Analysis of CLAT Results (General Category–Final List) by Mr. Rajneesh Singh, Product Manager (National) for the law course at IMS Learning Resources.

This is an analysis to check the popularity of law as a career. I have also analysed the changing popularity level of various NLUs. Since this is based on the final Cut off list of CLAT – 2011, this depicts the perception of the CLAT aspirants and not any individual. I have taken the cut off as the tool for the analysis because this cut off list was based purely on the ranks achieved in CLAT 2011 and the preference list filled up by the CLAT Top Rankers.

How to understand the table?

Here to get the popularity index of NLUs I have made the cut off as the parameter. I have compared this year cut off with the last year cut off (rank). But the seats have been increased so this factor will push the cut off up. To negate that factor I have deducted the increase in the seats from this year rank cut off.

Column A – Number of Seats in an NLU including the buffer seats and the number of seats increased in 2011. (General category)

Column B – Number of seats in 2010. (General category)

Column C – Increase (surplus) in the number of seats allocated to the students this year in comparison to last year.

Column D – Increase (surplus) in the number of seats allocated to the students this year in comparison to last year till this NLU. For example if we are looking at NUJS then the NLSIU and NALSAR seat surplus will be added. This is calculated to get the number of seats increased assuming that there is only one NLU including all in top 3.

Column E – This is the rank of the last student who got into the particular NLU this year. (Cut off rank for 2011)

Column F – The Number of seats increased “D” have been deducted from the cut off rank which is in “E”.

Column G - This is the rank of the last student who got into the particular NLU last year. (Cut off rank for 2010)

Column H – “The Indicator” (Column G minus F). The indicator, which is indicating the popularity index of the NLUs (as perceived by the NLU Aspirants) with respect to last year. This has been evaluated by taking out the difference between the last year cut off and this year cut off. This difference has been taken out after negating the increase in the seats, so that the comparison is realistic. An increase in the seats will push the cut off Up. 

The difference if positive means that law school is getting more preferred choice than last year. This may happen due to growing popularity of the same in comparison to others. If the difference is negative then it means that particular NLU’s popularity is on down trend.

If a law school has negative points, it does not indicate that that one is a bad NLU. It is their own popularity in comparison to the last year. The Indicator does not depict the quality of the law school. It only depicts the changing popularity index of a NLU in comparison to last year.

The rank Cut off is the best parameter to compare the popularity of a law school in comparison to last year. Therefore I have taken the same. For Example if NUJS got closed at 242 last year and at 226 this year (assuming no change in the number of seats) then it means that students prefer NUJS more than last year. This also may have happened due to growing popularity of law as a career and not necessarily because of the reducing popularity of other law schools.

Let me explain you with another example.

GNLU – It had allocated 82 seats this year. Last year this was 79. Buffer seats are 3. But we need to check the number of seats increased till GNLU (the 6^th preferred NLU) because the surplus seat created on top 5 NLUs has pushed the cut off up. That is 22 (check the table). 2010 rank cut off was 594. This year Rank cut off is 551.  But we need to deduct 22 from 551 to negate the surplus seat factor. So it comes to 529. Now we can compare 529 and 594 to get the “Indicator”. Which is 65.

Note - Buffer seats this year were created to avoid the existence of the vacant seats after the session starts. There are some candidates who do not continue even after paying the full fee. This also will help the top NLUs in not getting in hassle of filling up the vacant seats after the final list admission closes (very few leave after the final list in top 3 NLUs). NLUs have also agreed that due to the buffer seats if they have to carry some extra students then they will do that. The buffer seats are 4% of the total approximately.

The Analysis

The analysis after the final list is more realistic because this is after the booking amount paid (25k). There is a clear indication that law is gaining in popularity as a career choice. It is now a primary choice. Look at the data of top 3 and top 6. Till top 9 it is -5 and including all it is -48. For the bottom 5 there will be still many seats vacant. Therefore the indicators will be more effective once the last seat is filled up in each of the NLUs. Last year it closed at 1580 rank. It will be interesting to see at what rank it closes. I am sure this will improve.

At the top there are likely to have no vacant seats after this final list by CLAT 2011. NLIU, NLU and GNLU will also have almost no seats vacant. This will be due to the buffer seats and growing popularity of law as a career.

NLSIU and NALSAR have done well to retain the position. NUJS has improved and GNLU had a huge gain. NLIU has lost a lot but NUALS and NLUJ have been able to maintain the last year status. RMLNLU and HNLU have been on the losing side.

NLSIU - Bangalore--------------- Indicator (-2)

NLSIU has almost maintained what it was in 2010.

NALSAR - Hyderabad----------------- Indicator (-7) 

NALSAR almost has same status it had last year but some erosion of students towards NUJS.

WBNUJS -Kolkata --------------------- Indicator (26)

Has fared well this time compared to last year. The gain is mostly due to erosion of students mainly from NLIU and few from NALSAR. Cent percent placements have happened this year and this was published on time. Although indicator is only 26; has put a good fight with NALSAR and NLSIU.

NLIU - Bhopal- ---------------------Indicator (-89)

NLIU continues to be less opted.  Erosion of students mainly towards NUJS and few towards NLU-Jodhpur and GNLU.  As I predicted the drop is more prevalent after the final list. But NLIU is an excellent NLU and is very good destination for the law aspirants.

NLU - Jodhpur ------------------------- Indicator (6)  

The gain has continued. At rank 5; the gain of 6 is not that significant but it is still going good. Good placements have helped to maintain the status.

GNLU - Gandhinagar ------------------- Indicator (65) 

The biggest gainer of CLAT 2011. Mainly due to two factors; much better placements than last ones and the new campus is also getting ready soon. Has a good VC since last two years and good support is also there from the CM.

HNLU - Raipur -------------------------- Indicator (-66)

A down trend. But let us wait till the final cut off.

RMLNLU - Lucknow)------------- Indicator (-62)

A down trend. But let us wait till the final cut off.

NUALS - Kochi    ------------ Indicator (-5)

Cochin was the last one to join CLAT. Still it has been able to maintain a rank of 9. Good placements have helped to maintain that. Indicator is negative but at rank 9 that is not bad.

RGNLU - Patiala ------------------------- Indicator (-37)

Same status as that of last year.  The new campus is almost done; that will help to improve things.

CNLU - Patna ---------------------------- Indicator (-48)

Same status as that of last year. Decent placements are there and the new campus is almost done; that will help to improve.