Introduction:
Both the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) are crucial entrance exams for aspiring law students in India, each serving different purposes and institutions. In this blog , we will look at the detailed comparison of the two:
Overview
CLAT
Conducting Body: Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs)
Exam Level: National
Frequency: Once a year
Participating Colleges: 24 NLUs and over 65 associated colleges
Courses Offered: Integrated 5-year LLB, LLM
LSAT
Conducting Body: Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
Exam Level: National
Frequency: Twice a year (January and June)
Participating Colleges: 16+ private law colleges
Courses Offered: 5-year LLB, 3-year LLB, LLM
Exam Structure
Feature | CLAT | LSAT |
Exam Mode | Offline (pen-paper) | Online (remote proctored) |
Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours 20 minutes |
Total Questions | 120 | 92 |
Marking Scheme | +1 for correct, -0.25 for incorrect | +1 for correct, no negative marking |
Sections Covered
CLAT
English Language
Current Affairs and General Knowledge
Legal Reasoning
Logical Reasoning
Quantitative Techniques
LSAT
Reading Comprehension
Analytical Reasoning
Logical Reasoning (two sections)
Difficulty Level and Competition
CLAT is generally considered more challenging due to its higher number of questions within a shorter timeframe and the presence of negative marking, which adds pressure on candidates. Approximately 70,000 candidates compete for around 4,600 seats across NLUs each year.
In contrast, LSAT is perceived as somewhat easier because it allows guesswork without penalties for incorrect answers. About 10,000 candidates appear for LSAT annually, competing for around 5,000 seats in various private law colleges.
Application Fees
CLAT: INR 4,000 for general/OBC/PWD/NRI candidates; INR 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL candidates.
LSAT: Approximately INR 3,999 for all categories with potential discounts for reserved categories.
Conclusion
Choosing between CLAT and LSAT largely depends on the candidate's target institutions and their preparation strategy. CLAT is essential for admission to prestigious NLUs, while LSAT opens doors to several private law colleges. Many candidates opt to take both exams to maximize their opportunities in law school admissions.
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