The court's decision emphasized the importance of interpreting legal provisions in the context of public interest and the larger objectives of maintaining discipline and fairness in educational admissions.

Arun Mishra, J.

1. The writ petitions have been filed by the petitioners to challenge validity of eligibility criteria in respect of the age prescribed for the candidates of OBC category not to be more than 20 years for the purpose of Common Law Admission Test, 2010 (hereinafter referred to as 'CLAT').

2. The petitioners have been debarred from appearing in examination being more than 20 years of age.

3. Facts are being referred to from W.P. No. 5817/2010. It is averred in the petition that the petitioner belongs to OBC category, her age is 22 years. She has claimed that she is entitled for the same benefit as given to SC/ST category candidates, for whom the age has been prescribed to be 22 years. The National Law Institute University, Bhopal has fixed the age limit for general and OBC category candidates to be 20 years whereas for SC/ST category candidates, the age has been prescribed to be 22 years. It is submitted that prescribing the age limit differently for the candidates belonging to OBC and SC/ST categories, is against the provisions of Rashtriya Vidhi Sansthan Vishwavidyalaya Adhiniyam, 1997 (hereinafter referred to as "Adhiniyam, 1997") by which respondent No. 2 University is governed. Different age could not have been prescribed for the candidates belonging to SC/ST category and OBC category, as they stand on the same footing. CLAT, 2009 was conducted by NALSAR University of Hyderabad wherein the age limit for SC/ST and OBC category candidates has been prescribed 22 years. Section 18 of Adhiniyam, 1997 has been relied upon, in which same meaning has been given to SC/ST and OBC category candidates as assigned to them in the M.P. Public Service (SC/ST & OBC), Reservation Act, 1994, thus, respondents ought to have fixed the age limit for the OBC category candidates to be 22 years. The University cannot go beyond the statutory provisions. Petitioner has prayed that respondent No. 2 University be directed to change the eligibility criteria with respect to the OBC category candidates and to prescribe the age of 22 years. Petitioner be permitted to appear in the examination. By way of amendment, prayer has been made to quash order (P-7) dated 21-4-2010, by which petitioner has been debarred from appearing in the examination of CLAT, 2010.

4. In the return filed by respondent No. 2, it is contended that Convener CLAT has not been joined as a party to the writ petition. CLAT has taken a decision to fix the eligibility criteria for general and OBC category candidates in the light of the decision of Apex Court in Varun Bhagat v. Union of India, common examination system for all the National Law Schools has been advised, Memorandum of Understanding (R-2/1) has been reached on 23-11-2007. CLAT has been functioning efficiently for the past two years with one Common Entrance Examination and one Central Counselling System for admission in seven National Law Schools. The Memorandum of Understanding dated 23-11-2007 has been agreed upon by all the National Law Universities which are statutory body and running seven Law Schools. The Core Committee consisting of the Vice Chancellors of all the National Law Universities, shall have the power to decide and prescribe all the policies in respect of CLAT. Furthermore, power has been granted to the Core Committee of CLAT to monitor implementation of its decision from time to time. The Core Committee of CLAT in its meeting dated 8/9-11-2009 discussed the various agendas for CLAT as per resolution (R-2/2). Item No. 1 deals with the decision of Core Committee that maximum age limit for OBC category candidates would be the same as for general category candidates and thus the maximum age limit for OBC candidates was reduced from 22 years to 20 years. Accordingly, in the CLAT Brochure, 2010 criteria for OBC category candidates was mentioned to be 20 years as on 1-7-2010. The decision of Core Committee is equally binding upon all the National Law Universities who participated in CLAT examination.