Why CLAT Fee is So High?

There are a few reasons why the CLAT fee is so high.

NLUs are autonomous and receive less government funding than other institutions. National Law Universities (NLUs) are autonomous institutions, which means they are not directly funded by the government.

 They rely on a variety of sources of revenue, including tuition fees, application fees and other fees. 

As a result, NLUs need to charge higher fees in order to cover their costs.

The CLAT is a national exam with a large number of applicants. The CLAT is a single-window exam for admission to all NLUs, as well as a number of other private law schools.

 This means that there are a large number of applicants for the exam, which drives up the cost of conducting it.

In addition to these factors, the CLAT fee has also been criticised for being discriminatory and preventing students from underprivileged backgrounds from taking the exam. A 2018 committee report found that the CLAT fee was “egregious” and that it “disproportionately impacts students from economically weaker sections.”

The consortium of NLUs that conducts the CLAT has defended the high fee, arguing that it is necessary to cover the costs of conducting the exam and to maintain the quality of legal education at NLUs. However, the high fee remains a barrier to access for many students.