CET for law aspirants in Maharashtra from 2016-17

In a first, law aspirants will have to clear a common admission test (CET) for entry into law colleges across the state from next academic year.

The state government’s department of higher and technical education has issued a government resolution (GR), announcing a centralised admissions process for both three-year LLB course, pursued after graduation, and five-year BLS LLB course, pursued after Class 12, from the academic year 2016-17.

The state has made the commissioner, state common entrance test, as the authority responsible for conducting the examination.

The announcement comes close on the heels of a recent government notification declaring law as a professional course. The centralised process will include more than 100 government, non-government aided, unaided and permanent non-grant institutes under state higher education department.

The teachers have welcomed the decision. “If the centralised admission process is brought into effect, the law aspirants won’t have to go from college to college to seek admission,” said NM Rajadhyaksh, principal, New Law College, Matunga.

“It has been a long-awaited decision, which will help bring down the number of students who are not interested in practising law after graduation,” said a lecturer from Thane Law College.

Rajadhyaksha believes otherwise. “Many of these students who don’t plan on practising law are simultaneously pursuing other professional courses. They happen to be more brilliant than other law aspirants. I am afraid, their number will increase, as they are likely to dominate the CET,” he suggests.

The students, meanwhile, have mixed reactions about the move. “The CET will provide an opportunity for students to prove their worth before seeking admissions in law courses,” said Komal Phadtare, an LLB student at Ambedkar Law College.

“The test wasn’t really necessary. It will create more trouble,” said Sachin Pawar, a student from New Law College.

Source: Hindustan Times