CLAT vs LSAT: Difference, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, colleges, Convergence and Similarities

The LSAT India test has been discontinued. Students looking to get admission to colleges that used to accept LSAT India should check in with the respective college authorities. For now, OP Jindal will be taking LNAT UK for its UG law intake. 

Difference between CLAT and LSAT: Candidates aspiring to get into top law schools in the country have to pass one important hurdle and that is the law entrance exams. The CLAT and LSAT—India are two very popular exams to gain admission into law programmes in India, giving rise to the LSAT—India vs CLAT debate. 

Through the Common Law Admission Test, candidates can get admission into National Law Universities in the country and 65 participating colleges. On the other hand, through the Law School Admission Test – India, candidates can get into some of the top private law schools and other participating law colleges. In this blog, we have in-depth discussed difference between CLAT and LSAT, Exam Patterns, Eligibility, colleges,  Convergence and Similarities. Read the full article to get all the details in the CLAT vs LSAT—India comparison.

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Difference between CLAT and LSAT: Understanding the Major Differences

Let’s initiate by talking about some known differences between these exams:

Difference between CLAT and LSAT: Basic Difference

The CLAT is a national entrance exam organized by the Consortium of NLUs in India. It is for students aiming to join undergraduate (LL.B) and postgraduate (LL.M) law programs at participating universities.

On the other hand, the LSAT is conducted by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). It is tailored for students seeking undergraduate and postgraduate law programs offered by LSAT-participating colleges.

Difference between CLAT and LSAT based on Eligibility

For CLAT’s undergraduate program, you need a 10+2 grade point average of 45% (40% for reserved categories). The minimum score required for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for LSAT varies depending on the institute you’re applying to.

Review the eligibility criteria for both exams before deciding which one to take, and prepare to take the first step towards your legal career.

Difference between CLAT and LSAT: Understanding the Exam Pattern

Though these exams cater to one common goal, admission to a law course, the pattern for these exams varies. Clarity on the pattern is necessary to prepare and appear for these exams.

We’re highlighting the key differences between the two below:

CLAT Exam Pattern Details

CLAT is a 2-hour duration exam conducted in offline mode for undergraduate programmes. The exam has passages followed by MCQs.

Know more : HOW TO READ A NEWSPAPER FOR CLAT PREPARATION?

LSAT Exam Pattern Details 

LSAT is an online mode exam. The duration of the exam is 2 hours 20 minutes. The questions are objective in nature.

Which are the Top Participating Colleges for CLAT and LSAT?

There are various colleges accepting scores of CLAT and LSAT; however, the below table shows the top colleges accepting the scores. 

Know more : HOW TO PREPARE FOR CLAT – COMPLETE CLAT PREPARATION STRATEGY 

Difference between CLAT and LSAT – Convergence and Similarities

While there are many differences between LSAT—India and CLAT, both exams also have a few similarities and converging points. Overlaps in the syllabus of the exams will also ease the pressure on the candidates to prepare for these exams.

• Both CLAT and LSAT India contain questions where the candidates have to read a piece of text or passage and answer questions based on the passage.
• Both exams try to assess the candidate’s complex reading ability and logical and reasoning skills as these skills are deemed very necessary in the legal profession.
• The emphasis on reading and reasoning is also evident by the lower weightage assigned to Mathematics in the CLAT and the absence of such a section in the LSAT—India.

Sign up for  IMS Get.Set.Law CLAT classroom 2025 program is designed to efficiently build your overall skills in all the CLAT domains to help you crack the NLU cutoffs and the personal interviews.  

Which are the Top Participating Colleges for CLAT and LSAT?

There are various colleges accepting scores of CLAT and LSAT; however, the below table shows the top colleges accepting the scores.