Karnataka High Court Declines PIL Seeking Equal Qualifying Marks For OBC & SC/ST Students In KLSU 3-Yr LLB Admissions

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday disposed of a public interest litigation filed seeking to declare that the fixation of 42 percent minimum qualifying marks without gazette notification for OBC candidates for admission to the 3-year LLB course by Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) as illegal, arbitrary, and ultra vires.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha disposed of the petition filed by Yankappa R Sakre. It said “The petitioner's challenge to notification of KSLU cannot be faulted and the petition is accordingly disposed of.”

The petitioner had challenged the eligibility conditions regarding education criteria for admission to law colleges affiliated to the respondent KSLU. The said university had issued an admission notification dated 19-07-2025, for admission to the 3 years LLB course for academic year 2025-26.

The eligibility criteria specified in the said notification provided, candidates belonging to the other backward classes, should have obtained a minimum aggregate of 42 percent in qualifying examination. The said criteria was further relaxed for SC/ST candidates to 40 percent aggregate marks.

It was the petitioner's case that the education criteria for candidates belonging to OBC category should also be in parity with the minimum marks fixed for SC/ST candidates. It was also submitted that the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) has also fixed minimum criteria for 40 percent for candidates belonging to SC/ST as well as OBC category.

The bench referred to Rule 7 of Rules of Legal Education, 2008. It specifies the minimum percentage of marks for the qualifying examination for admission to LLB courses. Then it said “It is apparent from the plain reading that BCI can stipulate the minimum percentage of marks in qualifying examination but it cannot be below 42 percent marks for candidates belonging to OBC students and 40 percent for candidates belonging to SC/ST category.”

Thus it held “In the aforesaid view we are unable to hold the criteria of minimum marks of 42 percent for candidates belonging to OBC category, of admission to KSLU.”

It clarified that “The question whether any other college could specify a minimum threshold of marks in qualifying examination for candidates belonging to OBC category, may require examination.”

Case Title: YANKAPPA R SAKRE @ VENAKATESH R SAKRE AND Principal Secretary

Case No: WP 34065/2025

Citation No: 2025 LiveLaw (Kar) 400