Common Law Admission Test

CLAT 2027 is the national entrance test for admission to the five-year integrated LLB and one-year LLM programmes at National Law Universities (NLUs). It is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities, and the 2027 exam will decide admissions for the academic session starting in 2027. The Common Law Admission Test is a single two-hour, pen-and-paper paper of 120 multiple-choice questions for both UG and PG candidates.

The Consortium has fixed the exam for Sunday, 6 December 2026, and online applications are open until 31 October 2026. This page brings the whole picture together: dates, application fee, eligibility, exam pattern, a syllabus summary, participating NLUs, the counselling process, previous closing ranks and a practical preparation plan. The Consortium has also confirmed that the syllabus and pattern remain unchanged for this cycle.

Table of Contents

CLAT 2027

CLAT 2027 Latest Updates

• Exam date announced: The Consortium's press release of 22 July 2026 fixed CLAT 2027 for Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The decision followed meetings of its Executive Committee and Governing Body on 18 July 2026.

• No change in pattern: The UG and PG syllabus, sections and pattern stay the same as CLAT 2026. An expert committee has reviewed concerns about question errors and rote learning, but its recommendations do not change the 2027 paper.

• Registration open: Applications opened on 3 August 2026 and close on 31 October 2026. Candidates can still review their exam centre preferences before the deadline.

Many pages still carry CLAT 2026 dates (exam on 7 December 2025) or old section-wise question counts. Follow the official CLAT 2027 press release and the Consortium website for every date.

CLAT 2027 Exam Date and Important Dates

Only the registration dates and exam date are official so far. Dates marked "expected" are based on the pattern of earlier cycles and can change. Track the Consortium website and your registered email.

CLAT 2027 Application Fee and How to Apply

The fee is paid online only. It is non-refundable and non-adjustable, and bank transaction charges are borne by the candidate.

1. Register: Open the CLAT 2027 portal on consortiumofnlus.ac.in and create an account with your mobile number and email.

2. Fill the form: Choose UG or PG, enter personal and academic details, select your category and pick exam centre preferences.

3. Upload documents: A front-facing passport-size photograph on a plain background, your signature, and category, PwD or BPL certificates where they apply.

4. Pay and submit: Pay the fee online, submit the form and keep a copy for counselling.

Common mistakes include uploading an unclear photograph, missing the category certificate and choosing the wrong programme. An incorrect category claim can cost you a reserved seat at counselling, so check every field before paying.

CLAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria

UG (Five-Year LLB)

• Qualification: Class 12 or an equivalent examination.

• Minimum marks: 45% or equivalent grade for General candidates; 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates.

• Appearing candidates: Students taking the Class 12 exam in March or April 2027 can apply, but must show proof of passing at the time of admission.

PG (LLM)

• Qualification: LLB degree or an equivalent examination.

• Minimum marks: 50% or equivalent grade for General candidates; 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates.

• Final-year students: Candidates taking the qualifying exam in 2027 can apply, subject to proof of passing at admission.

Age Limit and Other Conditions

There is no upper age limit for UG or PG. Reservation, domicile quotas and seat categories are set by each NLU under its own rules, so a domicile seat at one NLU does not carry over to another. The detailed CLAT eligibility criteria page explains category rules and documents.

CLAT 2027 Exam Pattern

CLAT UG Exam Pattern

CLAT PG Exam Pattern

The PG paper also has 120 objective questions in 120 minutes. Questions are set on extracts from court decisions, statutes and regulations across core LLB subjects, with Constitutional Law carrying the most weight.

Marking scheme: +1 for a correct answer, minus 0.25 for a wrong answer and 0 for an unanswered question, for both UG and PG.

What this means for you:

• Reading speed decides the paper: Almost every UG question is tied to a passage of about 450 words. You get roughly one minute per question, including reading time.

• Guess carefully: Four wrong answers wipe out one correct answer. Guess only after eliminating at least two options.

• Two sections carry half the paper: Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs together make up about 50% of the marks, so they deserve the largest share of your study time.

Some pages still show 150 questions or section counts that add up to more than 120. Those are outdated. See the full CLAT exam pattern for section timing and attempt strategy.

CLAT 2027 Syllabus Summary

The Consortium publishes a skill-based syllabus rather than a list of chapters. The table below summarises what each UG section tests.

The PG syllabus covers Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Contract, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law, and Labour and Industrial Law. The CLAT syllabus page breaks every section into topics with a suggested starting point.

Courses Offered Through CLAT

Not every NLU offers every UG combination, so check each university's programme list in the admission brochure before filling preferences.

CLAT 2027 Participating NLUs

For the 2027 cycle, reports place the count at 24 member NLUs, plus GNLU's Silvassa campus and IIULER Goa. The Consortium's admission brochure is the final word on which universities and campuses join counselling. NLU Delhi is not part of CLAT and admits students through its own test, AILET.

CLAT 2027 Selection Process and Counselling

1. Written exam: All candidates take the 120-question paper on 6 December 2026.

2. Answer key and objections: The Consortium releases a provisional key, invites objections for a fee, and publishes a final key before the result.

3. Result and merit list: An all-India rank is published along with category ranks. In recent cycles, ties in UG have been broken by the higher Legal Reasoning score, then by age (older candidate first), then by draw of lots.

4. Counselling registration: Qualified candidates register for centralised counselling, pay the counselling fee and list NLU preferences in order.

5. Seat allotment rounds: Seats are allotted in rounds by rank, category and preference. After each allotment you can freeze the seat or float it to stay in the race for a higher preference, after paying the confirmation fee.

Counselling fees, document lists and round dates are released with the result, so keep your Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, category and domicile certificates ready.

CLAT Previous Closing Ranks

CLAT admissions work on ranks rather than fixed cut-off marks. The table shows General category closing ranks in the first allotment list of CLAT 2026, as reported when the list was released on 7 January 2026.

Closing ranks move in later rounds and change every year with difficulty, seats and the number of applicants. Treat these figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them. CLAT Books and Study Resources

• Official material first: The Consortium's sample papers and previous question papers show the exact passage style. They are the most reliable guide to the level of the test.

• English: A standard reading comprehension and vocabulary book, plus daily reading of editorials and long-form non-fiction.

• Legal Reasoning: A legal aptitude book that teaches principle-and-fact application, followed by passage-based practice sets.

• Current Affairs: A national daily newspaper and a monthly current affairs compilation for revision.

• Logical Reasoning and Quant: A critical reasoning book and NCERT Class 8 to 10 maths for arithmetic and data basics.

PG candidates should rely on standard LLB textbooks for each subject and read landmark Supreme Court judgments, since PG passages come straight from case law.

How to Prepare for CLAT 2027

With the exam in early December 2026, most candidates now have about eight to nine weeks. Use them in clear phases.

• Weeks 1 to 3, fix the gaps: Solve one official previous paper to find your weakest section. Spend half your daily time there while keeping a 45-minute reading habit.

• Daily current affairs: Read the news for 40 minutes and make short monthly notes covering at least the past 12 months, with a focus on legal and constitutional developments.

• Weeks 3 to 6, sectional practice: Take timed sectional tests in Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and English. Track accuracy, not just attempts.

• Weeks 6 to 9, full mocks: Take two to three full-length mocks a week in the 120-question pattern, analyse each on the same day and keep an error log.

• Final week: Revise current affairs notes, the error log and the section order that works best for you. Avoid starting new books.