Common Law Admission Test (CLAT)

Introduction

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) - an all India Law Entrance Examination , is an outcome of the initiative taken by the Human Resource Development Ministry and facilitated by the UGC as a sequel to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pending before the Supreme Court of India. According to MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), CLAT would be conducted on rotation as per the criterion of seniority by 14 National Law Universities (NLUs) for admissions to their under-graduate and post-graduate degree programmes (LL.B & LL.M).

The 14 participating NLUs in the order of their establishment are:

1. National Law School of India University, Bangalore (NLSIU)
2. National Academy of Legal Study & Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad
3. National Law Institute University, Bhopal (NLIU)
4. The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata (WBNUJS)
5. National Law University, Jodhpur (NLUJ)
6. Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur (HNLU)
7. Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar (GNLU)
8. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow (RMLNLU)
9. Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab (RGNUL)
10. Chanakya National Law University, Patna (CNLU)
11. National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi (NUALS)
12. National Law University, Odisha (NLUO)
13. National University of Study 6 Research in Law, Ranchi (NUSRL)
14. National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJA)

Candidates seeking admission to the Under Graduate (LLB) and Post Graduate (LLM) Programmes in the above mentioned Law schools must appear in Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). The admission is based on the rank of the candidate in the entrance examination.

The first CLAT Core Committee consisting of Vice-Chancellors of the seven participating NLUs at that time decided that the test should be conducted by rotation in the order of their establishment. Accordingly, the first Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) was conducted in the year 2008 by the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore.

Eligibility

Under-Graduate Programmes (LL.B)

To be eligible for under graduate programmes, a candidate should have obtained a Senior Secondary School/Intermediate (10+2) or its equivalent certificate from a recognised Board with not less than 45% marks in aggregate (40% in case of SC and ST candidates). Candidates who are appearing or have appeared in the 10+2 examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to appear in the test. However, such candidates are required to have passed the qualifying examination at the time of their admission and must be able to submit proofs in support of their claims.

Age Limit : Candidates must be less than 20 years of age of as on 1st July, of the year of admission.

Post-Graduate Programmes (LL.M)

To be eligible for graduate programmes, candidate should have obtained a LL. B/B. L. Degree or an equivalent degree from a recognized University with not less than 55% marks in aggregate (50% in case of SC and ST candidates). The candidates who have passed the qualifying degree examination through supplementary/ compartment and repeat attempts are also eligible for appearing in the test and taking admission provided that such candidates will have to produce the proof of having passed the qualifying examination with fifty-five/fifty percent marks, as the case may be, on the date of their admission or within the time allowed by the respective universities. The candidates who are appearing or have appeared in the qualifying degree examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to appear in the test.

For more details about the courses, eligibility, number of seats etc., candidates are advised to refer to the information provided by each of the Institutes in their respective websites.

Exam Pattern

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) for Under-Graduate Courses and Post-Graduate Courses is conducted every year in the month of May.

Under Graduate Programme:

The CLAT paper for under graduate programme will be of 2 hours duration with 200 multiple choice objective type questions carrying a total of 200 marks.

Subject areas with weightage:
English including Comprehension	40 Marks
General Knowledge/ Current Affairs	50 Marks
Elementary Mathematics (Numerical Ability)	20 Marks
Legal Aptitude	50 Marks
Logical Reasoning	40 Marks

The different subject areas of the exam

1. English Including Comprehension
   The English section will test the candidates’ proficiency in English based on comprehension passages and grammar. In the comprehension section, candidates will be assessed on their understanding of the passage given, its central theme and meanings of the words used therein, etc. The grammar section will focus on correction of incorrect grammatical sentences, filling of blanks in the given sentences with appropriate words, etc..
2. General Knowledge and Currents Affairs
   As far as general knowledge is concerned, the candidates will be assessed on their general awareness including static general knowledge. Questions on current affairs will test candidate’s knowledge on current affairs.
3. Mathematics
   This section will test candidate’s knowledge on elementary mathematics, i.e. mathematics taught up to Class X.
4. Legal Aptitude
   This section will test candidate’s interest towards study of law, research aptitude and problem solving ability. Questions asked may comprise of legal propositions/ principles and a set of facts to which the said proposition/ principle has to be applied to arrive at a most reasonable conclusion. Such propositions may or may not be ‘true’ in the real sense; yet the candidates will have to assume that the given propositions are true and answer the questions accordingly. An example of such legal proposition may be that any person who speaks in a movie hall and disturbs others who are watching the movie will be banned from entering any movie theatre across India for one year.
5. Logical Reasoning
   The purpose of the logical reasoning section is to test the candidate’s ability to identify patterns, logical links and rectify illogical arguments. It will include a wide variety of logical reasoning questions such as syllogisms, logical sequences, analogies, etc. However, visual reasoning will not be tested.

Post-Graduate Programme :

The entrance test for Post-Graduate Programme is held along with the entrance test for the B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) The 2 hour test carrying a total of 150 marks consist of two sections.

Long Essay Type Descriptive Questions (Covering Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence)	100 Marks (4 questions of 25 marks each)
Multiple-Choice Questions (Covering all compulsory law subjects prescribed by the BCI for the Under-Graduate Course except Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence)	50 Marks (50 questions of 1 mark each)

Note: For Under Graduate and Post Graduate exam, there shall be a system of Negative Marking wherein 0.25 mark will be deducted for each of the wrong answers to multiple choice questions.

Tie-Breaking
In the event of equal marks scored by two or more candidates in the CLAT, the tie will be broken by the following procedure and order:

• Higher marks in the section of legal aptitude in CLAT
• Higher age
• Computerized draw of lots

Application & Selection Procedure

Printed OMR Application Forms along with the CLAT Information Brochure will be made available at the designated branches of the State Bank of India (SBI) and in all the participating NLUs against the payment of a requisite amount (inclusive of test fee and bank charges). For purcahasing Application Form from the designated branches of SBI, fees can be paid through a ‘Challan’ by furnishing the required information about the candidate as specified in the 'Challan' form. For purchasing Application Form from the participating NLUs, the candidates can make payment either through ‘Cash’ or ‘Demand Draft’ drawn in favour of the Registrars of the concerned NLUs to be payable at the respective cities of their location.

Application for CLAT can also be made through online (www.clat.ac.in) including online payment of application fees and uploading of the passport size (3.5 x 4.5) photograph and scanned copy of the signature through electronic mode. Candidates applying online must visit and carefully read the instructions given in the CLAT website (www.clat.ac.in). The online payment can be made through net-banking, debit card, credit card, etc. In case of online application, the candidates will have to bear the additional transaction costs for remitting the fees online through payment gateways.

Duly filled-in OMR Application Form along with a copy of the Bank Challan/ Cash Receipt/ Demand Draft can be submitted to the Convener, CLAT, either in person or through registered/speed post. The relevant certificates/documents in support of one’s claim for admission are not to be submitted along with the Application Form. The original certificates/documents (as indicated in the OMR Application Form and specified in the CLAT Information Brochure) issued by competent authority are to be submitted to the allotted University/Institute only at the time of admission. 

Admission to UG Courses

The basic principle of admission to U. G. Courses through CLAT will remain the same, i.e. merit-cum-preference. The university-wise preferences obtained from the candidates through OMR Application Form and their CLAT Score and Rank will be taken into consideration to prepare the First Provisional Allotment List based on merit-cum-preference and the same will be made available to the respective participating Universities/Institutes. The University-wise Provisional Allotment List will be published along with the declaration of the result itself and the candidates will be asked to deposit an adjustable amount with the CLAT Office so as to reserve the seats allotted to them in a particular University/ Institute. Relevant certificates in original issued by competent authority in support of various claims made by the canddiates will be checked by the respective universities/institutes at the time of their admission.

A long list of waitlisted candidates (comprising around 20% of the total number of seats in all the 14 NLUs) will be issued along with the First Provisional Allotment List. Like the provisionally allotted candidates, the waitlisted candidates will also be asked to deposit the required amount with the CLAT Office so that they can be considered against the vacancies, if any, and can be allotted seats according to their merit and preference. The comprehensive list of waitlisted candidates will be prepared by drawing candidates proportionately from various categories such as General/ SC/ ST/ OBC/ Women/ PWD/ FFD/ NRI etc. both from the All India as well as State (Domicile) Merit Lists.

The waitlisted candidates genuinely interested in taking admission must deposit the required amount of fees so as to make themselves eligible to be considered against the seats that may remain vacant after the expiry of scheduled date and time specified for payment of fees by the candidates of the First Provisional Allotment List. The candidates (both allotted as well as waitlisted) who fail to deposit the required fees with the CLAT Office by the specified date and time will forfeit their right to be considered for admission in future and their names will be dropped from the CLAT Merit List for the purpose of admission. After the expiry of last date of payment of fees by the candidates belonging to the First Provisional Allotment List and Waiting List, CLAT office will make the final allocation to various Universities/Institutes based on the fees submitted by both allotted as well as waitlisted candidates. After depositing the required amount of fees with the CLAT office by the specified date and time, if the waitlisted candidates fail to get a seat in any of the Universities/Institutes due to non-availability of vacancy, the entire amount deposited by such candidates will be refunded to them without any deduction.
If the waitlisted candidates do not deposit the required amount of fees in adequate number for being considered against probable vacancies, if any, in future, and if such list of waitlisted candidates gets exhausted and some vacancies still remain thereafter, then a fresh provisional allotment list will be issued along with a waiting list. While the allotted candidates will be required to deposit the admission fee by a specified date and time so as to reserve their seats in the allotted universities/institutes, the waitlisted candidates will be asked to deposit the required amount of fees so as to make themselves eligible for consideration against the vacant seats in future, if any.

If a candidate at any stage of the allotment process wants to forego his claim for the next higher preference and wants to stay with and take admission in the allotted University/Institute, he/she will be given the option to do so; but only once. To exercise this option, the candidate will have to apply through email (helpdesk@clat.ac.in) to the Convener, CLAT, within the prescribed time limit. However, this option exercised once by the candidate will be treated as final and irrevocable, and the candidate will be deemed to have been admitted in the University opted as such by him/her.

The candidates allotted to various Universities/Institutes under the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Actual Allotment Lists will be required to approach the allotted Universities/Institutes and complete the admission formalities by submitting the required certificates/documents and the balance amount towards the admission fees. The candidates who are allotted seats under the 4th Actual Allotment List will be required to complete the admission formalities. The certificates/documents produced in support of a candidate’s eligibility for admission under specific categories will be checked by the respective Universities/Institutes at the time of admission. The candidates failing to satisfy the eligibility requirements will not be allowed to take admission and the vacancy thus created will be reported to the CLAT office for filling it up with candidates next in the merit list. Hence, the candidates seeking admission under various categories – especially those belonging to the reserved categories such as SC/ ST/ OBC/ PWD/ FFD/ NRI and the General category candidates seeking admission under State Domicile category – should obtain in advance the relevant and authentic certificates/documents from the competent authorities and produce the same at the time of admission.

Those candidates who fail to report to the Universities/ Institutes and complete the admission formalities within the time period will forfeit their claim for admission and their seats will treated vacant and filled-up by offering the same to the candidates next in the merit list. In case any vacancy exists in any University/ Institute after the completion of the admission formalities by candidates belonging to First, Second and Third Actual Allotment List, the respective Universities/Institutes will be required to report it to the CLAT Office by a time period with specific details of the candidates and the number of vacancies so created due to non-reporting of the candidates allotted under 1st, 2nd and 3rd Actual Allotment List. This would help the CLAT Office make the final allotmenton and complete the admission process.

Admission to P. G. Courses

The admissions to P. G. courses through CLAT will be done in a centralized manner from the CLAT Office, by allotting seats based on the merit and preference of the candidates furnished in the OMR Application Form. It will be done following the same process as that of the under-graduate courses mentioned above.

All offers of admission by CLAT shall be provisional and shall not create any right of admission in favour of a candidate. The organizing university will not be responsible for any inconvenience caused or expenditure incurred by the candidate on travel and stay, etc.