The Common Law Admission Test 2025 result has recently been declared, and two candidates have topped this test, with each getting a score of 103.5, which is a 99.997 percentile. This is one of the lowest scores in recent times, following a trend of lower top scores over the last five years. The top score for the year 2020 was 127.25, in 2021 it was 125.5, in 2022 it was 125.75, in 2023 it was 116, and this year in 2024, it is 108. This steady fall of top scores has been attributed to many factors, including increasing competition, an increase in the number of applicants, and increased difficulty level of the examination.

Experts believe that the stiff competition is because more students have started choosing legal studies as a career. This, to a large extent, has been because of increasing awareness of the career opportunities in law and the prestige attached to admission into National Law Universities (NLUs). The quality of preparation among students has improved tremendously over time, with even students opting to start their preparations at increasingly younger ages. According to Prof. Balakista Reddy, vice-chancellor and registrar at NALSAR University of Law, a better set of preparation strategy among aspiring candidates is the major reason why competition has increased, as aspirants are being more serious about securing a spot at the prized NLUs. Reddy also says that the job security and fat salary packages offered by corporate law firms have attracted more students to pursue law as a career.

More than 75,000 students appeared for the CLAT this year. This is an indication of the growing popularity of legal studies. The better prepared candidates have meant a tougher exam, since two toppers have come out with the same score of 103.5, and 18 other candidates—12 male and 6 female—scored between 99.954 and 99.936 percentiles, which clearly indicates an increase in competition. The increasing interest in law as a career option is also seen in the fact that many aspirants begin their preparations at an earlier stage, often enrolling in coaching programs as early as class VII.

Saksham Gautam-the topper of CLAT 2025-is a prime example of the new trend. He started preparation for the entrance exam when he was in class VII, realizing that building an excellent foundation much before actual examination is the key. This reflects the trend of other competitive examinations like NEET and JEE, where students start school-level preparation with an intention to pursue professional courses post class XII.

According to Prof. Vageshwari Deswal, professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, the growing difficulty of the CLAT exam is attributed to the growing academic strength of the candidates. More academically strong students now prefer law as their career, opting for legal studies instead of the erstwhile favorite fields of engineering or medicine. Deswal, therefore, points out a significant shift in career preference, which is now influenced by job security and financial rewards provided by corporate law firms. The demand for professionals in different legal sectors such as corporate law and international law has increased the attractiveness of law as a viable career.

One of the major reasons behind the growing popularity of legal studies is the introduction of legal studies as an optional subject in classes XI and XII by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). This has helped raise the profile of legal education, making it accessible to students and encouraging them to take law seriously as a career. The rising demand for legal practitioners has also been fueled by the rapid growth of corporate law firms, rising cyber and digital crimes, and an increased need for international lawyers who will handle business affairs all over the world as well as handle cases concerning climate issues.

The trend of the choice of law as a career has, in itself, along with improved preparation strategies and increased job opportunities, increased the difficulty level of the CLAT exam. It is anticipated that the competition is likely to become more acute in the next few years with increased entries. The future of legal education in India is thus marked by both rising aspirations and heightened competition, as law emerges as a prestigious and lucrative career choice for an increasing number of students.