Expert Panel Recommends Major CLAT Changes, Implementation Delayed to 2028

An expert committee has recommended significant changes to the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), including scrapping the general knowledge section for undergraduate aspirants and reducing the number of questions. However, the proposed overhaul will not affect the 2027 exam, according to the Consortium of National Law Universities, which administers the test.

Public Feedback Invited on Comprehensive Reform Plan

The Consortium released the expert committee’s report last week, clarifying that while the recommendations will shape CLAT 2028, the 2027 exam will only adopt feasible adjustments to question format and quality. The report is open for public feedback until August 31.

The five-member panel—comprising legal academics from prestigious institutions such as LSE, Oxford, Columbia, BML Munjal University, and Cambridge—was formed last year following criticism from the Supreme Court over inconsistent question-setting practices. Justice Indu Malhotra, a former Supreme Court judge, chairs the Consortium’s advisory board.

Key Recommendations: Streamlining and Overhauling Exam Structure

The report proposes a leaner three-section model for undergraduate CLAT aspirants. The general knowledge section would be eliminated entirely, replaced by a revamped English section focusing on functional literacy. Legal and logical reasoning would merge into a single aptitude section. Each section would be capped at 10–15 questions, maintaining the current two-hour duration but reducing the emphasis on speed. A new subjective essay component would test communication and argumentation skills.

For postgraduate candidates, the committee suggested a shift from the uniform syllabus to a more tailored approach. Half the weightage would remain with UG-style sections, while the other half would focus on recent legal developments and a subjective problem-solving question.

Addressing Structural Weaknesses in CLAT Administration

The panel also flagged systemic issues in how CLAT is conducted, particularly the rotating convenorship model among member universities, which hampers institutional memory. It recommended professionalising the paper-setting process by hiring external testing experts or establishing a dedicated internal team to ensure quality control and reduce litigation over errors in answer keys.

Why It Matters

The proposed reforms aim to address longstanding criticisms of the CLAT, including its reliance on rote learning and the unfair advantage enjoyed by coaching centres. The changes also seek to align the test more closely with the skills required for legal education and practice while improving the exam's administration. The Consortium has requested the Chief Justice of India to form a committee to further evaluate these recommendations.

With public feedback invited and implementation deferred to 2028, the report marks a critical juncture in rethinking one of India’s most important law entrance exams.

Source: Indian Express