Since the CLAT has been postponed till the last week of September, NLSIU has decided to conduct it’s own separate entrance exam for the PG LLM program admissions for the upcoming academic year. Candidates will be selected on the basis of the aggregate marks secured in an online home-based Entrance Examination known as the National Law Aptitude Test, 2020 (NLAT).
NLSIU will not be accepting the CLAT PG scores this year.
In fact, the timelines for the NLAT exam are quite aggressive, with the entire process scheduled to be completed by the end of September 2020.
NLSIU Bangalore – NLAT PG Announcement
The Admissions Notification outlined below governs all admissions to the LL.M (Master of Laws) Programme of NLSIU for the year 2020-21. Any student who seeks admission to NLSIU must apply directly to the University and complete the NLAT 2020 PG Entrance Examination. The University will not accept CLAT 2020 scores for admission to Academic Year 2020-21.
Number of NLSIU LLM seats
The total intake of students shall be 50 (Fifty) which includes 30 seats for Business Law and 20 seats for Human Rights Law. The Reservation Notification 2021 has been published separately on the official NLS admission website.
While the standard reservation pattern will apply normally, implementation of the ‘Karnataka Students’ i.e. domicile category remains subject to the Orders of the High Courts and the Supreme Court in ongoing litigation, including W.P. (C) 8788/2020 (Karnataka High Court).
Important Dates & Timeline for NLSIU NLAT PG LLM Entrance
- 03rd Sept, 2020 : Online Applications Open
- 10th Sept, 2020 : Online Applications Close
- 9-11th Sept, 2020 : Mock Test for registered students
- 12th Sept, 2020 : National Law Aptitude Test, 2020
- 12th Sept, 2020 : Release of Provisional Answer Key and inviting Objections
- 14th Sept, 2020 : Notification of Final Answer Key
- 15th Sept, 2020 : Notification of Results and Provisional Admission List by Email
- 18th Sept, 2020 : Commencement of Academic Term 2020-21
The Test shall be an online entrance examination to be held on 12th September, 2020. Candidates need to attempt this examination using a computer device at their respective locations. Detailed instructions on the online examinations process shall be provided to the registered candidates in due course by NLSIU.
Eligibility Criteria for NLSIU NLAT
As such, there is no change in the basic eligibility criteria. It remains the same as it was originally announced for CLAT PG.
All candidates must have secured an LL.B. or equivalent degree from a recognized educational institution with an unconditional pass and the minimum percentage of marks as specified below:
(i) Aggregate percentage of 50% or its equivalent grade in case of General Category and PWD students.
(ii) Aggregate percentage of 45% or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST.
There is no upper age limit to apply.
Application Process for NLAT
- The Online Application portal will open on 3rd September, 2020 and will close at Midnight on 10th September, 2020.
- All applications must be submitted online at https://www.nls.ac.in/study/admissions-faqs/
- The detailed instructions are given on the NLSIU admissions website at the link above.
- Application Fee of Rs. 150 (General and PWD Category) and Rs. 125 (for SC / ST Candidates)
NLSIU NLAT PG Syllabus
As per the official notification, subjects in the new exam that correspond to the subjects proposed to be tested in the Common Law Admission Test, 2020. I.e. the syllabus will remain the same as the CLAT PG exam.
However, the pattern of the question paper has been changed to make it much shorter and more conducive to a ‘home-based’ format.
Overall, the syllabus for the exam will be derived from the compulsory subjects of the undergraduate LL.B program, including the following subjects.
- Constitutional Law,
- Jurisprudence,
- Administrative Law,
- Law of Contract,
- Law of Torts,
- Family Law,
- Criminal Law,
- Property Law,
- Company Law,
- Public International Law,
- Tax Law,
- Environmental Law,
- Labour & Industrial Law.
1. The NLAT 2020 PG will comprise 3 (three) passages that are extracts from Supreme Court judgments in prominent cases. (Which are connected with the topics listed above.
2. Each passage will be accompanied by 10 (ten) questions that candidates will have to answer based on the information in the passage, as well as their knowledge and understanding of the
case as a whole, and of related matters.
3. The NLAT 2020 PG will have a total of 30 (thirty) questions.
NLSIU NLAT PG 2020 Question Paper Format
- The NLAT 2020 PG shall be conducted in English.
- The Maximum Marks for the NLAT is 60 marks.
- All questions shall be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ).
- The duration of the examination shall be 40 minutes.
- Marking Scheme:
2 mark per correct answer
0.25 marks per unanswered question
0.50 marks per wrong answer - This is not an open book examination; candidates may not seek assistance from any other person to answer the questions in the examination.
- Candidates will only have 1 (one) attempt at each question. They will not be able to revisit a question once they have moved on to another question.
- Candidates may not take the assistance of any resources, whether electronic, print, or in any other form
LawMint Tip : Since the negative marking is applicable to unanswered questions as well (though it is 0.25 marks), it is preferable to answer all the questions, even if it is a ‘best guess’ answer.
Also note that the exam will now be sequential in nature. I.e. Once you have answered (or skipped) a question, you may not be able to go back to the question again.
Refer to this article for generic details and FAQs on what to expect in a home based online proctored exam : https://lawmint.com/llm-entrance/nlsiu-nlat-pg-2020-proctored-exam-what-to-expect/
Shortlisting and Selection Process for NLSIU PG
A General Merit list of all candidates will be prepared solely on the basis of their marks in NLAT 2020 PG.
In case of equal marks, a break of tie shall be made by the following procedure and order:
(i) Higher number of correct answers in NLAT
(ii) Computerized draw of lots
All candidates will be informed of their Merit rank, aggregate marks and the aggregate mark of the last admitted candidate in their category over email/SMS.
No consolidated Merit List or Admission list shall be published by the University.
NLSIU NLAT Technical Requirements Explained
Read this article for a detailed explanation of the NLAT Technical Requirements and prepare your Laptop / Desktop for the upcoming exam : https://lawmint.com/llm-entrance/nsliu-nlat-technical-requirements-explained/
Refer to the official admissions website for complete details : https://admissions.nls.ac.in
