CLAT vs LSAT India: LSAT India has been discontinued. What to take instead
LSAT—India, the law entrance test that Jindal Global Law School and several private universities used to accept, is no longer being held. If you were planning to take it alongside CLAT, here is what has changed and what to do instead.
What happened to LSAT—India
LSAT—India was run for the Law School Admission Council and accepted by a group of private law schools in India, most prominently Jindal Global Law School (JGLS). It has been discontinued: there is no LSAT—India to register for in the current admission cycle.
It was never a route into the National Law Universities, which admit through CLAT (and NLU Delhi through AILET). So for most NLU aspirants the practical change is small. It matters mainly to students who were using LSAT—India as their route to a private law school.
What to take instead
| If you were aiming at | The route now |
|---|---|
| A National Law University | CLAT (NLU Delhi: AILET). See the CLAT exam pattern. |
| Jindal Global Law School | JGLS now admits through LNAT and its own JSAT Law test. Which test applies depends on the programme, so check the JGLS admissions page. |
| Symbiosis law schools | SLAT, Symbiosis’s own test. |
| Other private universities that accepted LSAT—India | Most now accept CLAT scores or run their own test. Check each university’s current admission notice. |
Why CLAT stays the main route
CLAT admits to 26 National Law Universities, and many private law schools also accept CLAT scores. A student who prepares seriously for CLAT is well prepared for most other law entrance tests, because they share the same core: reading comprehension, legal reasoning and critical reasoning.
The practical plan for most students is to prepare for CLAT as the base, then add a few weeks of practice in the specific format of any other test they sit, such as an essay component for LNAT or the pattern of a university’s own test.
A note on LNAT
LNAT is a law admissions test used by several UK universities, now also used by JGLS. It has a multiple-choice section on reading and argument, and an essay. The multiple-choice section overlaps heavily with CLAT’s reading and critical reasoning; the essay is the part CLAT preparation does not cover, so it needs separate practice.
For the reasoning skills common to all of these tests, see Legal vs logical reasoning.
Frequently asked questions
Is LSAT India still conducted?
No. LSAT—India has been discontinued and is not being held in the current admission cycle.
What replaced LSAT India for Jindal Global Law School?
JGLS now admits through LNAT and its own JSAT Law test. Which one applies depends on the programme, so check the JGLS admissions page.
Can I get into an NLU without CLAT?
The NLUs admit through CLAT, except NLU Delhi, which uses AILET. LSAT—India was never accepted by the NLUs.
Should I prepare for other law entrance tests alongside CLAT?
Prepare for CLAT as your base, since its reading and reasoning skills carry over, and add targeted practice in the format of any other test you plan to sit.
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