FAQ: What is NLAT 2020? How do I Apply for NLSIU Bangalore?

NLSIU won’t accept CLAT 2020 scores this year & will hold its own National Law Aptitude Test.

(Photo: The Quint/Kamran Akhter)

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore will not accept the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) scores this academic year and will instead conduct its own National Law Aptitude Test (NLAT) for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the university.

NLAT is an online home-based test that will be held on 12 September and candidates would be selected on the basis of aggregate marks scored in the said online test.

But why did NLS Bangalore drop CLAT this year?

Originally scheduled on on 10 May, CLAT 2020 has been postponed for the fifth time to the end of September, amid the coronavirus pandemic. This, NLS Bangalore says lead to a sense of uncertainty among students, parents and participating universities.

According to NLS Bangalore, since it follows a trimester model in which a year is divided into three terms, each comprising 90 days, repeated postponement of CLAT 2020 has left the law school ‘uniquely disadvantaged’. 

If admissions are delayed beyond September, NLS Bangalore says that it will inevitably lead to a ‘Zero Year’, where no admission can take place. This, it feels, would “deprive deprive law students of the opportunity to pursue their studies this year at India’s premier law university.”

Okay, how to register for NLAT 2020?

• Students seeking admission to NLS Bangalore will have to directly apply to the university’s online application portal, which will be open from 3 September to midnight of 10 September 2020.
• Applicants will have to register using their personal mobile number, which will be verified using an OTP. Once verified, applicants must fill the form carefully and upload a series of documents, including a recent passport-size photograph, scanned copies of government-issued ID proof, board examination mark sheets, etc.
• If a candidate is unable to upload scanned copies of 10+12 mark sheets, caste certificate or other documents, he or she should do so at the time of admissions.
• After filling the form and uploading all documents, candidates sign the declaration and submit the application.
• While General Category and PWD students will have to submit an application fee of Rs 150, SC and ST candidates will have to pay Rs 125.

Can details in the application form be changed?

No, once submitted, the online form cannot be edited.

Moreover, if there is any discrepancy between the information provided by the candidate at the relevant section and the certificates or documents produced at the time of admission, the provisional admission offered to the candidate shall stand cancelled and the candidate shall stand disqualified from being considered for further admission to NLSIU.

How do I prepare for the test? what is the syllabus?

NLAT 2020 UG will have a total of 40 multiple choice questions and will test candidates on five subjects, including English Language, Current Affairs Including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.

It will comprise four General Comprehension passages, each of which will contain 10 questions, two each from the five subjects mentioned above.

NLAT 2020 UG will be conducted in English and will me marked out of a total of 80 marks. It will be held for a duration of 45 minutes and will carry 2 marks per correct answer, -0.25 marks per unanswered question and -0.50 marks for every wrong answer.

Moreover, candidates will only have one attempt at each question and will not be able to revisit a question once they have moved on to another question.