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CLAT 2026 (Common Law Admission Test) — Complete NLU Entrance Guide
CLAT is the single national entrance test for admission to 5-year Integrated LLB (BA LLB/BSc LLB/BBA LLB/BCom LLB) programs and LLM programs at India's 22 National Law Universities (NLUs). It is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities.
NLUs represent India's most prestigious law schools. CLAT rank determines admission from NLSIU Bangalore (Rank 1 NLU) through NLU Tripura (Rank 22).
CLAT 2026 — At a Glance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Consortium of National Law Universities |
| Exam Date | December 7, 2025 (CLAT UG & PG — simultaneous) |
| Mode | Offline (OMR-based, pen-and-paper) |
| Total Questions | 120 (UG) / 120 (PG) |
| Total Marks | 120 |
| Negative Marking | −0.25 per wrong answer |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Official Website | consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
Eligibility Criteria
CLAT UG (5-year BA LLB Program)
| Criterion | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum Qualification | 10+2 (Class 12) from any stream (Arts/Commerce/Science) |
| Minimum Marks | 45% (General/OBC/EWS) · 40% (SC/ST/PwD) |
| Age Limit | Maximum 20 years as on January 1, 2026 (General/OBC) · Max 22 years (SC/ST/PwD) |
CLAT PG (LLM Program)
| Criterion | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum Qualification | LLB (3-year) OR BA LLB (5-year) from recognized university |
| Minimum Marks | 55% (General/OBC) · 50% (SC/ST) |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
CLAT 2026 — Exam Pattern (UG)
| Section | Topic | Questions | Marks | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A | English Language | ~28 | ~28 | 20% |
| Section B | Current Affairs + Legal GK | ~35 | ~35 | 25% |
| Section C | Legal Reasoning | ~35 | ~35 | 25% |
| Section D | Logical Reasoning | ~28 | ~28 | 20% |
| Section E | Quantitative Techniques | ~14 | ~14 | 10% |
| Total | 120 | 120 |
⚠️ All questions are passage-based (comprehension + MCQ). There are NO vocabulary lists or standalone GK questions — every question requires reading a passage first.
Detailed Syllabus
Section A — English Language
- Reading comprehension passages (fiction, non-fiction, legal texts)
- Questions on main idea, inference, vocabulary in context, tone
- Error identification, sentence completion from passage context
Section B — Current Affairs + Legal GK
- Recent events (last 12 months): national + international
- Legal events: Supreme Court judgments, new laws passed, Constitution amendments
- Legal GK: Landmark Indian cases (Kesavananda Bharati, Vishaka, Maneka Gandhi, etc.)
- International legal developments, Nobel Peace Prize, Human Rights events
Section C — Legal Reasoning
- Passages presenting legal rules/principles + fact situations
- Apply the given rule to the facts (NOT prior legal knowledge required)
- Types: Tort law, Contract law, Criminal law, Constitutional principles
- Legal maxims from passages
Section D — Logical Reasoning
- Analytical reasoning from passages
- Critical reasoning: Arguments, assumptions, conclusions
- Syllogisms, analogies — all passage-based
- Resolving arguments, strengthening/weakening arguments
Section E — Quantitative Techniques
- Elementary Mathematics (Class 10 level)
- Algebra, Arithmetic, Statistics (mean, median, mode)
- All questions contain data sets/passages (no standalone formula questions)
CLAT 2026 — NLU-wise Cutoffs (2025 Reference)
| NLU | NIRF Rank | Approx. General Cutoff Rank |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | 1 | 60–120 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 2 | 120–280 |
| NLIU Bhopal | 3 | 300–550 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 4 | 200–420 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 5 | 500–800 |
| Hidayatullah NLU Raipur | 6 | 800–1,200 |
| Gujarat NLU Gandhinagar | 7 | 750–1,100 |
| Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia NLU Lucknow | 8 | 900–1,400 |
| Rajiv Gandhi NLU Patiala | 9 | 1,100–1,700 |
| Chanakya NLU Patna | 10 | 1,300–2,000 |
| NLU Odisha | 11 | 1,500–2,500 |
| NLU Delhi | Separate AILET | n/a (not part of CLAT) |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | ₹4,000 |
| SC / ST / BPL / PwD | ₹3,500 |
Preparation Strategy
4-Month Plan for CLAT 2026
Month 1 — Current Affairs + Legal GK:
- Read one national newspaper daily (The Hindu / Indian Express)
- Note monthly current affairs especially: Supreme Court judgments, Parliament bills, constitutional changes
- Legal GK: Read 2–3 landmark Indian cases weekly (with principle, year, parties)
Month 2 — Legal Reasoning + Logical:
- Practice 15 Legal Reasoning passages per week (use CLAT legal reasoning books)
- Identify "principle" and "facts" clearly in each passage before attempting questions
- Logical Reasoning: Practice argument-based questions (strengthen/weaken)
Month 3 — English RC + Quantitative:
- Read 2 RC passages daily from broadsheets
- Summarize each passage in 3 sentences before attempting questions
- Quantitative: Revise Class 10 maths concepts — no complex topics needed
Month 4 — Mocks + Revision:
- 2 full CLAT mocks per week (120 Q, 2 hours, −0.25 negative marking)
- Focus: Attempt 110+ questions with 85%+ accuracy for top NLU ranks
- Current Affairs: Revise last 3-month events
Best Books
| Section | Resource |
|---|---|
| Legal Reasoning | AP Bhardwaj — Legal Aptitude (Universal Law Publishing) |
| Current Affairs | Legal Service India + monthly current affairs capsule |
| English RC | CLAT previous years + newspaper editorials |
| Logical Reasoning | RS Aggarwal — Critical Reasoning |
| Full Preparation | Arihant CLAT Guide + CLAT Solved Papers |
Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| CLAT Official | consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
| Apply Online | CLAT Registration |
| Syllabus / Bulletin | Official Bulletin |
| Previous Papers | Past Questions |
Last Updated: April 2026 | Source: Consortium of National Law Universities
Important Dates
Exam Timeline
Eligibility Criteria
UG: Max 20 years (22 for SC/ST). PG: No age limit.
UG: 10+2 with 45% marks (40% for SC/ST). PG: LLB with 55% (50% for SC/ST)
No limit
How to Apply
Follow this step-by-step guide to fill the CLAT 2026 — Exam Date, Registration, Syllabus, NLU Cutoff & Complete Guide application form correctly.
Documents Required
- Scanned Passport Size Photo (20-50kb, JPG)
- Scanned Signature (10-20kb, JPG)
- Class 10th & 12th Marksheets
- Category Certificate (if applicable)
Syllabus & Pattern
Download Official Syllabus
The detailed syllabus and exam pattern are available in the official notification PDF.
Download Notification PDF