Observing that the Non-Resident Indian Sponsored (NRIS) category reservation is an affront to meritorious candidates, the Orissa High Court has called upon the Bar Council of India (BCI) and other stakeholders to revisit the process of admissions into the National Law Universities (NLUs).

Worthy students toil day and night to secure a seat in the NLUs by cracking the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). But NRIS students, by paying hefty donations, grab the seats of meritorious students, the court observed.

A Division Bench of Justice Sanju Panda and Justice SK Panigrahi said NRI sponsored candidates, who are very low-ranked in the merit list often get seats in the NLUs whereas the general candidates having secured better marks and placed higher in the merit list are denied admissions. “This is like reservation for the elite class; and this dubious category of reservation is unconstitutional,” the court said. The court further observed that the eligibility and selection under the NRIS category are “unregulated, illegal and arbitrary”. Quoting the Supreme Court judgement in the PA Inamdar case, the HC said admission under the NRIS category is given to less meritorious students just because they could afford to pay higher fees demanded by the universities.

“The consortium of NLUs, the BCI and all stakeholders involved in the process of (admission) should revisit the so-called NRIS quota and prepare a proper regulation and system.

Several studies reveal that the selection process under NRIS is quite vague, undefined and is based on inconsistent parameters,” the court said while disposing of a petition in this regard filed by one Ishika Patnaik.