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CLAT 2026: Complete Guide to Common Law Admission Test
CLAT is a national-level law entrance exam for admission to undergraduate law programs at top law universities in India. It is the primary gateway to NLUs and other leading law colleges, opening career opportunities in law, judiciary, and corporate legal services.
| Detail | Information |
| Exam Name | CLAT — Common Law Admission Test 2026 |
| Conducted By | Consortium of National Law Universities (CLAT Consortium) |
| Mode | Offline (Pen and Paper Based Test) |
| Exam Date | December 2025 (for academic year 2026–27) |
| Total Questions | 120 questions in 120 minutes |
| UG Programmes | 5-year Integrated BA LLB / BBA LLB / BSc LLB / BSW LLB |
| PG Programme | 1-year LLM (separate CLAT PG paper) |
| Minimum Qualification | Class 12 pass from recognised board |
| Minimum Marks (UG) | 45% for General/OBC | 40% for SC/ST |
| Age Limit | No upper age limit |
| Application Fee | ~ Rs. 4,000 (General/OBC) | ~ Rs. 3,500 (SC/ST/BPL) |
| Total NLU Seats | ~3,500+ UG seats across 24 NLUs |
CLAT stands for Common Law Admission Test. It is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities for admission to undergraduate (BA LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, BSW LLB) and postgraduate (LLM) law programmes at 24 NLUs across India.
Unlike most entrance exams that test memory or formula application, CLAT tests your ability to read, comprehend, reason, and analyse. It is based entirely on passage-based questions — meaning every question comes with a reading passage, and you answer based on what the passage says.
India has 24 National Law Universities. The top ones are among the most prestigious institutions in the country — comparable to IITs in engineering. Here are the most sought-after NLUs and their approximate CLAT cutoff ranks:
| NLU & Location | Approx. CLAT UG Cutoff (General) |
| NLSIU Bangalore (NLS) | Top 50–80 ranks |
| NLU Delhi (NLU-D) | Top 100–150 ranks |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | Top 200–350 ranks |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | Top 300–500 ranks |
| NLU Jodhpur | Top 500–800 ranks |
| Hidayatullah NLU Raipur | Top 800–1200 ranks |
| GLC Mumbai (affiliated) | Separate entrance — not through CLAT |
| Total NLUs accepting CLAT | 24 NLUs across India |
For CLAT UG (5-Year Integrated Law Programme):
There is NO upper age limit for CLAT UG. You can appear at 17 or 27 — the exam is open to all. However, you must have completed or be appearing in Class 12.
CLAT UG is a pen-and-paper (offline) test. Duration is 2 hours. Total questions: 120. Total marks: 120. Each question carries 1 mark and there is negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Weightage | Nature |
| English Language | 22–26 | 22–26 | ~22% | Passage-based |
| Current Affairs + GK | 28–32 | 28–32 | ~25% | Passage-based |
| Legal Reasoning | 28–32 | 28–32 | ~25% | Passage-based |
| Logical Reasoning | 22–26 | 22–26 | ~22% | Passage-based |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10–14 | 10–14 | ~10% | Passage-based (data) |
| Total | 120 | 120 | 100% | — |
Law is one of the very few professions where your growth has no ceiling. Here is how a typical career trajectory looks after graduating from a top NLU:
| Stage | Role | Typical Earnings |
| Year 0–2 after LLB | Junior Associate at Law Firm / Litigation Intern | Rs. 5–12 LPA |
| Year 2–5 | Associate (Corporate / Litigation) | Rs. 10–25 LPA |
| Year 5–10 | Senior Associate / Senior Advocate | Rs. 20–50 LPA |
| Year 10–15 | Partner (Law Firm) / Designated Senior Advocate | Rs. 50 LPA – 2 Cr+ |
| Year 15+ | Managing Partner / Senior Advocate (Supreme Court) | Rs. 2 Cr – unlimited |
| Judiciary Path | District Judge → High Court Judge → Supreme Court Judge | Rs. 80,000 – Rs. 2.5 LPA + perks |
Not at all. CLAT is open to students from all streams — Science, Commerce, and Arts/Humanities. In fact, many toppers come from the Humanities stream because strong reading and reasoning skills matter more than subject knowledge.
Yes. Students appearing in Class 12 in the same academic year are eligible to apply and appear for CLAT. Your result must be available before the counselling process begins.
A single CLAT application gives you access to all 24 NLUs. You rank your preferred NLUs during the counselling process. Seat allocation is based on your CLAT rank and your NLU preference order — the higher you rank your preferred NLU, the better your chances if your rank qualifies.
CLAT UG is for admission to 5-year Integrated LLB programmes (after Class 12). CLAT PG is a separate paper for admission to 1-year LLM programmes (after completing a 3-year or 5-year law degree). Both are held on the same day but are different papers.
Coaching helps but is not mandatory. Many CLAT toppers are self-taught. The key requirements are strong reading habits, good reasoning ability, and consistent practice with actual CLAT papers. If you can build those independently, coaching adds relatively marginal value compared to what it costs.
CLAT gives you access to 24 NLUs. AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) is a separate exam conducted by NLU Delhi specifically for admission to NLU Delhi. Since NLU Delhi does not participate in CLAT, aspirants targeting NLU Delhi must also appear in AILET. Most serious law aspirants write both.
There is no limit on the number of CLAT attempts. You can appear every year until you secure a seat at a preferred NLU, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
Disclaimer
This document is an unofficial educational resource created for exam aspirants. All information should be verified on the official recruitment website before applying. Vacancy numbers, age limits, and eligibility criteria are subject to change with each notification.
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