CLAT: Common Law Admission Test

CLAT is the entrance route used by participating National Law Universities (NLUs) for five-year integrated undergraduate law programmes and one-year LL.M. programmes. For the 2027 admission cycle, the Consortium of NLUs has announced CLAT 2027 for admissions to programmes commencing in academic year 2027-28. The examination is scheduled for 6 December 2026. That is a current, announced cycle, unlike details for the next cycle, which should not be inferred from this one. CLAT 2027 official portal

The first practical choice is which paper to take. CLAT UG is for candidates seeking integrated law programmes after Class 12; CLAT PG is for candidates seeking LL.M. admission after an LL.B. The Consortium publishes separate eligibility, syllabus, format and instructions for each. A CLAT score is used by participating NLUs and other institutions that announce its use, but it does not itself secure admission. Each institution sets programme eligibility, reservation rules, seat matrix, preference process and fees. Check those rules alongside the exam before applying.

CLAT 2027 at a glance

The Consortium’s CLAT 2027 portal says the examination serves UG and PG law admissions at 26 NLUs, and its participating-universities page lists the institutions for the cycle. The list includes NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, NLIU Bhopal, WBNUJS Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur, HNLU Raipur, GNLU Gandhinagar and its Silvassa campus, among others. The list is cycle-specific; use the current participating-universities page and each NLU’s brochure when deciding where to apply. Participating NLUs for CLAT 2027

For CLAT 2027, applications opened on 3 August 2026 and are scheduled to close on 31 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The exam is scheduled for Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.; eligible candidates in the PwD category are allotted until 4:40 p.m. The Consortium notes that the schedule is subject to revision in case of necessity. Confirm any later notice on the official portal before acting on a date. CLAT 2027 UG instructions

The current UG instructions state an application fee of ₹4,000 for General/OBC candidates and ₹3,500 for SC/ST/BPL/PwD candidates. Previous years’ question papers cost ₹500 separately, and online payment gateway charges are additional. The application fee is non-refundable and non-adjustable. These are CLAT 2027 application charges, not the tuition or total cost of studying at an NLU; programme fees are published by each university and vary. Recheck the payment screen and current instructions before paying.

Which paper fits your next step?

CLAT UG leads to five-year integrated LL.B. programmes. For the 2027 cycle, the Consortium states there is no upper age limit. Applicants must have passed or be appearing in 10+2 or an equivalent examination, with at least 45% marks (or equivalent grade), reduced to 40% for SC/ST/PwD candidates. Candidates appearing in March or April 2027 may apply, but must provide proof of passing at admission or lose consideration. Individual NLU rules, reservation documentation and programme conditions still apply. CLAT 2027 UG eligibility

CLAT PG is intended for the one-year LL.M. route. Its 2027 paper format is 120 multiple-choice questions for 120 marks over two hours, with a quarter-mark deduction for each wrong answer. The syllabus covers Constitutional Law and other areas of law including Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Contract, Torts, Family, Criminal, Property, Company, Public International, Tax, Environmental, and Labour and Industrial Law. Check the separate PG eligibility page and each NLU’s LL.M. brochure before applying; UG eligibility does not establish PG eligibility. CLAT 2027 PG question format

What the CLAT UG paper tests

The 2027 UG format specifies 120 one-mark multiple-choice questions, a two-hour duration and a deduction of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. The Consortium gives approximate question ranges: English Language 22-26; Current Affairs including General Knowledge 28-32; Legal Reasoning 28-32; Logical Reasoning 22-26; and Quantitative Techniques 10-14. These ranges describe the announced paper format, not a guaranteed allocation for each test form. CLAT 2027 UG question format

The section design rewards careful reading and reasoning from supplied material. Legal Reasoning is an aptitude test, not a requirement to have studied law before Class 12: use the passage and stated principles, identify the issue, and apply the rule to the facts given. For English and Logical Reasoning, practice extracting a passage’s main claim, assumptions and implications rather than relying on outside knowledge. For Quantitative Techniques, the official syllabus centres on short sets of facts, tables, or other numerical information and asks candidates to interpret and use it. Read the full official syllabus for the scope and examples; do not treat coaching topic lists as a replacement.

A preparation plan that follows the paper

Start by taking one official or otherwise authentic past paper under timed conditions. Record the time spent and errors by section, and separate three causes: misunderstanding the passage, choosing an unsupported inference, and losing time or accuracy in calculation. This is a study method, not an official scoring rule. It helps decide whether the next practice block should focus on comprehension, reasoning discipline, current affairs recall, or arithmetic.

Build regular reading into the week and keep concise notes of important events with dates, institutions and why the event matters. The Consortium does not prescribe a fixed look-back period for current affairs in the exam instructions, so avoid treating a coaching provider’s monthly cutoff as an official boundary. For Legal Reasoning, practise applying a stated rule even when it conflicts with what you already believe the law to be. For Logical Reasoning, explain why each answer follows from the passage. For Quantitative Techniques, practise reading the data accurately before calculating; a fast calculation from the wrong denominator is still wrong.

Use timed mixed sets as the exam approaches, then review every incorrect and guessed answer. Because wrong answers carry a 0.25-mark penalty, the decision to attempt a doubtful question should be based on your confidence and the alternatives you can eliminate, not on a blanket instruction to attempt everything or leave everything. Do not convert the penalty into a universal attempt threshold without considering the question and your own accuracy. Protect time for all sections and practise bubbling answers in the manner described in the current instructions.

Application and documents

The Consortium requires online applications through its CLAT website. Applicants register with a personal mobile number and email, validate the mobile number using an OTP, and then complete the form. The instructions say to enter the candidate’s and parents’ names as they appear on certificates, marksheets or identity proof. They also warn that after submission and payment, programme, category and BPL fields cannot be changed, and updates are not accepted after the closing date. Review these fields carefully before final submission.

The listed upload items include a recent front-facing passport-size photograph with a plain background and the candidate’s signature. Applicants claiming SC/ST/OBC, PwD or BPL status must upload the relevant certificate. The instructions specify PDF format for certificates and documents; originals must later be submitted to the allotted university as that university directs. A candidate’s category entry and certificate must match the applicable university requirements. Check the live instructions for any later change in file specifications or required documents.

The application fee covers the examination application, not the cost of an NLU programme. Before ranking preferences, compare each institution’s current brochure for tuition, deposits, hostel and other charges, seat intake and reservation conditions. The Consortium’s overview brochure is a starting point; its instructions direct applicants to the individual NLU websites for fuller details. NRI/NRI-sponsored seats and foreign-national admissions have separate institution-level processes; the Consortium says foreign nationals should approach the NLU directly, and that it will not allot NRI/NRI-sponsored seats.

Score, preferences and admission

After the exam, follow the Consortium’s official notices for the answer key, objections, result and counselling instructions. A score is not a universal admission cutoff. Admission depends on the programme and NLU, the applicable eligibility and reservation rules, the candidate’s rank, the seat matrix and the preferences submitted through the prescribed process. The Consortium’s 2027 instructions say that seat allotment and an offer are provisional and do not create a right of admission.

Use the current counselling notice to confirm who is invited, how to register, what fee or document step is required, and the deadline for each round. Then read the allotment and acceptance instructions carefully. Separately verify any university-level step that the NLU requires. Keep copies of the submitted application, payment receipt, admit card, score information, certificates and preference confirmation. A missed counselling or university deadline can affect admission even after a valid exam result.

Do not use a prior-year closing rank as a promised target for CLAT 2027. Closing ranks move with the applicant pool, seat availability, category and reservation rules, preferences and counselling rounds. When comparing historical data, match the exact NLU, programme, category, quota and round, and check whether the figure is an opening rank, closing rank or another measure. The responsible source is the Consortium’s allotment notice or the university’s own official notice.

What is confirmed, and what to verify

As of 27 October 2026, the Consortium has published CLAT 2027 dates, UG format, UG eligibility, application instructions and participating NLUs. It has also published separate PG format material. Details such as a later schedule revision, admit-card availability, result date, counselling rounds, final seat matrix and each university’s fees should be checked in the current official notices as they are issued. Do not reuse CLAT 2026 deadlines or fees for a later admission cycle.

Before submitting, make a short checklist: select UG or PG; confirm the qualifying-exam conditions; verify the live deadline and fee category; prepare matching documents; check each target NLU’s programme, reservation and fee rules; and monitor the Consortium portal after submission. For CLAT 2027, the announced exam is 6 December 2026. Follow the Consortium’s official site for any change and use the NLU’s own admission materials for decisions beyond the common test.