CLAT

CLAT 2026 - Overview

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance examination conducted by Consortium of National Law Universities for admission to Law programmes across India. The exam is conducted in offline mode with a duration of 2 hours for a total of 150 marks . CLAT is held once a year. Currently, 8+ colleges in India accept CLAT scores for admission. The next key date is CLAT 2027 - Registration Opens on 01 Jul 2027.

CLAT Important Dates

CLAT 2027 - Registration Opens

01 Jul 2027, Thursday

CLAT 2027 - Examination

05 Dec 2027, Sunday

CLAT 2027 - Result Declaration

25 Dec 2027, Saturday

CLAT Important Dates

CLAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Understanding the eligibility criteria is the first step towards preparing for Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). The exam is conducted by Consortium of National Law Universities at the national level for candidates seeking admission to Law programmes across India. Candidates must carefully verify that they meet all requirements before filling the application form to avoid rejection at a later stage.

CLAT Application Fee

CLAT Counselling Authority

CLAT counselling is conducted exclusively by the Consortium of National Law Universities (Consortium of NLUs) through its official portal. There is no JoSAA, MCC, or CSAB involvement. The Consortium centrally manages seat allotment across all 24 participating NLUs. State law universities and private colleges conduct their own separate counselling processes using CLAT scores.

Candidates seeking admission to state law universities (e.g., Maharashtra, Karnataka) using CLAT scores must separately register on the respective state counselling portals, as the Consortium does not manage those seats.

• Result Declaration: The Consortium publishes the CLAT merit list and rank card on the official website. Candidates should download and verify their rank, category, and subject scores before the counselling window opens.
• Online Registration for Counselling: Qualified candidates must register afresh on the Consortium counselling portal (separate from the exam application). A non-refundable counselling registration fee (typically ₹50,000 as seat acceptance deposit) is paid at this stage.
• Choice Filling & Locking: Candidates select and rank their preferred NLUs and programmes (BA LLB / BBA LLB / LLM). Choices must be saved and locked before the deadline - unlocked preferences are not considered for allotment.
• Seat Allotment Rounds:Round 1: Provisional allotment based on rank, category (General/SC/ST/OBC/PwD/NRI/Kashmiri Migrant), and choices. Candidates accept and pay the seat deposit to retain the allotment.Round 2 (Upgradation): Candidates who accepted a seat in Round 1 but want a higher-preference NLU are automatically considered. New seats also open from Round 1 withdrawals.Round 3 / Spot Round: Remaining vacant seats are filled. This is the final round; choices cannot be changed after this.
• Round 1: Provisional allotment based on rank, category (General/SC/ST/OBC/PwD/NRI/Kashmiri Migrant), and choices. Candidates accept and pay the seat deposit to retain the allotment.
• Round 2 (Upgradation): Candidates who accepted a seat in Round 1 but want a higher-preference NLU are automatically considered. New seats also open from Round 1 withdrawals.
• Round 3 / Spot Round: Remaining vacant seats are filled. This is the final round; choices cannot be changed after this.
• Document Verification: After final allotment, candidates must report to the allotted NLU with original documents: Class 10 & 12 mark sheets, CLAT rank card, category certificate (if applicable), domicile certificate, passport-size photographs, and photo ID.
• Fee Payment & Admission Confirmation: Full first-year tuition and hostel fees are paid directly to the allotted NLU. The seat deposit paid earlier is typically adjusted against the total fee.
• Reporting to the Institute: Candidates must physically report on the date specified by the allotted NLU. Failure to report forfeits the seat and the seat deposit.

Understand the Exam Pattern

CLAT 2025 is a 120-minute, 150-mark comprehension-based test. Questions are drawn from 5 sections: English Language, Current Affairs & GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Each correct answer earns 1 mark; 0.25 marks are deducted for wrong answers. Since 2020, all questions are passage-based - rote memorization alone will not work.

CLAT 2026 Cutoff Scores

CLAT cutoff is the minimum score required by candidates to qualify the examination and become eligible for the next stage of admission. The cutoff is determined by Consortium of National Law Universities based on factors like total number of candidates, difficulty level of the paper, and availability of seats. The exam is conducted for a total of 150 marks. Candidates from reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) generally have lower cutoff scores compared to the General category.

Cutoff Data Not Yet Available

CLAT 2026 cutoff scores will be published after the results are declared. Check back for updates.

How CLAT Cutoff is Determined

Difficulty Level

The overall difficulty of the question paper directly affects cutoff scores.

Number of Candidates

Higher participation generally leads to higher cutoff scores due to increased competition.

Available Seats

The total number of seats across participating institutes impacts how many candidates qualify.

Reservation Policy

Different cutoffs apply for General, OBC, SC, ST, and PwD categories as per government norms.

Top Colleges Accepting CLAT 2026

A total of 8+ colleges and institutions across India accept CLAT scores for admission to Law programmes . This includes 5 government and 3 private institutions. These colleges are spread across 7 states including Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and more . The highest-rated institution is National Law School of India University Bangalore with a rating of 4.80/5.

Important Points to Remember

Verify your eligibility well before the application deadline to avoid last-minute issues.

Keep all required documents (marksheets, certificates, ID proof) ready before starting the application.

Final-year students can usually apply provisionally - check the official notification for details.

Always refer to the official CLAT website for the most up-to-date eligibility norms.

1. English Language

• Reading comprehension passages from literary texts, journalistic writing, and academic prose
• Identifying the central theme and main idea of a passage
• Drawing inferences and conclusions from given text
• Vocabulary in context - meaning of words and phrases as used in the passage
• Grammar and correct usage embedded within comprehension questions
• Summary and paraphrase identification
• Author's tone, purpose, and attitude

2. Current Affairs including General Knowledge

• National and international events from the past 12-18 months (focus: July 2023 - June 2024 for CLAT 2025)
• Constitutional and legal developments in India - landmark Supreme Court and High Court judgments
• Bills passed by Parliament, Constitutional amendments
• Indian polity - appointments, elections, government schemes (PM Vishwakarma, Jal Jeevan Mission, etc.)
• International organisations - UN, WTO, IMF, ICC, ICJ - recent decisions and India's role
• Awards and honours - Nobel Prize, Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards, Sahitya Akademi
• Sports events - ICC tournaments, Olympics 2024 Paris, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games
• Science and technology - ISRO missions (Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, Gaganyaan updates), AI policy
• Environment and climate - COP28 outcomes, India's NDC targets, biodiversity treaties
• Books, authors, and personalities in the news

3. Legal Reasoning

• Legal propositions / principles stated in the passage - candidates must apply them to factual scenarios
• Principles of Contract Law - offer, acceptance, consideration, void and voidable contracts
• Tort Law - negligence, strict liability, defamation, nuisance
• Criminal Law - IPC provisions (now Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023), mens rea, actus reus
• Constitutional Law - Fundamental Rights (Articles 12-35), Directive Principles, fundamental duties
• Family Law - marriage, divorce, inheritance concepts across personal laws
• Property Law - ownership, possession, transfer concepts
• Public International Law - state sovereignty, treaties, humanitarian law
• Recent legislative changes - BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, BSA 2023 replacing IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act
• Application of rule of law, principles of natural justice, and constitutional morality

4. Logical Reasoning

• Identifying arguments - premises and conclusions in passage-based scenarios
• Strengthening and weakening arguments
• Drawing logical inferences and deductions
• Identifying assumptions implicit in a given statement
• Spotting logical fallacies - ad hominem, straw man, false dilemma, circular reasoning
• Analogy-based reasoning
• Cause and effect relationships
• Statement-conclusion and statement-inference type questions

5. Quantitative Techniques

• Number systems - integers, fractions, decimals, surds
• Percentage calculations and their applications
• Profit, loss, and discount
• Simple and compound interest
• Ratio and proportion
• Averages and mixtures
• Basic algebraic equations
• Data interpretation - reading and interpreting tables, bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs presented within passages
• Basic mensuration - area and perimeter of standard shapes

Top CLAT Colleges - at a Glance

Recommended Books by Subject

• English: Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis; SC Gupta's Objective English
• Legal Reasoning: Legal Aptitude for CLAT by A.P. Bhardwaj; Universal's Guide to CLAT
• Current Affairs & GK: Lucent's General Knowledge; monthly Hindu/Indian Express editorials; Vajiram & Ravi current affairs digests
• Logical Reasoning: Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey; RS Aggarwal's A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning
• Quantitative Techniques: NCERT Maths (Class 9-10); R.S. Aggarwal's Quantitative Aptitude

Build a Structured Study Schedule

Allocate a minimum of 4-5 hours daily over 6 months. Dedicate the first 3 months to concept-building and the last 3 to practice and revision. Rotate subjects daily to avoid burnout. Reserve one day per week exclusively for full-length practice tests.

practice tests Strategy

Start attempting official CLAT Consortium sample papers and PYQs from 2020 onwards. Use platforms like Career Launcher, CL Educate, or LegalEdge for sectional and full practice tests. After each mock, do a thorough error analysis - classify mistakes as conceptual, careless, or speed-related. Aim to improve your accuracy before increasing speed.

Focus on High-Weightage Topics

• Legal Reasoning: Constitutional Law principles, Torts, Contracts - passages test application, not bare-act knowledge
• Current Affairs: SC/HC landmark judgments, bills passed in Parliament, international treaties India signed in 2024
• English: Inference-based RC passages, Para-jumbles, vocabulary in context

Newspaper Reading is Non-Negotiable

Read The Hindu or Indian Express daily, focusing on the editorial page, legal/judiciary section, and Parliament coverage. Maintain a running note of landmark Supreme Court verdicts (e.g., Electoral Bonds case, Article 370 judgment) as these are frequently tested.

Exam-Day Tips

• Carry your CLAT admit card and a valid photo ID (Aadhaar/Passport) - entry is denied without both
• The exam is offline (OMR-based) - practise filling OMR sheets to avoid errors under time pressure
• Attempt Current Affairs and English first (higher accuracy); tackle Quantitative Techniques last
• Do not attempt guesses on legal/logical passages you have not read - negative marking at 0.25 adds up quickly