A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored, time-bound investigation into the alleged leak of the CLAT 2026 question paper and answer key. The Common Law Admission Test was conducted on December 7, 2025, and the petitioners have sought a re-examination if the allegations are found to be true.
The petition has been filed by a group of CLAT aspirants belonging to Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class, and Economically Weaker Sections categories. The plea raises concerns of serious prejudice and loss of equal opportunity due to the alleged leak of exam material ahead of the test.
Allegations of CLAT 2026 Question Paper Leak
According to the plea, videos, images, and messages circulated on social media platforms indicate that the CLAT 2026 question paper was accessed illegally before the examination. The petitioners claim that the material shared online prima facie suggests that the sanctity of the examination was compromised.
The plea states that on December 6, 2025, nearly 15 hours before the exam, images with date and time stamps began circulating. These posts allegedly included messages from individuals claiming access to the question paper and offering it in exchange for payment. The petitioners argue that the scale of circulation points to a systemic breach rather than isolated incidents.
Demand for Fairness and Re-Examination
The petitioners have emphasised that a level playing field is a fundamental requirement of any public competitive examination. They argued that if the allegations are proven, the entire CLAT 2026 process would stand vitiated, making merit a casualty.
The plea seeks a re-examination in case the court-appointed probe confirms the leak. It also stresses that failure to act swiftly may cause irreparable harm to deserving candidates who appeared for the exam fairly.
Urgency Cited Ahead of CLAT 2026 Counselling
Urgency has been highlighted in the plea due to the scheduled release of the first CLAT 2026 allotment list on January 7. The petitioners warned that if counselling proceeds and seats are allotted without an independent inquiry, students who benefitted from unfair means may secure admissions, displacing meritorious candidates.
The plea contends that once admissions are finalised, reversing the process would be extremely difficult and unfair to genuine aspirants.
Consortium Response and Grievance Redressal
After the examination, the Consortium of National Law Universities set up a grievance redressal portal to address complaints related to CLAT 2026. The committee is reportedly chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice M R Shah.
The petitioners claim that although several students raised concerns about the alleged paper leak through the portal, no enquiry report or official clarification has been released so far. This lack of transparency has further strengthened apprehensions regarding the integrity of the examination process.
Legal Precedents Cited in the Plea
The petition relies on Supreme Court judgments such as Tanvi Sarwal vs CBSE and Nidhi Kaim vs State of Madhya Pradesh. In the Tanvi Sarwal case, the Supreme Court cancelled the All India Pre-Medical Test after finding unfair practices and ordered a re-examination.
The plea argues that when an examination’s sanctity is compromised due to leaks or irregularities, the guarantee of equality under Article 14 of the Constitution is violated. The petition has been filed through Advocate-on-Record Mavika Kapila.
