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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Global law entrance test now in India

Prachi Nayak

Mumbai: The leaking of the CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) papers last week has left over 13000 students in a lurch.

Thus, making computer based testing the need of the hour. For the very first time, Pearson VUE, a global computer based testing provider of exams like GMAT will hold the computerised global LSAT (Law School Admission Test) in India on May 24.

This year the LSAT-India scores will only apply to the Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), Haryana. However, next year even leading national law schools are considering admitting students on its basis. "Computer based testing will give high level of encryption and security as it is generated in real-time, different for each candidate; removing the worry of leakage, said Sarvesh Shrivastava, MD, APAC, Pearson VUE.

The LSAC (Law School Admission Council) based in USA has brought down the cost of taking the LSAT-India. The test which costs Rs8000 globally, costs only Rs3000 in India which is just Rs1000 more than the national CLAT."The first step to promoting truly global law education in India was to bring in a global selection process," informed Raj Kumar, dean, JGLS.

He added, "Unlike CLAT, LSAT has no jurisdiction based questions. Students are tested on logical reasoning, analytical reasoning and reading comprehension." Even the transparency in results will be greater, as the test taking body and academic institutions are different. For India, Pearson Vue will also grant 50 test fee waivers and 4 scholarships worth Rs1lakh each to top to top scorers at the exam.

In September, 150 top LSAT scorers will experience truly world class law education at JGLS, recognised by the Bar Council of India. It will offer a three-year LLB and five-year BA.LLB courses with national and global perspectives.

Kumar informed, "Our curriculum has been designed by an international group of advisors from prestigious law schools like Yale, Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford and Oxford."He added, "We have managed to rope in full time faculty who have taught at these global varsities; and will ensure a rare teacher student ratio of 1:20." JGLS will also be research intensive school. "We will set up joint research centers with these law schools for human rights, corporate governance, international trade and economic law, global legal profession to improve the field of law, " added Kumar.

These first of its kind courses are priced at around Rs6lakhs per year (including accommodation, food and tuition costs). To help students, JGLS has constituted several scholarships; for instance, 25% of deserving students will get a 50% fee waiver. Further, the astronomical demand for these new age law professionals worldover, is expected to fetch them a salary of Rs75000- Rs1lakh even in Indian firms.

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