The Consortium of National Law Universities Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), 2020 has announced the final date for the conduct of the examinations. The Consortium has scheduled the exam on August 22, 2020. The exam shall be a computer-based, online, center-based test. Explicitly, the exam stands postponed for the fourth time.
Being that, the Executive Committee of the Consortium held a meeting on June 29, 2020 to discuss the impact of the lockdown and subsequent restriction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on the effective and smooth conduct of CLAT 2020.
Computer-Based, Online, Center-Based Test
The latest notification released by the Consortium stated :
“An off-line test, as initially contemplated, would require large scale movement of students to limited centres, and significant logistics in the handling of question papers and answer scripts, which is not possible during the prevalent pandemic conditions.” Alternatively, the meeting ruled out the online-test at-home option, citing it to be unfair, inequitable and, non-transparent. Hence, it concluded:
“An on-line test at a large number of centres compliant with physical distancing and public health safety prescriptions is in the best interests of the health and safety of candidates and test administrators.”
To this effect, the Consortium of the NLUs announced the following modifications:
- On July 1, 2020 the candidates shall be informed of the full list of examination centres. Additionally, the candidates may either select or reconfirm their desired centre.
- After the perusal of the list, the candidates may withdraw their candidature before July 10, 2020. In that case, the Consortium shall reimburse their registration fee before July 18, 2020. However, the same shall include a deduction of INR 400 for SC/ST category and INR 500 for others.
- The deadline for registration for CLAT 2020 has been extended to July 10, 2020.
- Although there shall be no new pattern change in question paper for the undergraduate programme, Descriptive Section for the LLM candidates has been scrapped.
Social Distanced Computer-Based Testing (SD-CBT)
As a result, the CLAT 2020 looks forward to use the SD-CBT Model in the upcoming pre-eminent examinations. As maintained by the Consortium, “the model will enable a rapid restart of assessments with due compliance to social distancing norms and other key precautions to be taken to ensure prevention of virus spread.” Therefore, the aforementioned method is brimful with guidelines; from crowd-management to ensuring that candidates with high temperatures (>99.14) are able to take the exam.
For the first time, the candidates stand allowed to carry things except for a pen and necessary documents. This list includes masks, gloves, personal transparent water bottles and, personal hand-sanitizer. The Consortium has informed of an isolation lab for candidates with fever or COVID symptoms.
In fact, the consortium created the model using the feedback and guidance of prominent health experts. As stated by the notification, this model shall help in effectively mitigating the spread of the virus or related illnesses. Hence, ensuring that the safety and interest of the students remains the highest priority.
To read the detailed official notification regarding CLAT 2020 exam dates, click here.
To read the official notification on medical precautions, click here.
