CLAT — Gateway to the Elite NLUs

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities. It is the gatekeeper for undergraduate (UG) admissions to 24 NLUs across India. The score is also accepted by over 60 private law universities and several public sector undertakings (PSUs) for recruitment.

CLAT is a 2-hour offline pen-and-paper test comprising 120 multiple-choice questions. The exam heavily tests reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking across five sections: English Language, Current Affairs & General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Unlike other Indian exams, CLAT does not require rote memorization but demands immense reading speed and comprehension capability.

Preparation for CLAT revolves around building a habit of reading quality editorials (like The Hindu or Indian Express), mastering logical fallacies, and solving dozens of mock tests to improve speed. There is a negative marking of 0.25 for every incorrect answer. Getting into the top 3 NLUs — NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and NUJS Kolkata — requires a score typically in the top 500 ranks.