.png?h=35&w=35&mode=stretch){kind=small}
The Consortium of NLUs has released the CLAT 2026 Answer Key today, on 10th December 2025. The Objection window will be open till 12 December at 5:00 P.M.
The CLAT UG 2026 Exam was conducted on 7th December 2025, across 156 Exam centres in 25 States, 93 cities, and 4 Union Territories.
- A Total of 92,344 candidates applied for the examination, from which 75,009 candidates registered for the Undergraduate (UG) program and 17,335 candidates for the PG program.
- This Year, there is an increase of more than 17% in applications for the CLAT Exam; there was a total turnout of 96.83% of Undergraduate applicants.
By CLAT 2026, around 3,500+ seats will be offered in 24 Participating NLUs, in which the top 5 will close the rank between the top 200 and 500, as per the previous year's trends.
In this Article, we have discussed CLAT 2026, including Paper Analysis along with the answer key, cutoff, & Participating Insitutes.
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 | Check Solution |
| CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set B | Download | Check Solution |
| CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set C | Download | Check Solution |
| CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set D | Download | Check Solution |
Check:
- CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key and Solution PDF
- What is the CLAT Exam 2026?
- CLAT 2026 Important Dates
- CLAT 2026 Provisional Answer Key
- CLAT 2026: Initial Paper Analysis
- CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank: What Your Score Could Mean
- CLAT 2026 Score Calculation Process: How Your Marks Are Calculated
- CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
- CLAT 2026 Cut-Off: What Rank Gets You Which NLU?
- CLAT 2026 Result & Counselling: What Happens Now?
- CLAT College Predictor 2026
- CLAT 2026: List of Participating Institutes
- FAQs for CLAT 2026
What is the CLAT Exam 2026?
The CLAT 2026 is a national-level entrance examination, which is conducted every year for admission into UG (5-Year LLB) and PG (LLM) programs, which are offered by 24 NLUs in India.
- Around 1 lakh candidates appear every year for 3,000 to 3,500 NLU Seats.
- By CLAT, your career door will be opened for corporate law, litigation, judiciary, civil services, legal policy and global law firms.
- A Single Counselling will be followed for seat allotment as per AIR and category reservation.
If you have appeared for CLAT 2026, check this video by @LegalEdgeCLATCoachingby Toprankers, for complete paper analysis and expected cutoff.
CLAT 2026 Important Dates
As the CLAT Exam is over now, with the CLAT Exam Schedule, you can properly track the next event for the CLAT Exam.
Check the CLAT 2026 Exam Schedule:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Exam Date — CLAT 2026 | 7 December 2025 (Sunday), 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Provisional Answer Key | 10 December 2025 (Released) |
| Objection Window for Answer Key | 10–12 December 2025 |
| Final Answer Key & Result Declaration | Tentatively Mid to Late December 2025 |
| Start of Counselling / Seat Allotment Process | To be notified (likely soon after the result) |
Ques. Can I join LLB without CLAT?
Ans. Some states and private law entrance exams allow admission into 5-Year Law programs.
Alternative Exams are:
- AILET (NLU Delhi)
- SLAT (Symbiosis)
- LSAT—India (Private Universities)
- MHCET Law (Maharashtra Gov Colleges)
Ques. When can candidates expect the provisional and final answer key?
Ans. The CLAT Provisional Answer key is generally released 2-3 days after the exam, and the final answer key will be released after objections.
| Stage | Expected Timeline |
|---|---|
| Provisional Answer Key | Within 72 hours post-exam |
| Final Answer Key | After the review of objections |
| Score Basis | Final key only |
Ques. What is the expected date for the CLAT 2026 result announcement?
Ans. The CLAT Results are usually released after 7-10 days of exams and will be released online.
- It will be downloaded online from the official website.
- Includes AIR+Scorecard.
- It is mandatory for participation in counselling.
- No separate category-wise scorecard is required.
CLAT 2026 Provisional Answer Key
The Release of the CLAT Provisional Answer Key is the first step after the CLAT Exam. The CLAT Answer Key includes the correct response for all the questions, which will help the candidates with cross-checking their attempts.
You can have an estimation of your score and have an expected ranking before the official results.
CLAT 2026 Answer Key: Release Timeline & Process
| Event | Expected / Tentative Date |
|---|---|
| Provisional Answer Key Release | 10-Dec-2025 at 5 PM |
| Objection Window Opens | 5:00 PM on 10th December 2025 |
| Last Date to Raise Objections | Usually 1–2 days after provisional key release — e.g. till 12-Dec-2025 (5 PM) as per recent announcements. |
| Final Answer Key Release | 5:00 PM on 12th December 2025. |
| Result Declaration | Shortly after the final answer key — expected by mid-December 2025 |
How to Access & Challenge CLAT 2026 Answer Key?
After the release of CLAT Provisional Answer key, you can download the PDF from the official website, and compare your responses, if there are any discrepancies, and can raise the objections online.
By using the proper use of answer key, the candidates can estimate their score before the release of the CLAT Result.
CLAT 2026: Answer Key Download & Objection Process
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Where to download | Official website Consortium of National Law Universities (consortiumofnlus.ac.in), under “CLAT 2026 → Answer Key / Question Paper” section |
| Format | PDF — set-wise (Set A / B / C / D) with question paper and correct answers |
| Compare & Calculate Score | Use official marking scheme: +1 for correct, 0.25 for wrong, 0 for unanswered |
| Objection Method | Via online portal — login, select “Submit Objection,” choose question number/booklet set, provide reason & supporting doc (if any) |
| Objection Fee | ₹ 1,000 per question challenged (refundable if objection is upheld) |
| Final Answer Key | Released after consideration of objections; final evaluation & result is based on it |
Check:
CLAT 2026: Initial Paper Analysis
The CLAT 2026 Exam has been successfully conducted now, and as per the candidate’s the exam was moderate to difficult, with a major focus on comprehension and real-world reasoning questions.
CLAT 2026 Difficulty Review: Section-Wise
| Section | No. of Qs | Reported Difficulty | Key Highlights | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 22–26 | Moderate | Long passages; vocabulary in context is manageable | 17–20 |
| Current Affairs & GK | 28–32 | Moderate to Tough | Heavily analytical current affairs; limited static | 18–22 |
| Legal Reasoning | 28–32 | Moderate | Principle-based scenario questions; required precision | 20–24 |
| Logical Reasoning | 22–26 | Easy to Moderate | Shorter arguments; direct reasoning | 18–21 |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10–14 | Moderate to Tough | Data-based questions; time-consuming | 6–9 |
According to a lot of candidates, the CLAT Exam 2026 was slightly different from the previous year's exam. Check this video by @12MinutestoCLAT to know what exactly was different in CLAT 2026.
Check: CLAT Expected Paper Analysis
Ques. How many questions should be attempted accurately for a 95+ score?
Ans. You should aim for around 92 to 105 attempts with high precision to reach the top percentile rank.
| Percentile Target | Attempts | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| 99+ | 100–105 | 90%+ |
| 95–98 | 92–98 | 85–90% |
Ques. What was the difficulty trend in the last 3 years of CLAT?
Ans. With CLAT Previous Year Difficulty trends, you can know about what will be level of difficulty this year.
| Year | Difficulty Level | Challenging Section |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Moderate | LR passages |
| 2023 | Mod–Hard | GK & Current Affairs |
| 2022 | Moderate | Quantual MCQs |
CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank: What Your Score Could Mean
Since the CLAT 2026 is over, the major question for the candidate is “What rank will I get with my score?”, as the NLU Admissions are majorly based on ranks, with every few marks, your position in the merit list can change.
As per the difficulty level of CLAT 2026, and previous year analysis, the expected marks vs rank for CLAT 2026 is:
- The Top NLUs demand very high scores; with a score of 98+, you can get a rank among the top 200, and this can increase your chances in top NLUs.
- With a difference of 90 to 95 and 95-100 marks, your rank can have a change of hundreds, which makes accuracy and time management important.
- A Score range of 80 to 90 remains competitive for mid-level NLUs or programmes having more seats.
| Score Range (out of 120) | Estimated All-India Rank Range | Admission Chances / Tier of NLUs |
|---|---|---|
| 98 – 120 | Top 1–200 | Very strong — likely top NLUs (e.g. NLSIU Bengaluru / NALSAR Hyderabad / WBNUJS Kolkata) |
| 92 – 97 | 200–500 | Competitive — good shot at top 5–6 NLUs or high-demand programmes |
| 85 – 91 | 500–2,500 | Good — solid chances at mid-to-high NLUs or good branches in top NLUs |
| 80 – 84 | 2,500–4,500 | Decent — may get into mid-tier or lower-tier NLUs, depending on seat availability & category |
| 70 – 79 | 4,500–9,500+ | Marginal — likely lower-tier NLUs or state universities; top NLUs unlikely for the General category |
| 60 – 69 | 10,000–20,000+ | Limited — admission to non-NLU law colleges or the least preferred NLUs, especially for reserved categories |
| Below 60 | 20,000+ | Unlikely to secure a seat in major NLUs; options limited to local/state colleges or private universities |
CLAT 2026 Score Calculation Process: How Your Marks Are Calculated
The CLAT Exam will follow a negative marking system, with each correct answer being 1 mark and -0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.
As in CLAT, only a single raw scoring model is used; the final answer key can be directly determined using AIR Rank without a normalisation process.
- In the CLAT Exam, your accuracy will matter more than the attempts; if you guess too many, your score can be reduced because of negative marking.
- There is no partial marking, with all questions being single-choice objective questions.
CLAT 2026 Score Calculation: Marking Scheme
| Particulars | Details | Impact on Score |
|---|---|---|
| Total Questions | 120 (MCQs) | Determines max raw score |
| Marks for Each Correct Answer | +1 | Increases overall score |
| Penalty for Each Wrong Answer | –0.25 | Negative impact: reduces marks |
| Marks for Unanswered Questions | 0 | No change in total score |
| Score Range | 0 to 120 (raw marks) | Used directly for the AIR ranking |
| Normalization | Not Applicable | Raw marks = Final marks |
| Tie-Breaking Parameters | Legal Reasoning score → Older age → Computerised lottery | Used when the marks are the same |
CLAT Score Calculation Formula
Check: CLAT Seat Allotment
CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
If you are appearing in CLAT 2026, you should solve and look through the CLAT Previous Year Question Paper.
The Previous year's Question Paper for CLAT is attached below. You can get familiar with different types of questions that can be asked.
| Year | Slot | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | A | Click Here |
| B | Click Here | |
| C | Click Here | |
| D | Click Here | |
| 2024 | A | Check Here |
| B | Check Here | |
| C | Check Here | |
| D | Check Here | |
| 2023 | Check Here | |
| 2022 | Check Here |
CLAT 2026 Cut-Off: What Rank Gets You Which NLU?
Understanding the CLAT cut-off is very important. You can now check the College Predictor to check colleges for admission.
This tool allows you to see which college you currently qualify for based on your CLAT cut-off score and helps you identify where you aspire to go.
- The expected CLAT cutoff 2026 is 90+ with a CLAT closing rank of 97 for NLU Bengaluru.
- For NALSAR Hyderabad, the expected cutoff is 90+ (158 rank), and for West Bengal NLU, the expected CLAT cutoff is 90+ (262 rank).
- For NLU Jodhpur and NLU Bhopal, the expected CLAT cutoff 2026 is 84+.
| College Name | CLAT Score | Opening Rank | Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLU, Bengaluru | 90+ | 1 | 97 |
| NALSAR, Hyderabad | 90+ | 6 | 158 |
| The West Bengal NLU, Kolkata | 90+ | 140 | 262 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 84+ | 170 | 341 |
| NLU, Bhopal | 84+ | 311 | 404 |
| Gujarat NLU, Gandhinagar | 84+ | 210 | 429 |
| MNLU Mumbai | 82+ | 99 | 547 |
| DDrRam Manohar Lohiya NLU, Lucknow | 75+ | 410 | 694 |
| HNLU Raipur | 75+ | 434 | 707 |
| NLU, Odisha | 72+ | 591 | 10180 |
Check:
CLAT 2026 Result & Counselling: What Happens Now?
The CLAT 2026 Result can be released anytime in the last week of December 2025. You should follow a proper process for the result download.
The merit list will be published, and centralised counselling for proper seat allotment.
| Stage | What Happens | What You Need To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Result Declaration | Scorecard released with AIR & category rank | Download scorecard & analyse rank vs expected NLU |
| Registration for Counselling | Consortium opens counselling portal | Pay the counselling fee & register |
| Choice Filling & Locking | Select and arrange NLUs in preference order | Carefully prioritise colleges based on cutoff trends |
| Seat Allotment Rounds (Round 1/2/3 etc.) | Seats allotted as per rank, category & preference | Accept seat / apply for upgrade/exit option |
| Document Upload & Verification | Verification done online by the allotted NLU | Upload the required docs within the deadline |
| Fee Payment | Final seat confirmation | Pay the admission fee to the allotted NLU |
| Upgradation Window | Option to upgrade to a better preference (if seats are available) | Continue in the system if interested |
CLAT College Predictor 2026
The CLAT College predictor uses the seat intake information along with expected competition, which will help you get an estimation of NLU, and you can aim according to your rank/score.
You can check the CLAT college predictor by Collegedunia, where you have to enter your rank, reservation category and state to check the college you can get after the CLAT Result is Out.
Check:
CLAT 2026: List of Participating Institutes
The CLAT 2026 Exam is open for admission into integrated UG and PG Law courses across top law schools in India. This includes 24 NLUs, with each offering seats based on CLAT Rank, along with other institutes accepting CLAT Scores.
Key NLUs Participating in CLAT 2026 (UG Seat Intake)
| NLU / University | Approx. UG Seats (5-Year Law via CLAT) |
|---|---|
| NLSIU Bengaluru | 310 |
| NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad | 132 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 132 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 164 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 172 |
| NLIU Bhopal | 202 (BA-LLB + BSc-LLB) |
| HNLU Raipur | 170 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | 169 |
| RGNUL Patiala | 180 |
| NUALS Kochi | 60 |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | 120 |
| MNLU Mumbai | 100 |
FAQs for CLAT 2026
Ques. Which law programs and top NLUs accept CLAT scores?
Ans. The CLAT Scores are used for 5-Year Integrated LLB and LLM Admissions in NLUs and top Law institutes.
- It is accepted by all 25+ members of NLUs, use the CLAT Score for their undergraduate admissions.
- For CLAT PG Admissions (LLM), it also follows the same kind of pattern and will be accepted by all participating NLUs.
Ques. What is the exam pattern and marking scheme for CLAT 2026?
Ans. The CLAT Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme is the same as the previous year, with 120 questions, making a total of 120 marks, with research-based passages, five sections, and negative marking
| Response Type | Marks |
|---|---|
| Correct Answer | +1 |
| Incorrect Answer | -0.25 |
| Not Attempted | 0 |
| Total Marks | 120 |
Ques. When will CLAT 2026 counselling start after the results
Ans. The CLAT Counselling starts immediately after the results are declared and will follow a structured seat allotment process.
| Stage | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Registration & Fee Payment | Same week as the result |
| Preference Locking | After registration |
| Rounds | 3–4 allotment rounds |
| Documentation | Mandatory for confirmation |
Ques. What are the rules on rough sheets, pens & stationery?
Ans. The Centre will give all the writing material; personal stationery will not be allowed.
| Item | Provided by Centre |
|---|---|
| Black Pen | Yes |
| Rough Sheets | Yes (must return) |
| Geometry Box/Calculator | No |
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
.jpeg?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
.jpeg?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
.png?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
.jpeg?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
.jpeg?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
.jpeg?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
.jpeg?h=112&w=263&mode=stretch)
Comments