CLAT

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The Common    Law Admission Test acronymed CLAT is the gateway exam to 14 premier law universities, in the country popularly known as National Law Schools or National Law               Universities. CLAT is for law what the CAT exam is for management and the JEE is for engineering. It serves as the litmus test to test whether or not you  have it in you to become a lawyer, and to that end qualify for and educate yourselves at world class Universities.National Law Schools began with the premier institution being setup in the late 1980s with the mandate of carrying out bold experiments in legal education. The institution, National Law University of India (NLSIU), Bangalore, grew both in substance and reputation to promote and cater to some of the sub-continent best talent in law.

 The Supreme Court of India mandated a common entrance exam for the then existent National Law Schools, and this judgement found animation in the form of the Common Law Entrance Exam or CLAT. Since then almost all National Law Schools, the notable exception being National Law University Delhi, admit students on their CLAT 
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is an all India entrance examination conducted on rotation 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, Patiala (RGNUL)

• 10. Chanakya National Law University, Patna (CNLU)

• 11. National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi (NUALS)

• 12. National Law University Odisha, Cuttack (NLUO)

• 13. National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi (NUSRL)

• 14. National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam, Guwahati (NLUJAA)

The first CLAT Core Committee consisting of Vice-Chancellors of the seven participating NLUs at that time decided that the test shall be conducted by rotation in the order of their establishment. Accordingly, the first Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) was conducted in the year 2008. Now there are 14 participating NLUs and following the practice the seventh Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) will be conducted by the Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar in 2014

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