SC Flags Errors in CLAT 2025 Question Paper, Directs Consortium to Release Revised Merit List

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is one of the most crucial exams for aspiring law students in India. For years, it has been the gateway to National Law Universities (NLUs) across the country, offering a chance to secure a place in some of the best law colleges in India. However, the CLAT 2025 examination has recently found itself embroiled in a legal controversy that has left many students waiting for clarity.

Supreme Court of India has stayed the Order of the High Court

In a significant development for CLAT UG 2025 aspirants, the Supreme Court has stayed the Delhi High Court’s directive asking the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) to revise the CLAT-UG 2025 merit list. The stay came in response to a Special Leave Petition filed by the Consortium, challenging the High Court’s ruling in Shivraj Sharma v. Consortium of NLUs, 2025 SCC OnLine Del 2589.

The High Court had earlier directed a revision of the final merit list based on alleged errors in the question paper Sets B, C, and D. It had found that discrepancies during the publication of these sets unfairly affected candidates’ scores and held that students should not be penalised for errors committed by the Consortium. Accordingly, the court had ordered a re-evaluation and republishing of the final list within four weeks.

However, a Division Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih issued an interim stay and scheduled the next hearing for 5th May 2025. The Supreme Court also instructed the Consortium to publish a notice on its official website informing candidates about the ongoing legal proceedings and the pending appeal.

This interim relief brings temporary clarity to aspirants awaiting admissions.

SC Flags Errors in CLAT 2025 Question Paper, Directs Consortium to Release Revised Merit List

The Supreme Court has expressed serious concerns over the CLAT Consortium’s handling of the exam and the quality of its questions. Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih pointed out that mistakes were made in framing the questions, which affects the future of thousands of students. The Court has directed the revision of the merit list and ordered changes to certain answers. 

Several questions were scrutinized and some were deleted while others had their answer keys updated: 

• Question 56: The answer key mistakenly indicated that only the state has a duty to protect the environment. The Court ruled that citizens also share this duty. Thus, answers (c) and (d) will now be awarded marks. 
• Question 77: The Court disagreed with the Delhi High Court’s decision to delete this question. Students who answered (b) correctly will be awarded marks, even though some believed prior knowledge of the Contract Act was necessary. 
• Question 78: No changes here! The answer regarding void agreements (option c) was upheld. 
• Questions 85 and 88: Both were deleted as the Court found no significant difference between them. 
• Questions 115 and 116: These questions were deleted as they required detailed mathematical analysis, which is not expected in objective-type exams. 

The question numbers are as per the master booklet 

The Final Judgement Of Delhi High Court 

The Delhi HC has directed the Consortium of NLUs to revise the CLAT 2025 Results within 4 Weeks. 

The CLAT 2025 Revised Result Date has not been announced yet. However, this means that CLAT 2025 Counselling will not begin before the end of April.

Revised CLAT 2025 Scores and Ranks

The CLAT scorecards and merit list for 2025 will undergo further revision due to the court's order. This change may result in:

• Modifications to the All India Ranks (AIR) of candidates and updated National Law University cutoffs
• Potential adjustments to the allocation of seats during CLAT counselling
• After the Consortium releases the corrected results, candidates are encouraged to redownload their scorecards.

The Background of the CLAT 2025 Controversy

CLAT 2025 was conducted in December 2024, with both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) exams being held simultaneously. The results were declared soon after, but the process has not been smooth sailing. Several students raised concerns about flaws in the exam, alleging discrepancies in the CLAT 2025 question paper. These discrepancies led to a series of petitions filed in various high courts across India, demanding that the results be revisited.

In February 2025, the Supreme Court consolidated all these petitions and transferred them to the Delhi High Court for a unified resolution. Since then, the court has been hearing arguments from both sides, with the case now extending over several days, adding uncertainty to an already stressful situation for the candidates.

April 7: A Crucial Hearing

On April 7, 2025, the Delhi High Court took up the case and made some important observations. The bench, which consisted of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, pointed out that at least one question in the CLAT UG 2025 paper should be scrapped. This decision came after reviewing a petition that claimed some questions in the exam were incorrect. The court highlighted the urgency of addressing these issues as soon as possible, as the ongoing delay was affecting the admission process for NLUs.

The court’s suggestion was to divide the hearings into two parts: one focusing on the UG exam and the other on the PG exam. This would help speed up the process, especially for undergraduate candidates who were anxiously awaiting the counselling process. This decision is critical as many students depend on the counselling process to secure their admissions to law schools.

April 8

The Delhi High Court continued to review the petitions challenging the results and the question paper. 

The court has also raised concerns about the overall quality of the question papers, stressing the importance of having better-qualified paper setters. These concerns point to the need for a thorough academic review process to ensure that such errors do not occur in future exams.

The Question Paper Controversy: Why Was It Challenged?

One of the main points of contention in the CLAT 2025 controversy revolves around alleged errors in the question paper. Some of the questions were deemed to be poorly framed, leading to confusion among candidates. For example, one question, related to homelessness, was found to be "wrongly formulated," as admitted by Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, representing the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). Experts consulted by the Consortium had conflicting opinions about the validity of the question, further fueling the controversy.

This has led the Delhi High Court to suggest that the Consortium should work towards ensuring a more rigorous selection process for paper setters in the future. The court has emphasized the need for a better academic review process to avoid such errors, which can seriously affect the candidates.

April 9

The arguments continued and the court observed.

During the hearings, the Bench expressed concern over the recurring issues with question-setting and their potential impact on students' future prospects. Justice Gedela noted that the court's role was not to rewrite the exam but to ensure fairness. Chief Justice Upadhyaya also stressed the need for the Consortium to improve the quality of question-setting, given the repeated nature of these problems in recent years. The court's observations pointed to the importance of maintaining fairness and transparency in the exam process to uphold students' trust.

What Does This Mean for Students?

For candidates awaiting the outcome of the CLAT 2025 controversy, the next few days could be a game-changer. The stay order by the Supreme Court will have a direct impact on the counselling process and the release of the merit list. As the Delhi High Court now has it, but it has been stayed by the Supreme Court on revising the results, students may have to wait longer for the final merit list, and the counselling process could be reshuffled.

Students who have already begun preparing for the next steps in their education are anxiously awaiting the CLAT 2025 Revised Results, as it will determine whether their scores and rankings in the exam will stand or need to be recalculated. The entire situation has created a cloud of uncertainty, but the court’s prompt action has helped bring about a resolution.

CLAT 2025 Results and Merit List

As the Supreme Court has stayed Delhi High Court Order, the results will be delayed, and the Consortium of NLUs will not release the official CLAT 2025 revised results & merit list anytime soon. This list will feature the names and ranks of candidates who are eligible for counselling and seat allotment. The results are based on the final answer key, and if there are any changes, the merit list could be revised accordingly.

Conclusion: A Critical Time for CLAT 2025 Aspirants

As the Supreme Court has stayed the High Court Order, CLAT 2025 aspirants are in a waiting game. The outcome of the Supreme Court's decision will play a vital role in determining the future of the admission process for National Law Universities. Students who have already appeared for the exam and are eagerly awaiting their chance to pursue law studies can only hope that the court’s decision will bring clarity and fairness to the process.

The controversy surrounding CLAT 2025 underscores the importance of transparency and fairness in the examination and admission process. While the delay has been frustrating for many candidates, the focus now is on ensuring that such discrepancies are addressed so that future CLAT exams are conducted smoothly without compromising the integrity of the system.

The CLAT Revised Results can be out any day. Keep an eye on official updates, and stay informed to ensure that you are well-prepared for whatever comes next.