The Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLU) has opted to hold the Common Law Admissions Test (CLAT) in December rather than May each year, citing the benefits of giving students a “breather” and reducing exam anxiety.
“The conversation to postpone the law entrance test has been on since 2019,” Faizan Mustafa, founding president of CNLU and vice-chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, told indianexpress.com. The decision was made since most admission tests are held in the months of May and June, making it impossible for students to sit for them.”
CLAT frequently overlaps with other prestigious exams such as JEE and state admission exams. Candidates who were taking both CLAT and JEE in 2021 were also required to submit a request for a date modification to the consortium. Early CLAT, according to V Vijayakumar, vice-chancellor of the National Law Institute University (NLIU) in Bhopal and a permanent member of the CNLU, will give students breathing room and lessen exam anxiety.
CLAT is normally held on the first Sunday in May, followed by the entrance exam for admission to the National Law University (NLU) in Delhi the following Sunday. Srikrishna Deva Rao, vice-chancellor of NLU Delhi, applauded the decision, saying that alternative law entry dates will provide students with better options.
For candidates from the unreserved category, the consortium has also lowered the counselling cost from Rs 50,000 to Rs 30,000. The cost for students from the reserved categories would be Rs 20,000.
