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What is CLAT?

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance examination for securing admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programs at top National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. The exam is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities. In addition to these NLUs, many other universities and institutes accept CLAT scores for admissions and recruitment purposes. For admission into 5-year integrated LL.B. and LL.M. programs, CLAT serves as the primary gateway. Therefore, all aspiring law students in India who wish to pursue a career in law should begin preparing for CLAT 2026.

CLAT Important Dates

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance examination for securing admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programs at top National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. The exam is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities. In addition to these NLUs, many other universities and institutes accept CLAT scores for admissions and recruitment purposes. For admission into 5-year integrated LL.B. and LL.M. programs, CLAT serves as the primary gateway. Therefore, all aspiring law students in India who wish to pursue a career in law should begin preparing for CLAT 2026.

CLAT entrance exam fees Application Fees: General category 4000 (Rs), SC/ST 3500 (Rs).
Event Date
Notification release 20 July 2025
Start of online registration (applications open) 1 August 2025
Last date to submit application form 31 October 2025
Exam date (CLAT 2026) 7 December 2025 (Sunday), 2 PM - 4 PM
Release of admit card November 2025 (mid-November expected)

Syllabus & Exam Pattern

CLAT syllabus is designed to test one's understanding, ability to reason and aptitude. The duration of the exam is 2-hour with 120 multiple-choice questions carrying 1-mark each. CLAT has negative marking. For each incorrect answer 0.25 marks is deducted.

  • English Language: Comprehension skills, English grammar, vocabulary. The passages range 450 words, and they are taken both from modern and classical texts.
  • Current Affairs & General Knowledge: Concentrate on what is happening, on national and international happenings, and major history facts.
  • Legal Reasoning: The use of law to fact. Nothing to know beforehand, but it is a good idea to know.
  • Logical Reasoning: Good thinking, analytical ability and logical puzzles.
  • Quantitative Techniques: Simple math, algebras, and interpretation of data

Section-wise Weightage & Marking Scheme

Section Approximate Questions Key Focus Areas
English Language 22-26 Comprehension, grammar, vocabulary
Current Affairs & GK 28-32 Current events, static GK
Legal Reasoning 28-32 Legal principles, application
Logical Reasoning 22-26 Arguments, critical reasoning
Quantitative Techniques 10-14 Math basics, data interpretation

CLAT Marking Criteria

  • +1 for correct
  • -0.25 for wrong
  • 0 for unattempted.

Note: There is negative marking in the CLAT Entrance exam unlike the AICLET exam

Preparation Tips for CLAT UG 2026

  • Prioritize sections based on question weightage but don’t neglect weaker areas.
  • Practice reading complex legal passages in English to improve comprehension speed.
  • Stay updated on current legal developments via daily news and legal newsletters.
  • Solve previous years’ papers and mock tests to master question types.
  • Build stronger critical and analytical reasoning skills with puzzle practice.
  • Sharpen basic math skills, focusing on speed and accuracy under timed conditions

CLAT 2026 PG Syllabus (Postgraduate)

The exam is of 120 minutes duration consisting 120 MCQs based on 22-24 legal passages. It focuses on comprehension abilities using extracts from primary legal materials (court decisions, statutes, regulations). Each passage type question is to test your comprehension, analysis, and application of legal principles. The questions are based on advanced law topics, including:

  • Constitutional Law
  • Jurisprudence
  • Administrative Law
  • Law of Contract
  • Law of Torts
  • Family Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Property Law
  • Company Law
  • Public International Law
  • Tax Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Labour & Industrial Law

CLAT 2026 eligibility criteria

Criteria Requirements
Educational Qualifications
  • Class 12 or equivalent exam with at least 45% marks (40% for SC and ST categories)
  • Or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, either a 3-year or 5-year program with at least 50% marks, from a university recognized by the Bar Council of India (BCI) or an equivalent qualification
Age Limit
  • There is no age limit to take up the CLAT exam.
Minimum marks
  • Minimum marks
  • General - 45% for UG, 50% for PG
  • SC/ST - 40% for UG, 45% for PG
Number of attempts
  • No Limit (You can appear for CLAT every year as long as you meet the eligibility criteria)

CLAT 2026: Key Notes to Candidates

  • No candidate will be permitted to enter the examination hall after 2.15 PM. You should stay in the test centre until the end of the examination; you cannot leave early.
  • The NLSIU campus can be accessed only through Gate 1. Only registered candidates can enter the university premises. Entry of parents and guardians will not be allowed.
  • No parking facility is available. Cars are not permitted within the campus, hence consider your commute to work.
  • Bring a print out of your Admit Card and a valid Photo ID proof too. Both of the documents will also be verified at the verification desk after which you will be permitted to proceed.
  • Please queue up and abide within the drawings outside the gate so as to ease the process and orderly access to the campus.

How to Crack CLAT 2026?

  • Research the Trend & Develop Strategy

    • Begin by studying exam patterns and syllabus in detail.
    • Divide the study time depending on the weightage of sections and area of strengths.

  • Establish a Daily Learning habit

    • Weeks 1- 2: Concentrate on basics in every field.
    • Weeks 3-4: Implementation week, complete a practice question, take quizzes, and begin a weekly mock test.
    • Week 5-6: Increase the number of mock tests (2-3 tests per week), evaluate and correct errors, and weak points.

  • Mock Tests Practice

    • Parents should help the child prepare by simulating real exam conditions increasing their stamina and decreasing anxiety.
    • Study every mock to find out repeated errors in order to be more accurate.

  • Be Aware of the Current Affairs

    • Read newspapers, address stable news sites and work out weekly overviews.
    • Retention should be done through group discussions and use of flashcards.

  • Advanced Public Law

    • Research terms and principles used in law.
    • Train on previous years papers and study monumental cases to understand.

  • Target sharper of Quantitative and Logical Skills

    • Do math problems and logic puzzles when taking at least 30 minutes a day.
    • Emphasis must be on conceptual knowledge and not the formula.

  • Exam Revise and Stay Exam Ready

    • In the final month, place one primary focus on revision.
    • Reserve all the logistical (admit card, ID, stationery) one day prior to exam.

Note: To know more and stay updated with the latest info of CLAT 2026, continue to check the official portal of CLAT Entrance Exam. Additionally, if you wish to boost your chances of securing a seat in a top law university of India (private) then take AICLET (All India Common Law Entrance Test). Because skills are valued more than a degree, don’t delay pursuing law if CLAT fails to help you secure NLU’s seat.

FAQs

Apply for CLAT exam before 31st October 2026.

The exam is scheduled on 7th and 14th December, from 2pm to 4pm at 131 centres across India.

CLAT is organised by the Consortium of National Law Universities which is based at NLSIU Bangalore.

It has a total of 24 partner NLUs with 3243 UG and 1373 PG seats. The CLAT scores are also acceptable in some of the colleges providing private law courses

  • National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore
  • NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
  • West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata
  • Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar
  • National Law University, Jodhpur

To apply for CLAT 2026, visit the official website and register online by submitting all the required documents and paying the registration fee.

To register, following documents are required to be submitted:

  • Recent passport-size photograph (front-facing, plain background, JPEG/PNG format, max 500 KB)
  • Candidate’s signature (black or blue ink on white paper, scanned, JPEG/PNG format, max 100 KB)
  • Class 10 mark sheet or certificate (for date of birth verification)
  • Class 12 mark sheet or provisional certificate (if results are awaited, admit card or school certificate can be uploaded temporarily)
  • For PG applicants: LL.B. degree certificate and semester-wise mark sheets
  • Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwD) if applicable for reservation benefits
  • Domicile certificate (if applying under home state quota)
  • Valid photo identification proof (Aadhaar card, Passport, PAN card, Voter ID, etc.

The UG will have 120 MCQs, which are to be answered in 2 hours that include English, Current Affairs & GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques. Every correct answer is 1 mark and 0.25 marks deficit is a wrong answer.

Yes, of course, those candidates who will be taking their qualifying exam in March/April 2026 will qualify, but they must have evidence that they have passed it by the time they will be offered admission./p>

Counselling will happen in December 2025 or in January 2026

The CLAT 2027 exam is expected to take place on the first Sunday of December 2026.

The registrations for CLAT 2027 will begin from July 2026, and are expected to close by November 2026.

Yes, if you are planning to take CLAT in 2026, you can start preparing for the exam from now.

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