IMS Product Head, Rajneesh Singh on CLAT cut-offs, admission process

The CLAT began in 2008 when a PIL forced the NLUs to do the same. It eased out the students from lots of hassles but at the same time it also made the admission process a bit complex. I have prepared this note with an intention to help CLAT 2014 takers by taking out expected cut offs (marks and rankings) and detailed information and guidelines related to admission process..Why do I do this every year?.I started this process almost 13 years back but for CLAT it started in 2009. In 2008 after NLSIU closed the admissions after third list, there were still many seats vacant. Those were filled up later individually by various NLUs taking out their own lists or in any way they wanted to..I remember majority did not know about the same. This gave an advantage to those informed or has proximity to the institution in several ways. This is still continuing. In 2012 for few last seats HNLU also took enrollments till 2300-2500 Rank. This is not the only matter of concern, there are many other problems including marking preference list wrongly. The students pay the price for such mistakes. Fortunately this year the pref list will be filled up after the CLAT results. I had two choices either to start educating the mass or to keep this system on and extend the help only to the close ones..Last year when I predicted the cut offs, they were incidentally almost the same. This cannot happen every year. I also predicted that the last seat cut off for NLU Assam will be approximately 4,000, some people had an apprehension that this will mislead the students. The cut off went down till about Rank No. 5,000 Rank (most likely lesser than this). I am sure this must have helped many to keep the hope on and not to stop keeping in touch with the NLUs..I also do this because it also helps me to get extremely well prepared and informed about all those complex data. This helps me when I have to answer thousands of queries after the result is out. Like now CLAT 2014 paper is embedded into my mind with every detail..The Predicted Cut-offs.How do I do this?.For CLAT 2009 and 2010 it was almost perfect. It was a pleasant surprise for me. I never expected and will ever expect that my expected cut off will be exactly the same. It will be foolish. I am sure that year it was incidental. Yes, I am always 95% sure that my expected cut off (marks) will be correct with an error of 4 marks. Yes, the rank cut off which I predict is not only of immense use but I am also 98% sure with little error..In 2011 my predictions had errors to a decent extent and in 2012 too. But had CLAT 2012 considered the wrong answers (6-8), which were clearly wrong, then the cut off would have been bang on target. But definitely not the highest marks prediction of 174 which I did last year. Predictions can be definitely done with very good probability of being accurate if done correctly but the highest marks prediction is impossible to do scientifically. This is very personal. Predicting one person’s performance is impossible here. I do that just to convey my gut feeling about what is the best that can be achieved. It also tells you about what is my feeling about the level of the paper. Immediately after CLAT 2013 paper I posted “CLAT 2013 topper gets 157”. I repeat I said “gets”. It meant as if results were out. Majority took as if this was my expected cut off seriously announced. But incidentally 157 still remain my expected one. That time I just said what I felt after talking to students..Exit polls for elections these days are almost correct, but never exactly correct. One exception happened in the beginning itself. Pronoy Roy prediction was exactly the same (the same number) for number of seats of congress. This he too admitted that it was purely incidental. Otherwise, it is done very scientifically and if the stratified sampling not done properly can make the exit poll under the risk of getting incorrect..For example this year my AILET prediction failed. I said 97 (first list) but the actual one is 104. Although in past most of the time it has been correct for SET and AILET. I also accept that AILET predictions I do with the least surety because the number of seats is very less. SET is little easier and CLAT the easiest (although extremely exhaustive)..These things help me in doing the analysis and the predictions.1. My experience helps (15 years in test prep with exposure to more than 150 different types of exams and the related students)..2. Data base of past year results..3. The trend.4. The variation of the density of the tied marks at different level..5. Time constraint (this year it was a little, 2013 had even lesser. 2011 was ext lengthy, 2009 and 2010 has no time pressure).6. Changes in difficulty level and number of seats.7. Number of easy questions and how fast the difficulty level has increased with the rest of the questions..8. And not to forget my students from where I get the data and feelings. The feelings/expressions are the best resource. As I always say the students who are my teachers keep me under constant innovation and keep me motivated. Yes, they are my mentors..Admission in last phase after Centralized listing got over in 2013.1. NLSIU – no seats vacant.2. NALASR – some reserved quota seat got vacated.3. NUJS – some reserved quota seat got vacated.4. NLIU – 2 general all India seats (closed at 273 rank) and some reserved quota seat got vacated.5. NLU-J – At least 2 seats were vacant.6. GNLU – No official announcement of any such vacant seats/or in my knowledge.7. HNLU – Very transparent and structured way they carried this. (cut off – 876).8. NUALS – there were some seats vacant. First come first serve was announced.9. RML – 2 seats in general (closed below 400 rank) and few in reserved category was vacant..10. RGNLU – some reserved quota seat got vacated.11. CNLU – Very transparent and structured way they carried this. (cut off – 1795).12. NLU-O – Quite transparent and structured way they carried this. But, for last few seats clear communication on the website was missing. (cut off -aprox 2000).13. NUSRL – Quite transparent and structured way they carried this. But, for last few seats clear communication on the website was missing. (cut off -aprox 3000).14. NLUJA – Very transparent and structured way they carried this. But, for last few seats clear communication on the website was missing. (cut off – at least 4000). The waiting list published was till 8000..15. TNNLS – The waiting list published was till 8000, aprox..I will provide the exact data will all details soon (with reserved category cut-offs)..I always see that there is lots of anxiety among the exam takers after the exam gets over for getting assessed/estimated where they stand. And i am sure after knowing the cut off which has been done after a scientific research settles the mind correctly. May be it also helps to take some decisions? I am assuming that the exam takers are of sound mind and they do not believe the expected cut off to be exactly correct..About Rajneesh Singh.I have been running CLAT/NLU/LAW online forums since 2007, and i am in test prep industry since 2000. I have handled/taught more than 20 courses. At present i am national Head at IMS for all Under graduate division (10 courses) and Jobs Division (Bank exams, CSAT etc) and i look after the Business development, Product development and enrichment, online student support system,Marketing at national level etc..This is an edited version of an article posted by Rajneesh Singh on Facebook