Screen Readers for CLAT Candidates with Disabilities
The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has confirmed to the Supreme Court of India that it will provide screen-reader software to candidates with disabilities taking the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). This assurance was made during a hearing involving Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana.
Legal Proceedings and Plea Details
The case was brought to the forefront by a plea from Yash Dodani, who raised concerns about the accessibility of CLAT for persons with disabilities. Advocate Amar Jain, representing the petitioner, highlighted a critical issue: the CLAT application form currently lacks an option for candidates to specify their need for screen-reader software.
Jain urged the Supreme Court to mandate the inclusion of this option in the application process itself, stating, “The application form itself should provide PwD candidates the option of taking the examination using screen readers, which is currently not captured.”
Consortium’s Commitment to Accessibility
In response, the Consortium of NLUs informed the Court that they are finalizing a separate notification detailing the facilities available for PwD candidates, which would be issued shortly. The Consortium’s counsel assured the Court that candidates requiring screen-reader software would be accommodated, as was done in the previous year.
“Last year, all candidates who wanted scribes, either personal or from the pool organized by the examination body, were accommodated. Similarly, those who required screen-reader software were provided with it,” the counsel confirmed.
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Revised Guidelines and Government’s Role
The Court also examined the status of revised guidelines for conducting competitive examinations for persons with disabilities. Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, representing the Union government, informed the Court that the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities had prepared comprehensive revised guidelines as of August 1, 2025. However, their implementation is pending due to ongoing consultations with stakeholders.
Dave mentioned that while the consultation process is expected to conclude by December 31, 2026, the guidelines could potentially be issued earlier if the process is expedited.
Arguing for immediate relief, Jain noted that the existing 2018 guidelines already envision the use of assistive technology during exams, implying that the Consortium should not delay implementing screen-reader facilities based on new guideline consultations.
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Supreme Court’s Directions
The Supreme Court directed that the consultation for the revised guidelines be expedited, setting a deadline for completion by the end of September. The case will be revisited then, with the upcoming CLAT scheduled for December.
“That process should be completed at the earliest. Place it for consideration within September-end,” declared the Court.
