The CLAT 2027 exam is expected to be held on 6 December 2026, the first Sunday of December, in offline pen and paper mode. The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will release the official CLAT 2027 notification around 15-16 July 2026 on its website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The registration window for CLAT 2027 is likely to open on 1 August 2026.

The Consortium of National Law Universities (Consortium of NLUs), as the conducting authority, will be responsible for organising the exam in a single session in 130+ cities throughout the country.

The CLAT 2027 registration process is expected to start on the 1st or 3rd of August 2026.

  • Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved categories) from any recognised university.
  • The admit card for CLAT 2026 is anticipated to be released in November 2026, typically mid-to-late November.
  • This allows candidates enough time to download, verify details, and plan logistics.

For the CLAT 2026 exam, over 88 thousand students appeared for the exam as compared to 92 thousand registrations, which includes both UG and PG students.

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CLAT 2027

Key Summary

  • The exam was consistently held in May every year till 2019. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the schedule got disrupted.
  • CLAT 2027 will be conducted by the Consortium of NLUs. The exam is expected to be held on 6 December 2026 in Pen-and-Paper-Based Mode.
  • Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for the reserved categories)
  • The CLAT 2027 admit card is expected in the last week of November 2026.
  • For preparation, candidates should focus on concept clarity, regular practice, and mock tests.
  • Analysing mock papers plays a key role in improving success.

What is CLAT 2027?

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2027) is the centralised national-level entrance examination for aspirants seeking admission to 5-year integrated Undergraduate and 1-year Postgraduate (PG) law programmes. Upon clearing this exam, an aspirant becomes eligible for admission into India’s 27 National Law Universities (NLUs) for the academic session beginning in 2027.

These programmes are offered by 24 to 27 NLUs across India, including top-tier universities like NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad.

  • For the 2027 cycle, a high-profile Expert Committee, chaired by Justice Indu Malhotra and featuring professors from Oxford and Columbia, has been tasked with reviewing the exam structure.
  • Their goal is to align CLAT with the global structure to assess aptitude for studying law by enhancing the “analytical depth” of questions.
  • CLAT 2027 scores are also accepted by over 60 private law schools (such as Nirma University and UPES) and several PSUs for legal officer recruitments.
What is CLAT 2027?

CLAT 2027 Exam Dates

The official CLAT 2027 exam dates will be released along with the official notification, which is expected in July 2026 on its official website.

Timeline Events
CLAT 2027 July 2026 Official Notification Release
CLAT 2027 Aug 1, 2026 Application Start Date
CLAT 2027 Oct 31, 2026 Last Date to Apply
CLAT 2027 Mid-November Application Correction Window
CLAT 2027 3rd week of Nov 2026 Admit Card Release
CLAT 2027 Dec 6, 2026 Exam Date
CLAT 2027 Dec 7-8, 2026 Provisional Answer Key
CLAT 2027 3rd week of Nov, 2026 Final Answer Key & Result
CLAT 2027 Last week of Dec 2026 Counselling Process
CLAT 2027 Jan-May 2027 (Multiple Rounds) Final Admission Offer/Allotment

Also Check: CLAT 2027 Exam Date, Check Application Form, Result, Counselling Schedule

CLAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria

To take the CLAT 2027 Exam, all that is required is to complete a bachelor's degree in any discipline (B.A, B.Com, B.Sc) with a minimum of 50% or 45% marks (SC, ST, PwD).

Eligibility Criteria

CLAT UG Eligibility (5-Year LLB)

Eligibility Parameter Requirement Details
Educational Qualification Must have passed 10+2 (Class 12) or an equivalent examination from a recognized national or state board.
Minimum Marks (General/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI) 45% marks or an equivalent grade in the qualifying examination.
Minimum Marks (SC/ST) 40% marks or an equivalent grade in the qualifying examination.
Appearing Candidates Students appearing for their Class 12 board exams in March/April 2027 are eligible to apply (must submit proof of passing at the time of admission).
Academic Stream Open to students from all academic backgrounds (Science, Commerce, or Humanities).
Age Limit No upper age limit for appearing in CLAT UG.

CLAT PG Eligibility (1-Year LLM)

Eligibility Parameter Requirement Details
Educational Qualification Must hold an LL.B. degree (either 3-year or 5-year integrated) or an equivalent law degree from a recognized university.
Minimum Marks (General/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI) 50% marks or an equivalent grade in the qualifying degree.
Minimum Marks (SC/ST) 45% marks or an equivalent grade in the qualifying degree.
Final Year Candidates Candidates in the final year of their LL.B. program (graduating in April/May 2027) are eligible to apply (admission is contingent on presenting the final mark sheets).
Age Limit No upper age limit for appearing in CLAT PG.

Also Check:

Source: Consortium of NLUs Official Website

CLAT 2027 Registration Process

CLAT Registration 2027 for the Common Law Admission Test starts on August 1, 2026, through the official Consortium of NLUs website. Candidates must fill out the CLAT application form online, upload the required documents, and pay the CLAT application fees to complete their registration process.

  • Candidates must register for CLAT 2027 using their personal and academic details.
  • Students are advised to fill out the CLAT application form 2027 as soon as possible to get their first preference of examination centre.

Every year, around 60,000 students apply for the exam, fighting for 3,213 seats for a 5-year LLB and 1,217 seats for a 1-year LLB.

Candidates Registered and Appeared in CLAT 2026 Exam

Based on the official data released by the Consortium of NLUs after the December 7, 2025, exam, CLAT 2026 saw record-breaking participation.

The total number of candidates who registered for the exam reached up to 92,344, a significant 17% increase from the previous year.

Course-wise Participation

Programme Registered Appeared Attendance %
Undergraduate 75,009 72,631 96.83%
Postgraduate 17,335 16,026 92.45%
Total 92,344 88,657 96.01% (approx)
Candidates Registered and Appeared in CLAT 2026 Exam

CLAT 2027 Category-wise Participation

Category Registered Appeared
GEN 46,000 44,300
OBC-NCL 24,900 23,900
EWS 9,200 8,850
SC 7,200 6,900
ST 3,700 3,550
PwD 1,344 1,157
CLAT 2027 Category-wise Participation

Gender-wise Participation

The participant demographics for the CLAT 2026 examination show a strong female participation rate of 57%.

Gender Percentage Count (Approximate)
Female 57% 50,534
Male 43% 38,114
Transgender <0.1% 9
Gender-wise Participation

Also Check: CLAT 2026 Results Out: 9 Transgender Candidates, 57% Female, 43% Male Participation

CLAT 2027 Documents Required

Before you start filling out the registration form, please take note of all the documents that are required to complete the process to avoid last-minute chaos.

You will require:

Document Type Specifications & Technical Requirements Key Guidelines & Details
Photograph Size: 10 KB to 100 KBFormat: JPEG / JPG Must be a recent passport-size photo. A clean white background is preferred.
Signature Size: 10 KB to 100 KB Format: JPEG / JPGDimensions: 80mm x 35mm Must be signed using a black pen on plain white paper.
Category Certificate Size: Up to 1 MBFormat: PDF Required only if applicable (SC / ST / NC-OBC / EWS / PwD).Must be officially issued by a recognised authority.
Academic Details Requires your 10th and 12th certificates.Requires your LLB (or equivalent degree) certificate along with the final year marksheet.
Domicile Certificate Required only if applicable to your category/quota claim.Must be issued by a competent authority like a Tehsildar, District Magistrate, etc.

CLAT 2027 Application Fees

The CLAT 2027 application fees must be paid during the final stages of registration to complete the process. The application fees differ by category.

  • Once paid, the application fees are non-refundable.
  • The application fees must be paid only via online methods, such as credit cards, debit cards, net banking, or UPI.
  • The application will be considered successful only when the payment is transferred to the beneficiary.
  • After successfully paying the application fees, candidates can download the application form and payment receipt for future reference.
  • An optional past year question paper booklet can be added for an additional ₹500.
Category Registration Fees
GEN/EWS/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI 4,000 INR
SC/ST/BPL 3,500 INR

CLAT 2027 Exam Pattern

The CLAT exam is divided into five sections: Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude, Current Affairs & General Knowledge, and English.

Since the exam is passage-heavy, there are no sectional time limits. You have 120 minutes to move between sections at your leisure.

UG-CLAT Exam Pattern: Sectional Breakdown

The number of questions asked in the CLAT exam is subject to change. But this is the usual pattern to stick to.

Section Questions
English 22-26
Current Affairs & GK 28-32
Legal Reasoning 28-32
Logical Reasoning 22-26
Quant Techniques 10-14

PG-CLAT Exam Pattern: Sectional Breakdown

The number of questions asked in the CLAT exam is subject to change. But this is the usual pattern to stick to.

Subject Area Approx. Questions
Constitutional Law 35-40
Criminal Law 12-18
Jurisprudence 10-15
Law of Contract 8-12
Law of Torts 5-10
International Law 5-8
Other Subjects 20-30
PG-CLAT Exam Pattern: Sectional Breakdown

Source: consortiumofnlus.ac.in/

PG-CLAT Exam Pattern: Sectional Breakdown

Source: consortiumofnlus.ac.in/

CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key and Solution PDF

CLAT PAPER Download PDF Detailed Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set A Download PDF Check Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set B Download PDF Check Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set C Download PDF Check Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set D Download PDF Check Solution

Also check:

CLAT 2027 Marking Scheme

The marking scheme for CLAT 2027 remains consistent with the previous year’s pattern. The pattern does penalise “blind guessing.”

Performance Marks Awarded/Deducted
Correct Answer +1
Incorrect Answer -0.25
Unattempted Question 0

Also Check: CLAT Exam Pattern 2027: Check Format, Marking Scheme, Total Section, and Marks

CLAT 2027 Syllabus

The CLAT 2027 Syllabus is designed to test your aptitude and reasoning skills rather than your ability to memorise facts. Both the UG and PG exams are entirely passage-based.

UG-CLAT Syllabus

  1. English Language: Reading comprehension, Infer arguments, Author’s point of view, Identifying arguments, Synonyms, Antonyms, and Contextual Meanings.
  2. Current Affairs & General Knowledge: National and International Major Political, economic and legal events. Indian History, Art & Culture, Basic Polity, and Geography, Awards, Sports, Science and technology, and Environment.
  3. Legal Reasoning: Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Landmark SC Judgments, Bills, and recent Legal Amendments.
  4. Logical Reasoning: Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, and Logical Fallacies, Blood Relations, Syllogisms, and Analogies.
  5. Quantitative Aptitude: Caselets, Pie charts, Bar graphs, and Tables, Ratios, Percentages, Averages, Profit and Loss, and Mensuration.

PG-CLAT Syllabus

The paper will feature an emphasis on the comprehension abilities of the students who are appearing for the exam.

  • It focuses more on the ability to read and comprehend the issues mentioned in the passages.
  • Awareness of the logical and legal issues.
  • Summarise the passage.
  • Ability to apply your knowledge of the fields of law discussed in the passage.

Also Check: CLAT Syllabus 2027: Check Weightage, Books and Preparation

CLAT 2027 Admit Card

The CLAT admit card will be released on its official website before the exam. Candidates must download it using their Username and Password. The students must carry a printed copy to the exam centre on the day of the exam.

  • The CLAT 2027 Admit Card will be released on the official Consortium of NLU website, probably 18 to 20 days before the exam, as per their previous years’ patterns.
  • Candidates can expect to receive their admit cards around the third or fourth week of November 2026.
  • The CAT 2026 admit card will remain available on the official website until the

    exam day, allowing candidates to download it until the day of the exam.

Also Check:

Ques. When will the Consortium of NLUs release the Admit Card?

Ans. The concerned authority usually releases the admit card 10–14 days before the exam (around mid-to-late November). Students are advised to check the consortium website daily.

Ques. Is there any other way of downloading the admit card if the website is not opening?

Ans. No, there’s no other source of downloading the admit card. It will be available only on the official website. If the website is not running, clear the cache and retry after some time.

Ques. Do I take a black & white printout, or are only coloured printouts allowed?

Ans. You can take either of them. There’s no compulsion for any particular type of admit card. Just don’t forget to take the physical copy of the admit card with you to the exam centre.

CLAT 207 Exam Preparation Strategy

Here’s a simple 8-month roadmap for CLAT 2027. The plan is to work on the foundation → focus on skills→ practice→ mocks→ full revision. Try to stay consistent with your preparation process. It might become overwhelming, so take a break and start again.

Timeline Strategy
Months 1 to 3(Build your Foundation)
  • Focus on increasing speed in reading comprehension and quantitative aptitude questions.
  • Read basic Legal terms like torts, contracts, constitution
  • Go back to 10th Maths and revise your basics- percentage, Ratios, and Averages.
Months 4 to 6(Focus on Skills)
  • Start attempting sectional tests.
  • Begin solving 1 full-length Mock test as per your availability.
  • Then sit and analyse your mistakes, and on the same day, revise the section where your questions are wrong.
Months 7 to 8(Rigorous Mode)
  • Solve as many Mocks and PYQs as you can.
  • Focus on time management
  • Only revise. Don’t take up any new topic as you start nearing your exam.
  • Make a habit of reading daily. Otherwise, you will feel "brain fog" during the actual exam.
  • Many students ignore math, but scoring 80-90% (10-12 marks) in the Quantitative Techniques section can bring you up from 5,000 to the Top 500.
  • And lastly but most importantly, don't follow 5 different YouTube channels or 10 Telegram groups.
  • Pick one standard book/source per subject and stick to it.

Also Check:

CLAT 2027 Preparation: Daily Plan for Self-Study

Time Slot Duration Focus Area Activity & Strategy
Morning Session 1.0 – 1.5 Hours Newspaper Reading Read a reputable daily with a fresh mind to naturally boost your vocabulary, general knowledge, and reading speed.
Mid-Day Session 1.5 – 2.0 Hours Heavy Sections (Legal / Logical Reasoning) Practice 3 to 5 comprehension passages. Always review the answer explanations carefully to understand why you got a question wrong.
Afternoon/Evening Session 1.0 Hour Quantitative Techniques Practice math questions and data interpretation. It is a high-yield section that doesn't require hours of continuous focus, but needs daily consistency.
Flexible Block 1.0 – 1.5 Hours Error Analysis & Review Dedicate the remaining time to reviewing your mistakes. CLAT relies heavily on patterns; analysing your errors prevents you from repeating them.

Also Check: CLAT PG Mock Test: Free Mock Series, Marks vs Rank, Self Analysis

Recommended Resources for CLAT 2027

Subjects Books
English Language
  1. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
  2. High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
Logical Reasoning
  1. A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
  2. Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey
Legal Reasoning
  1. Legal Aptitude for CLAT by A.P. Bhardwaj
Current Affair & General Knowledge
  1. Manorama Yearbook by Mammen Mathew
  2. Monthly Magazines by Drishti IAS or any other.
  3. Newspapers- The Hindu or The Indian Express (the editorial section)
Quantitative Aptitude
  1. Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal
  2. Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma

Also Check: Section-Wise CLAT Preparation Strategy, Last Minute Tips, CLAT Prep Bооks

CLAT 2027 Result and Scorecard

Candidates start waiting for the result date announcement as soon as the exam ends.

  • The CLAT 2027 Exam results are speculated to be released around the third week of November 2026.
  • While the exact date and time will be disclosed by the Consortium of NLU, this time frame gives students a breather & a reliable window to wait for their results.
  • Candidates must note that CLAT results are released in a single announcement on the official website.
  • Candidates should regularly check the official Consortium of NLU website for all the latest updates and other important announcements.

Also Check: CLAT Result 2027: Check Seat Matrix, Cut-Off, Counselling & Toppers List

CLAT 2027 Expected Cutoff

The official cutoff for the CLAT 2027 Exam is speculated to be released somewhere in the third week of November 2026.

The exact date of the cut-off release will be announced by the Consortium of NLUs.

  • To get into the Top 10 NLUs, the General category should aim to score in the 98.5 to 99.5th percentile.
  • If the paper is easy (like in 2024), even a score of 90 might land you in the 98th percentile. If the paper is very tough, 75 marks might get you into the 99th percentile.

CLAT 2026 Cutoff List

The cut-offs represent the General category closing marks (approx.) in the final counselling rounds of the Top 10 NLUs.

NLU 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022
NLSIU Bengaluru 97-100 95-98 99-101 95-97 103-105
NALSAR Hyderabad 94-96 92-95 96-98 92-94 100-102
WBNUJS Kolkata 91-93 89-92 94-96 90-92 97-99
NLU Jodhpur 89-91 87-90 92-94 88-90 96-98
GNLU Gandhinagar 88-90 86-88 90-92 86-88 94-96
NLIU Bhopal 86-88 84-86 88-90 84-86 92-94
HNLU Raipur 85-87 83-85 87-89 83-85 90-92
RMLNLU Lucknow 84-86 82-84 86-88 82-84 89-91
NLU Odhisha 82-84 80-82 84-86 80-82 87-89
RGNUL Patiala 80-83 78-80 82-84 78-80 85-87
  • NLSIU Bengaluru consistently has the highest cut-off marks.
  • For the top 10 NLUs, a safe score range is usually 80–100 marks out of 120 for the General category.
CLAT 2026 Cutoff List

Also Check:

Non-NLUs accepting CLAT 2027 scores

Unlike National Law Universities (NLUs), private institutions often have more flexible admission criteria, accepting multiple entrance exam scores like LSAT-India, SLAT, or AILET, alongside CLAT.

University (as per NIRF Ranking) Accepted Entrance Exam Required Percentile
Symbiosis Law School SLAT, CLAT, ATLET 90%-95% (SLAT Score)
Shiksha ‘O’ Anusandhaan SAAT, CLAT, LSAT-India 80%-85%
Saveetha School of Management SLAT, CLAT, LSAT-India 80%-85%
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Tech KIITEE, CLAT, LSAT-India 85%-90%
Amity University, Noida Amity JEE, CLAT, LSAT-India 80%+
Lovely Professional University, Dehradun LPUNEST, CLAT, LSAT-India 75% - 80%
UPES School of Law, Dehradun ULSAT, CLAT, LSAT-India 80%+
Christ University, Bengaluru CULEE, CLAT 85%+
Nirma University, Ahmedabad CLAT 88%-92%
Alliance University, Bengaluru AUSAT/ACLAT, CLAT, LSAT-India 80%+
Non-NLUs accepting CLAT 2027 scores

Also Check: PSU Recruitment through CLAT 2027 (Soon): Eligibility Criteria, Opportunities, Dates and Salary

FAQs

Ques. Since I am a beginner, how should I start preparing for the CLAT exam?

Ans. Start working on your reading habit first (newspapers like The Hindu/Indian Express editorials daily for 1–2 hours). Understand the basics of the exam via PYQs (previous year questions) and standard books. Start attempting mocks early and analyse deeply.

Ques. If I have less time to prepare, will it be better to join coaching classes?

Ans. Coaching classes do provide a schedule, which makes it better for students to stay disciplined. But don’t stop self-studying.

Ques. What’s the best way to manage time during the exam?

Ans. Start attempting the section that feels easier to you, like General Knowledge. If you are good at quant, start with that. Finish easier sections fast to leave a buffer for passages since they are long, and they need more time and close reading.

Ques. I'm in Class 12, and I also have boards this year. Should I start preparing for CLAT right now?

Ans. Yes, you should start with something easy, like newspaper reading and the basics. Ramp up your preparation post-boards (March–December window is key). CLAT prep can be done in parallel without burnout.

Ques. I did not get a good enough score in CLAT 2026. Should I take a drop year for 2027?

Ans. Taking a drop year for such entrance exams is quite common. If you are motivated, then go for it. Otherwise Private colleges are also a good option if you don’t wanna waste your prime years.