1. What is CLAT Exam 2026?

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a centralized, national-level entrance test for admissions to twenty-four National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. It is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities.

CLAT scores are used for:

• UG Programme: 5-year Integrated LL.B. (Honors) leading to degrees like BA LL.B., BBA LL.B., B.Com LL.B., etc.
• PG Programme: One-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree.
• PSU Recruitment: Major Public Sector Undertakings like ONGC, BHEL, OIL, and Power Grid use CLAT PG scores for recruiting Legal Officers.

2. CLAT 2026: Important Dates

Traditionally, CLAT was held in May. However, the pattern has shifted, and the exam is now conducted in December of the preceding year for the upcoming academic session. This means for the 2026 academic batch, the exam will likely be held in December 2025.

⚠️ Note: These dates are based on the trends of CLAT 2024 and 2025. Always keep an eye on the official website consortiumofnlus.ac.in for real-time updates.

3. Detailed Eligibility Criteria for CLAT 2026

Before paying the registration fee, you must ensure strictly that you meet the eligibility requirements. The criteria are divided into educational qualification and age limits.

A. Educational Qualification (UG Programme)

• Qualifying Exam: Candidates must have passed the 10+2 (Class 12) or an equivalent examination from a recognized board (CBSE, ICSE, State Boards).
• Minimum Percentage Requirement:
  • 45% Marks: For candidates belonging to General / OBC / PWD / NRI / PIO / OCI categories.
  • 40% Marks: For candidates belonging to SC / ST categories.
• Appearing Candidates: Students who are appearing for their Class 12 board exams in March/April 2026 are ALSO ELIGIBLE to appear for CLAT 2026. However, they must produce evidence of passing the qualifying examination at the time of admission/counseling.

B. Age Limit

This is a common confusion among aspirants. According to the latest Supreme Court and Bar Council of India rulings, there is NO upper age limit for appearing in CLAT (UG). Whether you are 17, 20, or 25, you can take the exam.

4. Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

Understanding the pattern is half the battle won. The CLAT 2026 exam will test your reading ability, critical thinking, and analytical skills rather than rote memorization.

• Mode of Exam: Offline (Pen and Paper based). You will mark answers on an OMR Sheet.
• Language: English only.
• Duration: 2 Hours (120 Minutes).
• Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
• Total Questions: 120 Questions.
• Maximum Marks: 120 Marks.

The Marking Scheme (Crucial)

• Correct Answer: +1 Mark.
• Incorrect Answer: -0.25 Mark (Negative Marking).
• Unattempted Question: 0 Marks.

5. Comprehensive Syllabus Breakdown

The CLAT syllabus underwent a major change in 2020. It is now a Comprehension-based test. This means almost every question will be based on a reading passage.

1. English Language (22-26 Questions)

You will be provided with passages of about 450 words each. These passages will be derived from contemporary or historically significant fiction and non-fiction writing.

• What to study: Reading Comprehension, Inference deduction, Summarizing the passage, Comparing arguments, Vocabulary in context.

2. Current Affairs & General Knowledge (28-32 Questions)

Passages of up to 450 words derived from news, journalistic sources, and other non-fiction writing.

• What to study: Contemporary events of national and international significance, Arts and Culture, International Affairs, Historical events affecting current times.
• Source: Newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express) and monthly GK compendiums.

3. Legal Reasoning (28-32 Questions)

The most heavily weighted section. You will read passages relating to legal matters, public policy questions, or moral philosophical inquiries.

• Requirement: You do NOT need prior knowledge of law. You need to identify the rules/principles set out in the passage and apply them to the factual situations provided.
• Topics: Law of Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law.

4. Logical Reasoning (22-26 Questions)

Passages of about 300 words. The questions test your ability to identify arguments, conclusions, and premises.

• What to study: Critical Reasoning (Strengthen/Weaken arguments), Syllogisms, Analogies, Identifying contradictions and equivalence.

5. Quantitative Techniques (10-14 Questions)

This section scares many arts students, but it is basic. It includes short sets of facts or propositions, graphs, or other textual, pictorial, or diagrammatic representations.

• Level: 10th Standard Mathematics.
• Topics: Ratios and Proportions, Basic Algebra, Mensuration, Statistical Estimation, Percentage, Profit & Loss.

6. Exam Centers & Admit Card

List of Exam Centers

The Consortium tries to allocate centers across India to ensure accessibility. During the application process, you can choose three preferences. The exam is conducted in 80+ cities including:

Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Indore, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla, Thiruvananthapuram, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam.

The Admit Card

The Admit Card is your entry ticket. It is usually released 2 weeks before the exam.

How to Download:

1. Visit consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
2. Log in to your candidate portal.
3. Click on the "Download Admit Card" link.
4. Check for errors in Name, DoB, and Photograph.

7. Documents to Carry on CLAT Exam Day 2026

On the exam day, candidates are often stressed and forget essentials. Here is your definitive checklist. Ensure these are packed the night before.

Mandatory Documents

1. CLAT 2026 Admit Card: Carry two clear printouts (Color or B/W).
2. Original Photo ID Proof: A photocopy is NOT acceptable. The ID must be original.
3. Self-Declaration Form: (If required by health guidelines at the time).

List of Acceptable ID Proofs

You can carry any ONE of the following:

• Aadhar Card
• PAN Card
• Voter ID Card
• Passport
• Driving License
• College/School ID Card (with photo)

Stationery & Others

• Black or Blue Ball Point Pen: Gel pens are not allowed as they smudge on the OMR sheet.
• Transparent Water Bottle: No labels allowed.
• Analogue Watch: Digital watches, smartwatches, and calculators are strictly prohibited.

8. Answer Key, Result & Expected Cutoff

The Answer Key Process

CLAT is unique because it is very transparent. After the exam, the Consortium releases the Provisional Answer Key. If you feel a question has a wrong answer or is ambiguous, you can file an objection by paying a fee (usually Rs. 1000 per question). If your objection is valid, the fee is refunded, and the answer is corrected for everyone in the Final Answer Key.

Expected Cutoff Trends

Cutoffs vary based on the difficulty of the paper. However, based on the 120-mark pattern, here is a safe score analysis for General Category:

9. Reservation Policy & Counseling Process

Reservation Policy

Admissions in NLUs are governed by the reservation rules of the specific state where the NLU is located. Broadly, reservations are categorized as:

1. All India Categories: General, SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC (varies).
2. Horizontal Reservation: Persons with Disabilities (PWD) - usually 5%, Women (some NLUs offer 30%), and Wards of Kashmiri Migrants.
3. Domicile (State) Quota: This is crucial. NLUs like NLSIU, NALSAR, and NUJS reserve a significant percentage (25% to 50%) of seats for students who are domiciled in that specific state. Always check if you qualify for Domicile reservation in your home state NLU.

The Counseling Procedure (The "Invite")

Once results are out, the Consortium releases an "Invite List" (usually 5 times the number of seats). If you are invited:

1. Registration: Register for counseling and pay the fee (approx Rs. 30,000, adjustable in college fee).
2. Allotment List: The first list is released. You will be allotted an NLU based on your rank and preference list.
3. Freeze, Float, or Exit:
   • Freeze: You are happy with the allotted NLU and want to confirm the seat.
   • Float: You accept the seat but want to be considered for a higher preference NLU in the next list.
   • Exit: You do not want to participate further.

10. Last-Minute Preparation Strategy

If you are reading this a few months or weeks before the exam, here is how you should structure your time:

Month 6-4: Foundation

• Focus on clearing concepts in Grammar and Mathematics.
• Start reading the newspaper daily (Editorial section) without fail.
• Understand the basics of Torts, Contracts, and Criminal Law.

Month 3-2: Practice

• Start taking Sectional Tests.
• Increase reading speed. Aim to read 450 words in 2-3 minutes.
• Solve past year papers (2020-2025) to understand the "New Pattern."

Last Month: Mock Mode

• Take Mock Tests: Attempt one mock every alternate day.
• Analysis: Spending 2 hours on a mock is useless if you don't spend 3 hours analyzing it. Find out why you got an answer wrong.
• GK Revision: Do not read new topics. Revise the notes you made from monthly compendiums.
• Sleep Cycle: Adjust your body clock to be most active between 2 PM to 4 PM (the usual exam slot).