAT convenor HNLU Raipur.
Comments
ALL THE BEST
[EDITOR's NOTE: For the avoidance of doubt, it should be obvious that this comment was NOT written by the RMLNLU registrar JD Ganwar.]
ALL THE BEST[/quote]
SHAMELESS COMMENT......
The earlier one starts preparing,the better it is for him/her.
(BTW, have you heard of that ancient Indian tradition when sants, saadhus, and munis used to go into a divine state of maun vrat?)
And how do you propose to win the war against CLAT 2015 -- by quickly agreeing on everything with Shri JD Gangwar, by urging others that everything is over, and by suggesting them to start preparing for the next year's CLAT?
In the best interest of our kids,allow them to prepare well for neXt CLAT,as next year CLAT2016 may present bigger surprise,who knows!So,it is prudent to ensure that nothing such happens in next CLATs by uniting and take up a case of forming an independent board who will conduct CLAT 2016 onwards.I am a person who do'nt look back,I look forward.Its upto you to decide what you wish.
We often read that our honoured senior judges many times take suo moto notice of such wrong doings and move PIL in the supreme court. The national media and the powers which govern may not look beyond immediate benfits and risks but one wishes that someone in the hallowed portals of supreme court will stand up and be counted to assure a score of honest clat 2015 applicants that everything is not lost.
Will some one read and act please
All I feel(of course this is my personal view)that instead of going again and again against the CLAT 2015 committee and venting out our anger and frustration,writing same old stories about how some students lost out,how arrogant CLAT Committee is, isnt it better to start preparing for CLAT 2016?Such irregularities(if any) will keep happening in India(Will the guys who did chara ghotala,Sarada ghotala,Salman Khan bail out and thousands of other such ghotala ever get punishment?Never.)
So,the best is to prepare for CLAT 2016.Or else,do not study law at all in India if you can afford.
Amit
Because, God forbid, if someday these highly respected experts do accidentally get discovered in a crowded Indian Bhendi Bazaar, the useless student community of India may start shouting: "Shiksha ke rakhwaalo'n ko..."
Why don't you complete the slogan?Scared?of whom?Let me assure you,no sensible student community will ever chant such a slogan in the Indian Bhendi Bazar.You have no faith in the expert committee-so what did you expect?They should have worked the way you wished?Come on.If the expert committee was formed at the advise of the HC and then RMNLU formed one,now the problem with you is to establish that they were wrong.Next time,if the judge in say a HC cannot satisfy your wishes,you may again say they were wrong.I myself lost out this year but no way I am willing to challenge the expert committee,that's not correct.
With best wishes and regards
The problem with most of us is that we wanted the expert committee to be formed under the guidance of the Hon.HC and then agreed to accept their views on the correctness of the questions and then wanted them to act as per our wish.Since they did'nt oblige we are upset.Why did'nt you ask for the names,qualifications,age etc of the members of the expert committee beforehand?Respect the expert committee which was formed by the Hon. HCs orders.By not doing so,you are indirectly insulting the HOn.HC.
Brgds
Subhash
'Brgds'
Not Subhash.
See,I am of the opinion that once the expert committee is formed we must accept their views.In fact,you will never be satisfied even after forming another "competent committee"unless they agree with your correct and wrong questions. Afterall,who are we to decide the correct and the wrong questions?The job was given to them by Hon.HC.And,let them do their job.We (and you)are not competent enough to say which questions were correct or incorrect.By following your wishes,CLAT has to first wind up and recruit you as the CLAT policy maker.
I certainly want to shake hands with you but will do so only when you try to find a real solution and eye on future CLATs .No point talking about CLAT 2015.It's a lost case dear.It's too late,the sooner you understand the better.Or else,you will develop hatred ,spit venom and get nothing in return.Why not think of CLAT 2016(To protect our loved ones)or CLAT 2017 and all future CLATs.
Someone in this forum has rightly suggested that instead of going to HC and then SC(which may not yield any result)let's join hands and take up the issue of forming a new examination body which will be independent of NLUs,which will be accountable and develop a credibility.That's my way of looking at it.I have also suffered but nowhere I see the people are looking for a real solution.Cursing CLAT,judiciary will be just a time pass.Let's stop all these and look for a solution so that our loved ones are protected and you will no longer require any more mask to cover up your identity.
Well, firstly you decide whether your name is Subhash or Subhas.
Secondly, this guerilla tactic of anonymity was started by none other than your respected expert committee. Why are they scared to disclose their names?
Thirdly, Subha, why don't you reveal your verifiable identity first with a full name, address and phone number? Come on, be brave!
Now what about you Mr. Shakespeare?Will you now?
We are unnecessarily wasting time and not looking at a solution for our kids who will perhaps again appear next year CLAT 2016 or 2017.CLAT bashing will lead us nowhere,you may continue with that but trust me it will only make your BP go up and result in nothing.Let's unite,make a forum and struggle to make the future CLAT free from such nasty episodes.
Legally India is an effective online forum that has upheld the ideals of free speech and democracy, and has taken it upon itself to fight this war against CLAT 2015 practically single-handedly in the media. It has remained unwavering in its commitment to create awareness and expose the rot in the system through this sordid drama of CLAT 2015.
Punishment is the prerogative of the judiciary, but exposing and shaming and raising a public debate is the duty of the media.
What is the hope from CLAT 2016, if the right lesson is not delivered in CLAT 2015?
The last word in the case of CLAT 2015 has not yet been said. If it has to end in injustice, so be it, but one must fight till the last word has been said in this fight.
Legally India has not stopped writing on CLAT 2015 till now -- and that's why you are still talking about it.
Surely, there are people who eagerly want you to forget CLAT 2015 and move on. But at least Legally India has not obliged them till now.
Secondly, in a democracy, no one needs an "authority" to speak on behalf of the multitudes.
It took India 200 years to fight for that one little word called "freedom" -- and justiceforclatapplicants2015 is merely exercising it.
I wish your ability to speak on behalf of multitudes bear some fruit!But,karke dikhao.
You don't need to challenge the committee! It wasn't the subject matter of the case. It was appointed to check the questions that were disputed. You need to challenge its report.
Further, names of paper setters or checkers are never disclosed. Rationale is that people shouldn't be able to influence them.
Now obviously the committee is wrong, and were set up to be 'yes men'. However this is conjecturing on my part.
Point fingers at the judges who let the matter roll long enough to become fait accompli.
"The rationale is that people shouldn't be able to influence them."
Anonymity is a much bigger incentive to be "influenced" -- because the fear of being exposed and shamed is eliminated.
Even your spouse will not know that you were the one who bartered away the country's soul for a few pennies.
Quit talking like a kid.
Answer: An expert committee is a committee of experts that takes 36 days to answer a few questions that it expects a 12th class student to answer at the rate of 36 seconds per question (200 questions in 120 minutes) -- and then manages to come up with the wrong answers.
1 Why Delhi? Why not Bangalore or...?
2. Ministry of Law! Institutes to which admission is sought are made by state legislature. How can the centre make law on the point! Federalism... Basic Structure...
See friends,we are unable to unite,that's the trouble.Why blame only CLAT,Judiciary,media and others.The problem is straight and simple.We can't unite.Regarding SC-who will fund ?and who will overlook the issue sitting in Delhi.What's the guarantee of a favourable judgement.Plus,classes in NLUs have started.No court will now disturb the students already enrolled.Perhaps,some 5-10% increase in seats is alright,in line with IIT/NIT.It appears its too late at this point of time.
A few weeks earlier, in June 2015, the same Bombay HC judge, Justice Anoop V. Mohta, had passed an order for the formation of a new Expert Committee to re-examine "JUST ONE" disputed question in the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test for Medical Courses (MH-CET).
The court said in that case that even one doubtful/disputed question was unacceptable, and hence it formed a new expert committee.
The MH-CET court-appointed expert committee was formed transparently -- and the head of that committee had a name -- Dr. T. Lahane, Dean of Grant Medical College, Mumbai.
This "non-secret" court-appointed committee quickly came to a conclusion that the disputed question was indeed wrong, and awarded one mark to all the affected students.
Justice was delivered to the students -- transparently and swiftly -- by the same judge of the Bombay HC -- just a few weeks before the much larger, national level CLAT 2015 dispute with multiple errors came before his Court.
True to his style, Justice Anoop V. Mohta, once again passed a comprehensive and highly praiseworthy order in the case of CLAT 2015, and asked for the formation of a second expert committee.
After that, suddenly the stage got shifted to the Punjab & Haryana HC.
What is happening over there continues to remain a complete mystery to the thousands of affected and anxious CLAT 2015 examinees as of now. There seems to be a total media black-out over it.
In the world's largest democracy, people have a right to know what is going on in such a case of national importance, and what is the interim or the final order of the Hon'ble Punjab & Haryana HC.
CONCLUSION
Right from the very beginning, this case of CLAT 2015 has had all the classic ingredients of being turned into an exemplary, game-changing case that can expose the deep rot that has set into the higher education system of our country -- provided at least one of the directly aggrieved parties is determined to go right up to the SUPREME COURT backed by at least one top-rated and equally determined lawyer.
(Reference of the MH-CET case: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/mhcet-2015-question-paper-dispute-solved/1/444275.html)
They weren't stopped from covering, they just weren't interested.