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Offline Consortium of National Law Universities

Common Law Admission Test

CLAT is a national-level law entrance examination for students seeking admission to five-year integrated undergraduate law programmes at participating National Law Universities (NLUs).

Duration 2 Hours
Frequency Once a year

Overview

Choosing law as a career can begin well before a student finishes Class 12. For those interested in studying at a National Law University, the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is an important part of the admission journey. Conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities, this entrance examination is used for admission to eligible five-year integrated undergraduate law programmes at participating institutions. Rather than expecting students to arrive with formal legal training, the paper examines how they understand passages, recognise arguments, interpret information and apply reasoning to unfamiliar situations.

Students planning for CLAT need to develop abilities that extend beyond one school subject. Reading a newspaper can introduce them to public affairs, while examining different opinions helps them distinguish facts from arguments. Mathematical interpretation, careful reading and logical decision-making also become useful when attempting the examination. Because these abilities develop gradually, students in Classes 11 and 12 can use their Intermediate years to build familiarity with the paper without abandoning their regular academic responsibilities. The examination is open to eligible students from different academic streams; choosing MEC is one possible route, not a requirement for law admission.

At Gyanville Academy, Hyderabad, students interested in law can explore a two-year MEC + CLAT integrated Intermediate programme. It combines Mathematics, Economics and Commerce education with preparation for CLAT and other applicable law entrance examinations. The programme is designed to bring board-examination learning and entrance preparation into a coordinated academic schedule, with residential facilities available as part of Gyanville’s educational environment. Students and parents can review the programme separately to understand its timetable, learning support and admission process while using this guide to learn about CLAT itself.

Timeline

Important Dates

Mark your calendar with these key dates

Application Start Date

August 3, 2026

03 Aug
31 Oct

Application End Date

October 31, 2026

Exam Date

December 6, 2026

06 Dec
Structure

Exam Pattern

Detailed breakdown of the exam structure

Section Approximate Questions Approximate Weightage
English Language 22–26 20%
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge 28–32 25%
Legal Reasoning 28–32 25%
Logical Reasoning 22–26 20%
Quantitative Techniques 10–14 10%
Total 120 100%

Syllabus

Complete syllabus breakdown

English Language

The English section uses passages from different forms of writing. Students may need to identify the author's main point, interpret vocabulary from context, compare viewpoints and draw conclusions.

Current Affairs, Including General Knowledge

Questions may draw on important national and international developments, public affairs, cultural events and historically significant issues.

Legal Reasoning

Legal Reasoning presents situations involving rules, principles, policies or questions of fairness. Candidates must understand the information supplied and use it to evaluate a new situation.

Logical Reasoning

Students examine arguments, assumptions, evidence and conclusions. Questions can ask whether a statement strengthens an argument, weakens it or logically follows from the passage.

Quantitative Techniques

This section involves numerical information presented through short situations, tables or other data. Relevant mathematical skills include ratios, proportions, elementary algebra, mensuration and statistical estimation at approximately Class 10 level.

Eligibility Criteria

Check if you meet the requirements

Minimum Qualifying Marks

For CLAT 2027 UG, the prescribed minimum is:

  • 45% or an equivalent grade for General, OBC, PWD, NRI, PIO and OCI applicants.
  • 40% or an equivalent grade for SC and ST applicants.

Candidates must also satisfy the applicable documentary and admission requirements.

Can Students Appearing for Class 12 Apply?

Yes. Students appearing in their qualifying examination during the relevant admission year may apply, but they must provide the required evidence of passing within the prescribed admission process.

Does the Intermediate Stream Matter?

Students from MEC, MPC, CEC, humanities and other recognised streams can pursue undergraduate law admission if they meet the eligibility rules. No particular Intermediate stream is compulsory for CLAT.

Is There an Upper Age Limit?

The UG CLAT eligibility rules do not prescribe an upper age limit.

Participating Colleges

Top institutions accepting this exam

CLAT 2027 Participating Colleges

1. National Law Universities (NLUs):CLAT 2027 scores are accepted by 26 NLUs, including NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, NLIU Bhopal, WBNUJS Kolkata and GNLU Gandhinagar.

2. Other Universities Accepting CLAT 2027 Scores: The Consortium also lists affiliated institutions such as Alliance University, Asian Law College, DBS Global University, GLS University, Indore Institute of Law, Lloyd Law College, Raffles University and the University of Lucknow.

Note: Check the official CLAT 2027 participating universities list and affiliated institutions list for the latest details.

Preparation Tips

Effective preparation strategies for success

1. Begin with reading habits. Spend time understanding news reports, editorials and explanatory articles.
2. Build current-affairs context. Keep short notes explaining the background and importance of major developments.
3. Learn legal reasoning through examples. Practise applying a stated rule to different situations.
4. Improve argument analysis. Identify claims, supporting evidence and assumptions in everyday discussions.
5. Revise essential mathematics. Strengthen percentages, ratios, averages and interpretation of numerical data.
6. Maintain a weekly routine. Allocate manageable preparation periods without neglecting Intermediate coursework.
7. Use sectional practice. Focus on one skill at a time before combining all sections in a full paper.
8. Review errors systematically. Record why an answer was wrong rather than simply memorising the correct option.
9. Increase timed practice gradually. Develop familiarity before prioritising speed.
10. Follow official updates. Examination policies, deadlines and admission rules should be checked at their original source.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this exam

There is no compulsory time allocation for individual sections in the UG CLAT paper. Students can move between sections during the examination. Practise different section orders in mock tests and choose an approach that allows enough time for reading-intensive questions and numerical problems.

Compare both options against the information given in the passage. Check whether one introduces an unsupported claim, changes the meaning of a statement or goes beyond the question's scope. The stronger answer is generally the one most closely supported by the supplied information.

Newspapers are a useful starting point, but reading headlines alone may leave gaps. Students should understand the background of major developments, important organisations, historical connections and the reasons an event matters. Regular revision helps retain this information.

The next step depends on your counselling status and the rules for that admission year. Eligible candidates may remain under consideration in subsequent rounds, subject to applicable procedures and deadlines. Monitor the official counselling portal and avoid missing required actions.

No. Admission depends on the applicable rank, category, programme preferences, seat availability and counselling requirements.

Some reading, reasoning and general-awareness skills can transfer. However, AILET, SLAT and other examinations have separate patterns and requirements.

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