CLAT Exam 2026 Full Details
CLAT Exam 2026 Full Details
CLAT 2026: Your Ultimate Guide to the Common Law Admission Test
What is CLAT? Understanding the Common Law Admission Test
It is the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a nationwide entrance exam administered through the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) for admission into postgraduate (UG) or postgraduate (PG) law schools. It is the most important test to be passed to get a seat in any of the 27 NLUs in India and the United States, with NLU Delhi in Delhi and NLU Meghalaya having separate entrance tests (AILET and MEG-UAT/PAT respectively). In addition, more than 60 law schools that are private and public entities such as ONGC and BHEL utilize the CLAT scores to determine admissions and recruiting.
CLAT 2026 Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Consortium of National Law Universities |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Programs Offered | 5-year Integrated LLB (UG) and 1-year LLM (PG) |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (Pen-and-paper based) |
| Question Type | Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Number of Questions | 120 |
| Duration | 2 Hours |
| Marking Scheme | +1 for each correct answer, -0.25 for each incorrect answer |
| Total Marks | 120 |
| Exam Centers | Over 130 centers across India |
| Expected Exam Date | First or Second Week of December 2025 |
| Official Website | consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
CLAT 2026 Important Dates
Event | Tentative Date |
|---|---|
Release of Official Notification | July 2025 |
Start of Online Registration | First week of July 2025 |
Last Date to Apply | Fourth week of October 2025 |
Admit Card Release | Third week of November 2025 |
CLAT 2026 Exam Date | December 7 or 14, 2025 |
Answer Key Release | December 2025 |
Result Declaration | December 2025/January 2026 |
Counseling and Seat Allotment | January–February 2026 |
CLAT 2026 Application Form
- Registration:
- Check out the official web site, and select”CLAT 2026″ on the official website “CLAT 2026” link.
- Choose “New registration” and enter an email, mobile number and an account password.
- Verify your account by using the OTP that was sent to your mobile or email.
- Filling the Form:
- Log in using your credentials.
- Fill in personal information (name day of birth, name and category) and contact information, as well as academic credentials.
- Choose up to three preferred exam centers, in order of importance.
- Document Upload:
- Upload a passport-sized image from the last few days (JPEG up to 500KB).
- Upload a signed image (JPEG maximum 100KB).
- Offer Category certificates (if relevant) with a PDF file.
- Fee Payment:
- You can pay for the fee for the CLAT 2026 application on the internet using a credit or debit card net banking, credit card or UPI.
- The fee is non-refundable.
- Submission:
- Take the time to read the form thoroughly and complete it before submitting it.
- Save and download the confirmation page for later references.
Notification A correction window could be offered in November 2025 for editing certain information in an application. Candidates are required to provide their NLU preferences in the phase of counseling but not during the registration process according to recent modifications.
CLAT 2026 Application Fee
It is important to note that the Cost of the CLAT-2026 Application is different for each class and is payable on line. Here are the specifics:
| Category | Fee (INR) |
|---|---|
| General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI | 4,000 |
| SC/ST/EWS | 3,500 |
- Additional charges could be incurred for downloading old questions papers (approximately 500 INR).
- The fee cannot be refunded in any way.
CLAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria
For CLAT UG 2026 (5-Year Integrated LLB)
- Academic Qualification Candidates must have completed 10+2 or an equivalent exam from a recognized institution.
- General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI: Minimum 45% marks.
- SC/ST: Minimum 40% marks.
- Age Limit: No upper age limit.
- Candidates who are appearing Students taking their 10+2 examinations in March/April 2026 are eligible, but need to prove their passing at the time of admission.
- Education Qualification Candidates must have either a 3-year or five-year LLB degree from a school that is recognized through the Bar Council of India.
- General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI: Minimum 50% marks.
- SC/ST: Minimum 45% marks.
- Age Limit: No upper age limit.
- Candidate Appearing The final-year LLB candidates are eligible as long as they show documents proving their eligibility at the time of admission.
CLAT Exam 2026 Career Scope
It is important to note that the CLAT Career Range is extensive and rewarding with opportunities in many legal and non-legal areas. After passing the CLAT, you can gain access to prestigious law schools which can lead to a lucrative career. Here are a few career options for people who pass the CLAT exam:
- Litigation Learn to become a licensed lawyer in criminal, civil or corporate law, representing clients before courts.
- Corporate Law: Employ law firms or multinational corporations managing mergers, contracts and compliance.
- Judicial Services: Learn to pass judicial examinations in order to become a magistrate or judge.
- Civil Services: Make use of your legal expertise to succeed on the UPSC and state PSC tests.
- Legal Research and Academia Research or teaching positions in law schools and universities.
- Private Sector: Join companies such as ONGC, BHEL, or Coal India, which recruit CLAT PG applicants.
- Corporate Secretary Combining law and corporate governance by becoming a secretary.
- policy and advocacy Collaboration together with think tanks, NGOs or government agencies on advocacy and reforms to the law.
The graduates of NLUs usually get outstanding positions in top law firms starting salaries range between 10-20 INR LPA. The legal field is stimulating intellectually as well as financially rewarding and an impactful social force.
CLAT Exam Pattern
Knowing what is the CLAT Exam Structure is vital for efficient preparation. Here is the full arrangement for CLAT UG 2026::
| Section | Questions | Weightage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 22-26 | 20% |
| Current Affairs & General Knowledge | 28-32 | 25% |
| Legal Reasoning | 28-32 | 25% |
| Logical Reasoning | 22-26 | 20% |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10-14 | 10% |
- Total Questions: 120 MCQs
- Total Marks: 120
- Duration 2 hours
- Marking Scheme: +1 for correct answers, -0.25 for incorrect answers
- Mode: Offline (pen-and-paper)
- Language: English
CLAT PG 2026 comprises 120 MCQs that cover the core LLB subjects such as Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Contract Law, and Torts. There are rumors about the possibility of introducing subjective questions, however this has not been confirmed. Visit the official website for any updates.
Image: A courtroom setting, symbolizing the legal profession aspirants aim for through CLAT.
CLAT Exam Syllabus UG/PG
| Section | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| English Language |
|
| Current Affairs & General Knowledge |
|
| Legal Reasoning |
|
| Logical Reasoning |
|
| Quantitative Techniques |
|
CLAT 2026 Admit Card
The CLAT 2026 Admit Card is a requirement for the examination. The admit card will be available by the end of week three in 2025. It will be available on the official web site. Here’s how you can download it:
Visit consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Log in with your mobile number registered with you and password.
Select”Download Admit Card” link “Download Admission Card” button.
Print and save 2-3 duplicates of your admit card.
Details on Admit Card:
Name of the candidate, roll number and class.
Exam date and time, as well as the location.
Exam day guidelines.
Candidates must bring an acceptable photo ID (Aadhaar or voter ID or passport) together with their admission card at the center of examination.
CLAT 2026 Result
It is expected that the CLAT 2026 results will be announced in either December 2025 or January 2026 via this official web site. Here’s how you can check it:
Visit consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Log in using your CLAT account number/adminstration card number as well as the day of birth.
Download the scorecard. It includes:
Total marks
All India Rank
Category rank
Sectional scores
It is expected that the Consortium will also issue the merit list for counseling. Candidates who are shortlisted by their scores will be able to proceed to the online counseling process and allocation of seats.
