CLAT Exam: Exam Date, Eligibility, Registration, Syllabus, Sample Papers

Students seeking admission to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programs should prepare for the CLAT exam. The CLAT is one of the entrance exams for students aiming to study in India’s top law schools.

In these Blog, you will find CLAT 2027 Important Dates, CLAT Exam, pattern and Syllabus CLAT Exam Day Guidelines. The detailed CLAT 2027 guidelines will provide crucial information to help candidates navigate the exam process successfully.

Preparing for the CLAT 2027 exam is a comprehensive process that requires familiarity with the entire exam structure. The CLAT 2027 will be conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities. This national-level entrance exam for admissions to various law programs is also known as CLAT. Prospective candidates must register for CLAT through the official website, with the last date for submission being crucial to meet. The CLAT 2027 will be held in the first week of December, as announced by the Consortium.

What is the full-form of CLAT?

The full-form of CLAT is Common Law Admission Test. The CLAT is a national-level law entrance exam, and detailed information about CLAT, including the syllabus and exam pattern, can be found in this website.

What is the CLAT exam?

The CLAT is a national level Law Entrance Exam 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 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 Date 2027

CLAT 2027 exam will be conducted in December, 2026.

CLAT EXAM HIGHLIGHTS

CLAT 2027 Exam Events & Important Dates

The Consortium has announced the CLAT 2027 exam will be conducted in December 2026 Candidates can apply for the CLAT through the CLAT 2027 registration process.

CLAT Courses

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is for students willing to enroll 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 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 2027.
  • 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 2026 are also eligible to appear for the CLAT 2027 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 2027, the tiebreaker will be determined by the following procedure and order:
  1. Higher marks in the Legal Aptitude section of the CLAT 2027 exam.
  2. Higher age.
  3. Computerised draw of lots.

CLAT 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 2027 are also eligible to apply.
  • There is no upper age limit for appearing for the CLAT 2027.
  • 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 Exam Pattern

The CLAT exam is organized for UG and PG Program in English language only.

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

SECTIONNo. OF QUESTIONSMARKS
English Language22-2622-26
Current affairs & GK28-3228-32
Quantitative Techniques10-1410-14
Legal Reasoning28-3228-32
Logical Reasoning22-2622-26
Total120120

CLAT 2027 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:  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

Further bifurcation on the number of questions and marks according to the section.

SECTIONNo. OF QUESTIONSMARKS
Constitutional Law4040
Law Subjects like Criminal law, Torts, International Law, IPR, and Jurisprudence,6060
Subjective Questions on law and contemporary issues2020
 120120

CLAT Syllabus

Going through the CLAT syllabus is very important before moving ahead with the CLAT exam preparations.

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.

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 2027 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 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 Counselling

CLAT 2027 Counselling Process

The CLAT 2027 counselling process is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) after the declaration of results. It is a centralized seat allocation process where candidates are allotted seats based on their CLAT rank, category, and preferred NLUs selected during registration.

Step-by-Step CLAT Counselling Process

1. Counselling Registration
Candidates must log in to the official CLAT portal and complete the counselling registration process within the prescribed deadline.

2. NLU Preference Selection
Applicants are required to choose and arrange their preferred NLUs in order of priority.

3. Seat Allotment
Seats are allotted based on the candidate’s rank, category, and NLU preferences. The allotment results are published in multiple rounds.

4. Seat Confirmation & Fee Payment
Candidates who receive a seat allotment must confirm their admission by paying the prescribed seat acceptance fee within the given timeframe.

5. Document Verification & Admission Formalities
After accepting the allotted seat, candidates must report to the respective NLU and complete the document verification and admission process.

6. Subsequent Counselling Rounds
Additional counselling rounds are conducted to fill vacant seats arising due to withdrawals, upgrades, or non-confirmation of admissions.

Important Points to Remember

  • CLAT counselling is conducted in multiple rounds, providing opportunities for seat upgrades.

  • The seat acceptance fee is generally adjusted against the final admission fee of the allotted NLU.

  • Candidates should regularly check the official CLAT Consortium website for counselling schedules, allotment lists, and updates.

  • Failure to complete the admission formalities or report within the stipulated deadline may result in cancellation of the allotted seat.

CLAT 2027 Application Process

Follow the below-mentioned steps to complete the online registration process for the CLAT exam:

  1. Open the official website to access the CLAT EXAM FORM
  2. To register as a new applicant, fill in the basic details such as name, mobile number, email address, and password to register.
  3. Sign in to the website using the registered mobile and password.
  4. Candidates should select the program they want to enroll in.
  5. 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.
  6. Upload the scanned copy of the required documents such as a photograph, signature, and Domicile Certificate/ reserved category certificates.
  7. Once all the details are filled-in, agree to the declaration, and submit the form.
  8. 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.

Important Note: Application fees once paid, are non-refundable. The candidate applying for CLAT 2027, must keep in mind that after registering, you should save your Application Number and Date of Birth for future purpose, like checking the result and other details.

List of CLAT 2027 Exam Centers

AgraFaridabadKanpurRaipur
AhmedabadGandhinagarKanyakumariRajahmundry
AllahabadGangtokKolkataRajkot
Amrawati (MH)GhaziabadKotaRanchi
AmritsarGorakhpurKottayamSalem
AurangabadNoidaKurnoolShillong
BangaloreGurugramKurukshetraShimla
BarasatGuwahatiLucknowSiliguri
BarrackporeGwaliorMaduraiSilvassa
BhopalHaldwaniMangaloreSonepat
BhubaneswarHisarMeerutSrinagar
BilaspurHooghlyMohaliSurat
CalicutHubli / DharwadMumbaiThane
ChandigarhHyderabadMuzaffarpurThiruvananthapuram
ChennaiImphalMysoreTiruchirappalli
Chittor/TirupatiIndoreNagpurTirunelveli
CoimbatoreJabalpurNavi MumbaiVadodara
CuttackJaipurNew DelhiVaranasi
DehradunJalandharPatialaVellore
DiuJammuPatnaVijayawada
DurgJamshedpurPuducherryVisakhapatnam
ErnakulumJodhpurPune 

CLAT 2027 Results

The Consortium of National Law Universities will release the 2027 answer Key PDF on the official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Once the CLAT question paper is released, candidates can check the eligibility criteria of CLAT to ensure they meet all requirements. The Consortium will also open the CLAT Objection Window 2027 to allow candidates to challenge the CLAT Provisional Answer Key 2027.

CLAT 2027 Answer Key

Note that candidates will not be allowed to raise objections against the CLAT Final Answer Key 2027. The Consortium will release the answer key of CLAT 2027 in two phases: the provisional answer key and the final answer key. After reviewing the objections, the Consortium will publish the CLAT Final Answer Key 2027 and results of CLAT 2027.

Additionally, the consortium will release the CLAT 2027 answer key in two phases: the provisional answer key and the final answer key. The merit list of CLAT will be released in stages, including the CLAT fourth merit list and the CLAT 5th allotment list 2025. It’s essential to keep track of the important dates, such as the CLAT 2025 registration deadline and the counselling registration date.

List of National Law Universities accepting CLAT score

1National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru
2NALSAR University of Law (NALSAR), Hyderabad
3The WB National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata
4National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur
5Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar
6National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal
7Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai
8Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow
9Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur
10National Law University Odisha (NLUO), Odisha
11Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Punjab
12National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi
13Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Vishakhapatnam
14National Law University Silvassa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli
15Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur
16National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi
17Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna
18Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla
19Tamil Nadu National Law School (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli
20National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam
21Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur
22Dr. B.R. Ahmedkar National Law University (DBRANLU), Haryana
23Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Aurangabad
24National 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 2027 scores.

1Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat
2Symbiosis Law School, Pune
3School of Law, Christ University-Bengaluru
4ILS Law College, Pune
5BITS Law School, Mumbai (BITSLAW)
6NMIMS – Mumbai
7Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad
8School of Law, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun
9Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College
10Karnavati University

Preparation Tips

To aid preparation, candidates should focus on taking multiple CLAT mock tests. These mock tests provide insights into the actual exam and help in understanding the types of questions asked in the exam. The CLAT 2024 UG and PG sections will cover various subjects, and complete CLAT 2027 syllabus is available to guide candidates through the required topics. As Per the CLAT guidelines, candidates must check the detailed CLAT 2027 syllabus and the section of CLAT to understand the exam pattern and prepare effectively.

Candidates should be aware that the last year Consortium released the CLAT 2026 UG guidelines, and similar announcements are expected for CLAT 2027. To ensure success, review the CLAT question paper 2026 and stay updated with the consortium’s announcements.

CLAT EXAM RESULT & SCORECARD

Candidates can download the CLAT result by logging in to the CLAT website.
CLAT examination 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 2027 MERIT LIST

Candidates can check the CLAT merit list online released by NLU on the official website. This merit list includes the admit card number, rank, and total marks.

CLAT SEAT ALLOTMENT

Candidates who pay the counselling 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 PROCESS

The Consortium of NLUs is responsible for declaring the CLAT counseling schedule and process. The counseling list, including details for CLAT 2027, is uploaded on the official CLAT website. Eligible candidates are notified via email and SMS to participate in the counseling process. Only candidates who complete the CLAT counselling registration 2027 will be considered for seat allotment. For further information, visit the official CLAT website.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ's

CLAT is a gateway to various top law colleges 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 colleges 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 it in other languages too very soon.

No, the CLAT application form can be filled out online mode only. Click on the link: 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 CLAT 2025.

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 marks

For SC/ST category: 45% of marks

According to the latest notification by the exam officials, the CLAT is conducted once a year. It was only in the year 2022, the CLAT 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.

The CLAT exam this year will be held in December 2026, and the results of CLAT 2027 will be announced in the December 2026.

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