The Common Law Admission Test’s (CLAT) counselling process needs to change, suggests hard-core CLAT tracker and IMS product head Rajneesh Singh, while emphasising that making errors in CLAT question papers and answer keys year on year is no less than a “serious crime”.

“CLAT never does a research on the past year experiences. Consequently they do not keep the correct dates of counselling and listing,” he observed.

The Bad

Commenting on the accuracy and quality of the question paper, Singh said:

1. Amazingly poor helpline facility. This has been a problem in every CLAT. Students and parents keep struggling to get their crucial and urgent queries answered. The reply to the mails took a month in most of the cases. The mentioned phone numbers were almost of no use. Interestingly this happened even when the work load at GNLU was very less. The pain and the frustration are huge. CLAT must take action on this.

Probable solution: An efficient call centre is the need. Hire/outsource and train 5-8 executives and make sure that they are always updated. A good and always updated website can solve lots of problems. An automated online helpline like Facebook has, can solve lots of high frequency queries.

2. I felt that had admin been more prompt in communication, whenever some confusion surfaced, the doubt and suspicion would have been much lesser. A very confidant and clear communication was required when doubts over the errors arose from every corner. For example the OMR which was uploaded had a very blurred image. It created major suspicions in everyones’ minds. The font size of the numbers varied, the ovals were shifted and the pink colour was missing. Actually, such cases happen when the bar code on the OMR sheets has a printing error. Even a 1mm shift can distort the image. I feel CLAT should have released a clarification on this.

3. The allotment lists again had errors. The categories were wrongly mentioned in the list. Although not serious ones, nevertheless listing requires lots of caution. It is super complex because of the huge varieties of quota seats.

Probable solution: Experienced experts must be in involved

4. Every year students and parents have to struggle a lot because of a faulty admission system. The communication gap due to redundant helpline makes it more frustrating. CLAT never does research on past years’ experiences. Consequently they do not keep the correct dates of counselling and listing.

Possible solution: The counselling needs to be redefined. There is no need to take out so many useless lists. First phase: the first counselling should be online around mid-June. One needs to pay one lakh INR to remain in counselling. There should not be any deadline for withdrawal of this amount. There should not be any cut. Depositing one lakh and keeping the money idle for more than a month itself is a sign of seriousness. The interest earned on the amount can be invested in CLAT reforms. The money should be refunded after the admission process is over and the student does not take final admission at any NLU. Second phase: Around 24^th June physical counselling for 3-4 days should be conducted. Third phase: Upgradations after the vacant seats are created can be done around 5^th July. 2^nd July can be the last date to take refunds.

5. Very little time was given for physical verification of OMR sheets. If CLAT was confident about the correctness of the result then there was no need to keep this so short.

The Good

Comparing the level of organisation by CLAT 2014 convenor GNLU Gandhinagar with organisers of the previous editions of the exam, he noted that GNLU’s biggest achievement was releasing the question paper and the answer key before declaration of the result, uploading the OMR sheet online, announcing the CLAT calendar in detail, introducing “a much improved online student page” as had bee done by 2011 organiser NUJS Kolkata, introducing the bar code system and being open to “objections and suggestions”.

“This was a big problem in 2012. CLAT tortured CLAT takers with wrong syllabus, wrong questions, wrong answers and wrong first list. But they never accepted their mistakes. Yes, they rectified the first list after being very rigid initially,” he said.

1. For the first time the question paper along with the answers were released before the results. This is a revolutionary initiation.

2. The OMR sheets were uploaded for the first time. NLU-D had started this facility few years back.

3. We must thank GNLU that they have been amazingly good in listening and considering to our demands. The answers got changed and the results were withheld. This has also happened for the first time. HNLU was also kind to accept some of the wrongly rejected application forms last year.

4. There was very clear communication right from the beginning. Most of the CLAT since 2008 has suffered from unclear/delayed communications. I was very pleased to read the first announcement by CLAT 2014 where it was mentioned that they are open for objections and suggestions. This was a big problem in 2012. CLAT tortured CLAT takers with wrong syllabus, wrong questions, wrong answers and wrong first list. But they never accepted their mistakes. Yes, they rectified the first list after being very rigid initially. The CLAT calendar was announced in detail. HNLU has also done that well.

5. There was a much improved online student page. NUJS had done that for the first time in 2011. It hardly had any errors. This is one of the best initiatives taken by GNLU. It will also force RMLNLU Lucknow to carry on the same for CLAT 2015 takers.

6. Overall a good CLAT paper. Although, this is still not the standard expected from CLAT. The CLAT core committee must discuss the objective and nature of the question paper.

7. Introduction of bar code system was a very good move and a welcome step towards making CLAT corruption free. Although the implementation was disastrous.

The Ugly

“The OMR which was uploaded had a very blurred image. It created a big suspicion in every one’s mind. The font size of the numbers varied, the ovals were shifted and the pink colour was missing. Actually, such cases happen when the bar code on the OMR sheets has a printing error. Even 1mm shift can distort the image. I feel CLAT should have released a clarification on this.”

He also said that “very little” time had been given for the physical verification of the OMR sheets.

1. The wrong questions and answers continued. It is unimaginable to believe that CLAT does this every year. This is a serious crime. It is also a shame on us, as Indians, to accept such crime.

2. The wrong results were accepted initially. GNLU must be thanked for rectifying this. But, no one can deny that this is an unpardonable act. God knows, how incorrect the previous CLAT results were?

3. Questions were copied again from websites. This is also a reason for the poor quality of questions. Shame on CLAT! Do not you have a capability to frame some fresh questions? Are you not serious about picking up the best talent?