NLU Consortium assures Supreme Court on CLAT screen readers for PwD candidates

The Story in Brief

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has assured the Supreme Court that candidates with disabilities will be provided screen-reader software for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). The assurance came during a hearing of a plea by Yash Dodani, who argued that the application form does not have an option to indicate the need for screen readers. The Consortium said it is finalising a separate notification for PwD facilities, to be issued within two weeks. The court also noted that revised guidelines for competitive exams, prepared by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on August 1, 2025, are on hold pending wider consultation until December 31, 2026. The court directed that the consultation be completed at the earliest; the matter will be heard again in September.

Advocate Amar Jain, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the 2018 guidelines already allow assistive technology and should not hold up the provision. Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave said the revised guidelines, once finalised, will provide useful guidance to institutions. The court has asked for the consultation process to be expedited.