This post was first published on March 13, 2020.
Full disclosure: There is no accurate way to rank the Best Coaching Institutes for CLAT in India. It is possible to come close and suggest a list of coaching institutes that have proved to be successful in training their students well.
How to decide which is the best coaching institute for CLAT in India?
It is very tough to come to a single name. As someone who has been dealing with CLAT aspirants for quite some time, I’d say anyone crowning a single coaching institute as The Best has either missed out on a number of things.
How are we compiling a list then?
We have prepared a list of institutes that are best suited for a large number of students, it is a possibility that some of you might not be suited for any of the classes named below.
Criteria for deciding
The following criteria are the bedrock for this ranking
- History: While there is a possibility that a new kickass coaching opened up somewhere in the country and is imparting quality knowledge, the safer bet is to go with a brand that has existed for a while. For the reviews to exist, the entity needs to have a history and since CLAT decided the next five years of your life you must read reviews before joining.
- Infrastructure: Yes, it does not matter in the exam if you prepared in Air Conditioned classrooms or not but it sure affects your concentration while studying. While a flashy building is not a necessity, basics like comfortable, well-lit, and ventilated classrooms are advised to be given preference over shabby rooms.
- Faculty: Who should teach CLAT Aspirants? Lawyers are not guaranteed to be good at subjects like Current Affairs or Quantitative Techniques. Those fluent at reasoning need not have a grasp over CLAT pattern. It is advised to join coaching which has faculty who have cracked this exam in the past. It is rare for NLU grads to teach at coachings but mostly, NLU students teach part-time and are better suited than most faculty.
- Success Rate: Funny thing about this criteria is, every coaching claims that 9 out of the top ten rankers were from their classes. However, with a little research, one can easily get to know how many students have cleared the examination. Contact one or two over Facebook to know about the classes.
- Number of Students: This might seem unnecessary but the more students at the coaching (not crammed classes though, small batches preferred), the more you will know where you stand in their mock tests.
Did we miss any? Comment and let us know.
So, time for the final verdict.
Best Coaching Institutes for CLAT in India
These are not in any particular ranking but a list of coachings which performed well in the above criteria.
- Career Launcher (LST)
- CLATAPULT
- CLAT Possible
- IMS
- Sriram Law Academy
- Unacademy (New and at the comfort of your home)
- T.I.M.E
- Paradygmlaw
- Co Draft Academy of Law
While there are more institutes performing well in the country and it is possible that they are the best suited for you, these have a history and a proven track record of success to their students.
Since they are established brands, their classrooms are well maintained (in most cities with a few exceptions, do visit before joining), they have experienced as well as NLU Alumni faculty and all of these have existed for a while now.
Every one of these has their own speciality, for eg: LST was the first law preparation coaching and was founded by an NLSIU grad.
CLATapult is a coaching established by NUJS Grads and only has NUJS grads or students as faculty members.
It is tough to crown a particular brand as the best coaching institute for CLAT in India, it is because much like the wand chooses the wizard, the coaching chooses the aspirant. Visit the premises, talk to the teachers and students, and do your research. Take a few classes if they permit, at the end of all this if you feel comfortable to join the class.
Truth be told, coachings only support you through the process, it is the aspirant who decides whether she is going to qualify or not. She does it by her preparation and hard work.
If you’re confused about which class to choose, whether to take a regular or correspondence course and how to process, contact me at aditya.anand@lawctopus.com.
All the best!