CLAT 2026 Recruitment Out , Exam Pattern, and Eligibility Criteria

CLAT 2026 Recruitment Out

CLAT Apply Online 2026 Link (Active)

Join the CLAT 2026 Recruitment to jumpstart your legal career! Gear up with expert-led training, comprehensive study materials, and personalized guidance tailored for the Common Law Admission Test. Benefit from mock tests, doubt-clearing sessions, and proven tactics to maximize your score. Whether you’re aiming for top law schools like NLSIU, NALSAR, or NUJS, our program equips you to perform confidently. Limited seats—act fast! Secure your spot now and get ready to conquer CLAT 2026 with focused strategies and unwavering support.

1. 📅 Exam Date, Application Timeline & Process

• Exam Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, conducted offline (pen‑and‑paper) for both UG & PG levels.

• Application Start: Registration opens August 1, 2025 (typically at 2:00 PM IST).

• Application Deadline: Closes October 31, 2025.

• The official Consortium of NLUs portal (consortiumofnlus.ac.in) hosts all notifications, forms, Rs. 4,000/3,500 fees, fee waivers, and document details .

2. Recruitment / Admission (UG & PG): Overview

CLAT acts as the central entrance test for entry into 22–24 National Law Universities (NLUs) for both UG 5‑Year Integrated LLB and PG LLM programs:

• Admission Process:

  • After results, candidates fill in their NLU preferences through the consortium portal.

  • Seats are allocated based on rank and preferences.

  • Reservation and horizontal quotas (SC, ST, OBC‑NCL, EWS, PwD, state‑domicile, etc.) apply per NLU rules .

• Seats: Approximately 3,700 UG seats and 1,300 PG seats available across participating NLUs through CLAT 2026 Careers360 Law.

• Uses of Scores: CLAT UG & PG scores are also accepted by many private law colleges, central PSUs, and Indian Army JAG recruitment en.wikipedia.org.

3. Eligibility Criteria

3.1 Undergraduate (UG – 5‑Year LLB)

• Educational Qualification: Must have passed Class 12 (10+2) or be appearing in 2026 from a recognized board .

• Minimum Marks:

  • General / OBC / PwD / NRI / OCI / PIO: 45% aggregate

  • SC / ST: 40% aggregate.

• Final-Year Students: Class 12 pass certificate must be submitted by admission time; appearing candidates may provisionally register .

• Age Limit: No upper age limit—graduates or mature candidates are eligible as long as academic criteria are met.

• Nationality: Indians, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs eligible; foreign nationals must contact NLUs individually for admission centric seats.

3.2 Postgraduate (PG – LLM)

• Educational Qualification: Must have completed (or be in final year of) LLB (3‑year or 5‑year) from a recognized university .

• Minimum Marks:

  • General / OBC / PwD / NRI / OCI / PIO: 50%

  • SC / ST: 45%.

• Final-Year Students: May apply provisionally if degree clearance is expected before counseling/admission .

• Age Limit: No upper age limit for LLM as well .

• Nationality: Same categories as UG; foreign nationals follow university-specific rules .

4. Exam Pattern (UG & PG)

4.1 Common Features

• Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes)

• Question Type: Multiple‑Choice Questions (MCQs) based on passages

• Total Questions: 120

• Maximum Score: 120 marks

• Marking Scheme: +1 for correct; −0.25 for wrong; no penalty for unattempted.

• Language: English only

• Administration: Offline (pen‑and‑paper) .

4.2 UG Exam — Section‑Wise Distribution

• All questions are passage‑based, with each passage followed by ~5–6 MCQs.

4.3 PG Exam — Section Breakdown

• 120 MCQs covering:

  • Constitutional Law

  • Jurisprudence

  • Administrative Law

  • Law of Contract

  • Torts

  • Family Law

  • Criminal Law (IPC, CrPC)

  • Property Law

  • Company Law

  • Tax Law

  • Environmental Law

  • Labour & Industrial Law

  • Public International Law

• Structure and marking are similar to UG in terms of duration, penalties, and format.

5. Application / Recruitment Process: Step by Step

1. Visit CLAT Portal: consortiumofnlus.ac.in → Register from August 1, 2025.

2. Fill Form: Enter personal, academic, category, and NLU preference details (for PG, NLU choices come post-result).

3. Upload Documents:

   • Recent passport-sized photograph & signature

   • Class 10 & 12 marksheets/certificates

   • LL.B. marksheet/certificate (for PG)

   • Category/PwD certificates (if applicable)

   • Photo ID proof

4. Pay Application Fee:

   • ₹4,000 for General/OBC/NRI/OCI

   • ₹3,500 for SC/ST/PwD categories

5. Submit & Confirm: Final submission and receipt issuance.

6. Correction Window (usually in October): Correction in name, photo, exam centre, etc., allowed .

7. Download Admit Card: Released a few days before the exam day.

8. Exam & Scorecard: After December 7, results and scorecards are issued.

9. Preference Submission (PG): For PG, NLU preferences are set after scores are out .

10. Counseling & Seat Allotment: Based on rank, preferences, document verification, and seat availability.

6. Additional Notes & FAQs

• Attempt Limit: Unlimited attempts allowed for both UG and PG levels.

• Reservation & Relaxations: Category‑wise marks relaxations (e.g. 40% for SC/ST in UG; 45% for SC/ST in PG), and other national/state reservations apply as per NLU policies.

• Foreign Nationals: They may apply under separate quotas; must coordinate individually with participating NLUs.

• Score Validity: CLAT score is valid for one academic year only.

• Preparation Focus: Paper emphasizes reasoning, comprehension, and legal aptitude—not rote law knowledge for UG.

7. Summary Table

8. Preparation Strategy Tips

• Focus on reading comprehension (passage-based questions).

• Stay updated with current affairs & GK, especially national & legal contexts.

• Practice legal and logical reasoning through caselets/passages.

• Prepare for Quantitative Techniques, focusing on Class 10–12 level school math.

• For PG, review core law subjects—in-depth legal knowledge is essential.

• Mock tests and previous year papers help strong time management and accuracy.