Students seeking admission to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programs should prepare for the CLAT exam. The CLAT exam is for those students who dream to study in top law schools in India.
What is the full-form of CLAT?
The full-form of CLAT is Common Law Admission Test.
What is the CLAT exam?
The CLAT is a national level Law Entrance Test conducted by the CLAT consortium for admissions to 5-year integrated LLB (UG) and one-year LLM (PG) courses to participating National Law Universities and other private universities in India that accept CLAT scores.
More than 60,000+ applicants participate in the CLAT exam every year. Later, depending on CLAT scores, students are shortlisted by 26 NLUs for UG courses. Moreover, 61 other private affiliate colleges also accept CLAT exam scores. Even public organizations like ONGC, the Steel Authority of India, Coal India, and BHEL also consider the score of CLAT-PG during recruitment.
What is the CLAT consortium?
Following the second wave of Legal Education reforms, the National Law School of India University was established in Bangalore in 1987, becoming the first National Law University. Subsequently, NALSAR (National Academy of Legal Studies and Research) in Hyderabad became the second NLU in 1998, with other states later establishing their own NLUs. These institutions, modeled after IIMs and IITs, have revolutionized legal education in India, making it the only country with universities dedicated solely to legal disciplines. There are currently 23 NLUs, 22 of which admit students through the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), while the National Law University, Delhi, conducts its own test.
In response to a PIL in 2006, seven NLUs entered an MoU to conduct CLAT, leading to the first test in 2008. In 2015, CLAT transitioned online, expanding to include more NLUs. The CLAT Consortium, formed in 2015, aimed to oversee CLAT’s operations. Further PILs in 2015 and 2018 emphasized the need for fair conduct of CLAT. A permanent CLAT Secretariat was established in Bangalore on 17.10.2018. The Consortium, registered under the Karnataka Co-operative Society Act in 2019, comprises 16 founding members. The Consortium’s main goal is to conduct CLAT for graduate and post-graduate programs across member institutions while promoting quality legal education.
CLAT EXAM HIGHLIGHTS
CLAT Courses
Common Law Admission Test(CLAT) is for students willing to enrol in undergraduate and post-graduate law programs offered by participating National Law Universities in India and other private law colleges. Candidates who qualify in the CLAT exam and clear the cut-off can avail of admission into the following courses:
Undergraduate Courses
- BA LLB (Bachelor of Arts LLB)
- BSc LLB (Bachelor of Science LLB)
- BCom LLB (Bachelor of Commerce LLB)
- BBA LLB (Bachelor of Business Administration LLB)
- BSW LLB (Bachelor of Social Work)
- B.Sc.LL.B.(Hons.)[Cyber Security]
- B.Sc.LL.B.(Hons.)[Criminology & Forensic]
Postgraduate Course
- LLM
CLAT eligibility criteria: Course wise
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: FOR CLAT UG COURSE
- There is no upper age limit for candidates appearing for the UG Programme through the CLAT 2024.
- Candidates must secure the following minimum percentage of marks in their qualifying examination (i.e., 10+2 or an equivalent examination):
- Forty-five percent (45%) marks or its equivalent grade for candidates belonging to General / OBC / PWD / NRI / PIO / OCI categories.
- Forty percent (40%) marks or equivalent for candidates belonging to SC/ST categories.
- Candidates appearing for their qualifying examination in March/April 2024 are also eligible to appear for the CLAT 2024 examination. However, they must provide evidence of passing the qualifying examination at the time of admission, failing which they will lose their right to be considered for admission.
- The result of the qualifying examination (i.e., 10+2) must be submitted by the candidate at the time of admission. Failure to do so will render the candidate ineligible for admission to the course they have applied for.
- In the event that more than one candidate secures an equal number of marks in the CLAT 2024, the tiebreaker will be determined by the following procedure and order:
- Higher marks in the Legal Aptitude section of the CLAT 2024 exam.
- Higher age.
- Computerised draw of lots.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: FOR CLAT PG COURSE
- An LL.B. Degree or an equivalent examination with a minimum of Fifty percent (50%) marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI categories and Forty-Five percent (45%) marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST categories.
- Candidates appearing for their qualifying examination in April/May 2024 are also eligible to apply.
- There is no upper age limit for appearing for the CLAT 2024.
- 4. Tie Breaker Rule : In case of equal marks, the break of tie shall be by the following procedure and order as under:
i. Higher age;
ii. Computerised draw of lots.
CLAT ADMISSION PROCESS
The CLAT admission process is divided into three stages:
- CLAT EXAM
- CLAT COUNSELLING
- CLAT MERIT LIST
Once the candidate qualifies the CLAT exam, they become eligible for counselling session and are allotted seats according NLU preference mentioned by the candidate while filling the CLAT application form (depending on the merit list released and seat availability).
Read ahead to know more about the CLAT selection process.
CLAT Registration
Steps to fill out the CLAT application form:
Follow the below-mentioned steps to complete the online registration process for the CLAT exam:
- Open the official website to access the CLAT EXAM FORM
- To register as a new applicant, fill in the basic details such as name, mobile number, email address, and password to register.
- Sign in to the website using the registered mobile and password.
- Candidates should select the program they want to enroll in.
- Fill in the application form with required details such as personal information, contact details, the status of the qualifying exam, preferred exam center (a maximum of three can be selected in order of preference), and reservation.
- Upload the scanned copy of the required documents such as a photograph, signature, and Domicile Certificate/ reserved category certificates.
- Once all the details are filled-in, agree to the declaration, and submit the form.
- The final step is to pay the CLAT exam fees.
CLAT EXAM: Document Specifications
CLAT Exam Fee
The CLAT application fees can be paid online using credit or debit card, or net banking. The application fees can be paid depending on the category to which the candidate belongs:
Candidates need to pay Rs.500 in addition to purchasing the previous year’s question papers. Once the candidate chooses the mode of payment, the actual bank transaction charges will be displayed on the payment gateway page. Candidate should abide by the bank transaction charges for transmitting the fee online.
Note:Â Application fees once paid, are non-refundable.
List of universities accepting CLAT score
| 1 | National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru |
| 2 | NALSAR University of Law (NALSAR), Hyderabad |
| 3 | The WB National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata |
| 4 | National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur |
| 5 | Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar |
| 6 | National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal |
| 7 | Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai |
| 8 | Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow |
| 9 | Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur |
| 10 | National Law University Odisha (NLUO), Odisha |
| 11 | Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Punjab |
| 12 | National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi |
| 13 | Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Vishakhapatnam |
| 14 | National Law University Silvassa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
| 15 | Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur |
| 16 | National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi |
| 17 | Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna |
| 18 | Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla |
| 19 | Tamil Nadu National Law School (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli |
| 20 | National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam |
| 21 | Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur |
| 22 | Dr. B.R. Ahmedkar National Law University (DBRANLU), Haryana |
| 23 | Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Aurangabad |
| 24 | National Law University (NLU), Agartala |
Private Universities Accepting CLAT Scores
Apart from NLUs, here is the list of a few institutes/universities that have signed a MoU with the CLAT Consortium for using CLAT exam scores.| 1 | Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat |
| 2 | Symbiosis Law School, Pune |
| 3 | School of Law, Christ University-Bengaluru |
| 4 | ILS Law College, Pune |
| 5 | BITS Law School, Mumbai (BITSLAW) |
| 6 | NMIMS – Mumbai |
| 7 | Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad |
| 8 | School of Law, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun |
| 9 | Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College |
| 10 | Karnavati University |
CLAT Exam Pattern
The CLAT exam is organized in English language only. Here are a few details on the CLAT exam pattern for both UG and PG.
CLAT Exam Pattern: For UG
The CLAT exam pattern comprises total 5 sections:
- English
- Quantitative Techniques
- Current Affairs & GK
- Legal Reasoning
- Logical Reasoning
CLAT Exam duration: 120 minutes (Two hours)
Types of Questions: Objective-type, passage-based questions
Number of Questions: 120
Total Marks: 120 marks
Marking Scheme: +1 mark for the correct answer, -0.25 marks for an incorrect answer
| SECTION | No. OF QUESTIONS | MARKS |
| English Language | 22-26 | 22-26 |
| Current affairs & GK | 28-32 | 28-32 |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10-14 | 10-14 |
| Legal Reasoning | 28-32 | 28-32 |
| Logical Reasoning | 22-26 | 22-26 |
| Total | 120 | 120 |
CLAT Exam Pattern: For PG
The CLAT exam paper includes:
- Constitutional Law
- Other Law Subjects, include Contract, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, IPR, and Jurisprudence.
CLAT Exam duration: Â 120 minutes (Two hours)
Types of Questions: Objective-type, passage-based questions
Number of Questions: 120
Total Marks: Â 120 marks
Marking Scheme: Â +1 mark for the correct answer, -0.25 marks for an incorrect answer
Further bifurcation on the number of questions and marks according to the section.
| SECTION | No. OF QUESTIONS | MARKS |
| Constitutional Law | 40 | 40 |
| Law Subjects like Criminal law, Torts, International Law, IPR, and Jurisprudence, | 60 | 60 |
| Subjective Questions on law and contemporary issues | 20 | 20 |
| Â | 120 | 120 |
CLAT Syllabus
Going through the CLAT syllabus is very important before moving ahead with the CLAT exam preparations. Below mentioned is the CLAT exam syllabus for UG and CLAT Exam Syllabus for PG courses.Â
CLAT exam Syllabus for UG
CLAT English Language
Reading Comprehension, Word Rearrangement, Synonyms, Analogies, Spelling Errors, Spotting Errors, Antonyms, Sentence Improvement, Idioms & Phrases, Fill-ups, Cloze Test, and Sentence Rearrangement.Â
CLAT Quantitative Techniques (Maths)
Profit & Loss, Proportion, Averages, Surds & Indices, Square Roots, Areas, Volumes, Percentage, Simplification & Approximation, Partnerships, Ratio, HCF and LCM, Discounts, and Number Systems.
Current Affairs & GK
Science & Technology, Sports, Static GK, Current happenings, History, Geography, Economics, and Politics.
CLAT Logical Reasoning
Time & Sequence, Ranking, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Distance and Direction, Classification, Analogy, Statement & Assumption/ Argument/ Conclusion/ Course of action, Series, Number Test, and Alphabet Test.
CLAT Legal Aptitude
Legal GK and current affairs, Important and recent acts and amendments of the legislature; Important topics from Contract law, Important Supreme Court Judgments, Criminal law, tort law, Constitutional law, International treaties and conventions affecting national legal framework, and much more.
CLAT exam Syllabus for PG
CLAT LLM syllabus includes major subjects of 3-year LLB and 5-year LLB. The topics included in the syllabus are:
- Law of Contracts
- Company law
- Criminal law
- Labor and industrial law
- Law of Torts
- International Law
- Constitutional Law
- Environmental Law
- Property Law
- Public International Law
- Administrative Law
- Intellectual Property Rights
- Tax Law
- Family Law
CLAT Admit Card
Once the candidate submits the CLAT application form successfully, he or she may download the admit card from the official website by logging into their account.
Candidates need to show a valid admit card along with a photo identity card for verification before appearing for the CLAT exam.
CLAT EXAM RESULT & SCORECARD
Candidates can download the CLAT exam result by logging in to the CLAT website.
CLAT exam result is released in the form of scorecards on www.consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The CLAT scorecard includes the sectional rank and total marks of a candidate.
CLAT EXAM MERIT LIST
Candidates can check the CLAT merit list online released by NLU on the official website. The CLAT merit list includes the admit card number, rank, and total marks.
CLAT SEAT ALLOTMENT
Candidates who pay the counseling fee and complete the registration process are considered for CLAT seat allotment.
Once the seat allotment list is released, candidates can access the complete list for both 5-Year Integrated Law Programme and LL.M. Programme.
CLAT COUNSELLING
The CLAT counseling schedule and process are declared by the Consortium of NLUs. The counseling list is uploaded on the official website of CLAT.
Candidates eligible for counseling get an invitation by email and SMS to register for counseling. Once the candidate completes the CLAT counseling registration will only be considered for seat allotment. To know more, visit official website for CLAT.
FAQs
CLAT is a gateway to various top law schools in the country including the 24 NLUs and other private law colleges and universities. Hence, with just one national-level law entrance test, candidates become eligible for the prominent law schools in India.
Yes, currently the CLAT exam is administered in English language only. According to the sources, the Bar Council of India may conduct the CLAT exam in other languages too very soon.
No, the CLAT application form can be filled out online mode only. Click on the link:Â https://clatconsortiumofnlu.ac.in/ to fill out the online CLAT application form.
Yes, a candidate from any stream who has cleared 10+2 or an equivalent exam from a recognized university or board with a prescribed minimum score can appear for the CLAT exam.
For CLAT UG Course,
Candidates from the General category should score 45% of the marks
For SC/ST category: 40% marks.
FOR CLAT PG Course,
For the General category: 50% of marksÂ
For SC/ST category: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 45% of marks
According to the latest notification by the exam officials, the CLAT exam is to be conducted once a year. It was only in the year 2022, the CLAT exam was organized twice a year.
Both courses are very closely related, but there is quite a bit of difference in terms of the focus of the subject and career opportunities associated with the topics. BA LLB will give you more insight into Humanities + Law. BBA LLB will give you more insight into Management + Law.
It depends on the job profile and the company you’re working for. Generally, once you’re recognized as good lawyers, there is no dearth of cases for them to fight and expect a salary in 18-22 lakhs range.
