Studying law remains a top choice for lakhs of students in India, thanks to the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs), which conducts the transparent and fair Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) each year for admission to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programs at the top National Law Universities across the country.
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If you are also preparing for the upcoming CLAT, now is the time to take action because the dates for CLAT 2026 have been announced, and registration for the test is already underway. Like any other national-level examination, CLAT is also subject to changes and amendments by its conducting body, the Consortium of NLUs. This year, the exam will be held with certain modifications. Therefore, it is important for applicants to stay informed about possible changes in the exam syllabus, pattern, registration process, and important dates. With this in mind, we have prepared a well-structured table to help you separate myths from facts and clearly understand all the important CLAT 2026 Dates.
|
Highlight |
Details |
|
Exam Name |
Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 |
|
Exam Conducting Body |
Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLU) for participating NLUs |
|
Exam Level & Courses |
National-level entrance for UG (5-year LLB) and PG law programmes |
|
Mode of Exam |
Offline (Pen & Paper) |
|
Duration |
2 hours (120 minutes) |
|
Total Questions |
120 questions (UG) |
|
Total Marks |
120 marks (UG) |
|
Marking Scheme |
+1 for each correct answer; –0.25 for each incorrect answer; no penalty for unattempted questions |
|
Sections |
English Language; Current Affairs including General Knowledge; Legal Reasoning; Logical Reasoning; Quantitative Techniques |
|
Section-wise Weightage (UG) |
English ~20%; Current Affairs & GK ~25%; Legal Reasoning ~25%; Logical Reasoning ~20%; Quantitative Techniques ~10% |
|
Important Dates (Tentative) |
Notification: ~July 2025; Exam Date: 7 December 2025 for UG |
|
Eligibility Overview |
For UG: 10+2 or equivalent; For PG: LL.B. degree |
|
Participation |
24+ NLUs and several other law colleges accept CLAT score |
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CLAT Exam Registration Last Date & Process for 2026
Registration for CLAT 2026 began on 1st August 2025 and will remain open until 31st October 2025. The registration process is completely online and can be completed through the official website — consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The registration process requires the applicants to fill in their personal and academic details accurately, upload the necessary documents, and pay the prescribed application fee within the given time frame.
Please note that candidates who fail to complete the registration on or before the last date will not be allowed to appear for the examination, which is scheduled to be held on 7th December 2025. While the registration process is online, the CLAT 2026 examination will be conducted offline in a pen-and-paper format at designated examination centers across various cities. So, plan your preparation and transportation accordingly.
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CLAT Exam Date 2026 Fee
Knowing and understanding the fee, and registration process of CLAT 2026 can give you a competitive advantage, helping you prepare well and selecting the most convenient exam center in your city. As we are talking about the fee for the CLAT 2026 exam, it is worth noting that Applicants will be able to download the previous year question paper while doing the registration on the official website of the Consortium of National Law Universities by paying the fee of 500 for each question paper over and above the fee set for the exam which is mentioned below:
|
Category |
Application Fee (INR) |
Application Fee with previous year question papers (INR) |
|
General / OBC / NRI / PIO / OCI / PwD |
4,000 |
4,500
|
|
SC / ST / BPL |
3,500 |
4,000 |
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CLAT Exam Admit Card Releasing & Downloading Process
While preparing for the CLAT, students who aspire to become successful and prominent lawyers cannot afford to miss the admit card release date and must ensure they download it to carry to the examination center on the day of the exam.
Although the specific date for the admit card release has not been officially announced, it is expected to be in the third week of November 2025, between 15th and 22nd November. Regardless of the exact release date, the process to download the admit card is outlined below.
- Visit the official website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in
- Log in using your registered mobile number and password.
- Click on the "Download Admit Card" link at the top right of the screen.
- Download and save the admit card PDF.
- Print at least three copies on A4-sized paper for future reference.
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CLAT Exam Result & Admission Date
If your goal is to gain admission to any of the top National Law Universities in India, it is advisable to review the admission terms and eligibility criteria of each university, as different NLUs have different sets of requirements. While the CLAT exam result date has not yet been announced, it is most likely to be declared in the first or second week of January 2026, based on the trends of previous years. Once the results are out, candidates will be able to check their scores and rank online through the official CLAT website and proceed with the counselling and seat allocation process accordingly.
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CLAT Exam Syllabus and Pattern 2026
With the CLAT 2026 examination date fast approaching, applicants should take prompt action. This begins with understanding the exam syllabus and pattern in advance, which is essential to stay ahead of the competition. Below is mentioned what we know about the syllabus and exam pattern for CLAT 2026.
|
Section |
Number of Questions |
Approximate Weightage |
Key Topics / Focus Areas |
|
English Language |
22–26 |
~18.66 %–21.33 % |
Reading comprehension (passages ~450 words) Vocabulary, Grammar (Articles, Prepositions, Active/Passive, Subject-Verb Agreement |
|
Current Affairs including General Knowledge |
28–32
|
~23.33 %–26 %
|
Recent events (India & world), Static GK (History, Polity, Economy, Science & Tech) |
|
Legal Reasoning |
28–32 |
~23.33 %–26 % |
Application of legal principles to scenarios, constitutional basics, rights & duties |
|
Logical Reasoning |
22–26 |
~18.66 %–21.33 % |
Critical reasoning, inference, assumption, puzzles, argument mapping |
|
Quantitative Techniques |
10–14 |
~8.66 %–11.33 % |
Basic mathematics: arithmetic, ratios, percentages, data interpretation, simplification |
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CLAT Exam 2026 Pattern
|
Parameter |
Details |
|
Mode of exam |
Offline (pen-and-paper) |
|
Duration |
2 hours (120 minutes) |
|
Total number of questions |
120 MCQs |
|
Total marks |
120 marks |
|
Marking scheme |
+1 for correct answer, –0.25 for incorrect |
|
Sections |
English Language; Current Affairs + GK; Legal Reasoning; Logical Reasoning; Quantitative Techniques |
|
Passage-based questions |
Yes — especially in English, Current Affairs, Legal & Logical sections; Quantitative section has short sets, graphs, etc. |
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FAQs
Who conducts the CLAT Exam?
Established in 2017, the Consortium of National Law Universities of India conducts the CLAT exam once in a year.
When will the CLAT Exam 2026 be conducted?
CLAT exam will be conducted on 7 December 2025 in pen and paper mode (offline).
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When will the CLAT 2026 notification be released?
The notification for CLAT 2026 was released on 20th July 2025.
What is the last date to apply for CLAT 2026?
The last date to apply for CLAT 2026 is 31 October 2025. Applicants can apply through the official website of the Consortium of NLUs: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
How can I check the official CLAT 2026 exam date and updates?
Applicants can check all the updates, dates, and results on the official website of the Consortium of NLUs which is consortiumofnlus.ac.in. using their personal account created with their id and password.
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