Students’ Speak: A low CLAT score is not the end of the road

By: Diwakar Goel

CLAT and AILET have four counselling rounds and thus, one should not get disheartened as they always have a chance to get admission till the fourth counselling round. Even after this, there may be vacant seats and one can get admission in the spot counselling round. 

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the only way to get admission to the National Law Universities (NLUs), the top law universities in India. Not only NLUs but many private colleges also consider this score to grant admissions. As the scope of law has grown, the competition level has also increased and the exam is no more a child’s play to crack.

The National Law University, Delhi, conducts its own exam called AILET. The NLU-D is also ranked as the top law University and is a Tier-I law school. It has great placements record. Aspirants appearing for CLAT can also appear for AILET.

The worst that can happen to an aspirant is scoring low in an entrance exam. CLAT and AILET have four counselling rounds and thus, one should not get disheartened as they always have a chance to get admission till the fourth counselling round. Even after this, there may be vacant seats and one can get admission in the spot counselling round though, for CLAT only Tier-IV colleges are left which are not worth getting admission into. There are many other law colleges and entrance exams that one should appear for. Some of them are:

1. Symbiosis Law School, Pune
2. Bharatiya Hindu Vishwavidayala (BHU), Benaras
3. Xavier Law School, Xavier University
4. AMU - Aligarh Muslim University
5. School of Law, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies
6. Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia
7. Sinhgad Law College
8. Government Law College, Mumbai
9. Army Institute of Law
10. ILS Law College
11. New Law College, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University
12. Siddhartha Law College (SLC)
13. Kirit P. Mehta School of Law
14. Amity Law College
15. Raffles University
16. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University

These Universities take admission on the basis of score of CLAT, LSAT or conduct their own entrance exams such as IPUCET, MHCET, BHUCET, JMICET, etc., these law colleges are of equal competence to any NLU.

In my opinion, it is not worth to take a drop year for CLAT, because there are many other good law colleges that one can aim for. In the later years though one can come to a conclusion that only for getting good placements in the corporate sector one should go for NLUs, but if one has decided to go for private practice, or government exams like judiciary, prosecution officers etc or advocacy then it does not really matter which college you are in. Even in any NLU, you have to keep performing good and build your CV to get good corporate placements.

If though one is not able to get admission anywhere, they should not get disheartened. You can prepare for the exams in your drop year, focus on GK and legal aptitude and you will pass through flying colours next year. Do not rush at getting admissions, as you may make wrong decisions. If you get any other college and you are not satisfied with it, you can reappear in the CLAT or LSAT, AILET or IPU CET, MHCET, BHUCET, JMICET or other entrance exams after your first year, but do not attempt more than twice. It will be only a wastage and as the course duration is of five years, which is quite long. The scope of law is very wide. Every department and every institution needs lawyers. So aspirants should not worry about their colleges, they should instead focus on overall career.

About the Author:

Diwakar Goel is a fifth-year BA LLB student at University School of Law and Legal Studies of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. He writes and guides students planning to pursue law.