CLAT 2026

Common Law Admission Test for undergraduate and postgraduate law programs at NLUs.

Stream: Law Exam Date: Dec 01, 2026

Overview

The NLUs released the CLAT 2026 Second Merit List on 22nd January 2026. If you are in the second list, you can pay the confirmation fee for “Freeze” and “Float” till 29th January 2026.

The third merit list will be released by 5th February, whereas the 4th and 5th allotment lists are expected on 2 May and 15 May 2026, respectively.

  • The admissions in CLAT 2026 are conducted for 25 participating NLUs, which offer 3,000 to 3,200 UG seats in total.
  • In Round 1, around 100% of the available seats are open for allotment, whereas others will involve seat upgrades, withdrawals, and distribution of vacant seats.

The AIR 1 to 100 candidates secured seats in the 1st Round. AIR under 500 got in Tier 1 NLUs, whereas AIR 500 to 1500 are expected to get seats in Round 2 to 3.

By CLAT 2026, around 3,500+ seats will be offered in 24 participating NLUs, in which the top 5 will close the rank between the top 200 and 500, as per the previous year's trends.

Check:

In this Article, we have discussed CLAT 2026, including Paper Analysis along with the answer key, cutoff, & Participating Insitutes.

CLAT

CLAT Counselling Schedule (Out)

CLAT Counselling Process will begin today at 6 P.M. The authorities have released instructions on CLAT counselling which can be checked here. 

Check: CLAT Instructions for Admission Counselling Process

Schedule Particulars
06 pm, December 17, 2025 to 10 pm, December 27, 2025 Registration for admissions counselling (including payment of counselling registration fee)
January 7, 2026, at 10 am Publication of the first allotment list (first round begins)
January 7, 2026 (10 am) to January 15, 2026 (1 pm) Payment of the confirmation fee and admission by NLUs for the first allotment list
January 22, 2026, at 10 am Publication of the second allotment list (second round begins)
January 22, 2026 (10 am) to January 29, 2026 (1 pm) Payment of the confirmation fee and admission by NLUs for the second allotment list
February 5, 2026, at 10 am Publication of the third allotment list (third round begins)
February 5, 2026 (10 am) to February 12, 2026 (1 pm) Payment of the confirmation fee and admission by NLUs for the third allotment list
April 24, 2026, by 5 pm Payment of university fees by candidates who chose the Freeze option in the first three rounds
May 2, 2026, at 10 am Publication of the fourth allotment list (fourth round begins)
May 2, 2026 (10 am) to May 8, 2026 (1 pm) Payment of the confirmation fee and admission by NLUs for the fourth allotment list
May 15, 2026, at 10 am Publication of the fifth and final allotment list (fifth round begins)
May 15, 2026 (10 am) to May 20, 2026 (1 pm) Payment of the confirmation fee and admission by NLUs for the fifth allotment list
As notified by the respective NLUs Payment of university fees by candidates who chose the Freeze option in the fourth and fifth rounds

CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key and Solution PDF

CLAT Paper Download PDF Detailed Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set A Download Check Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set B Download Check Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set C Download Check Solution
CLAT 2026 Question Paper with Answer Key Set D Download Check Solution

What is the CLAT Exam 2026?

The CLAT 2026 is a national-level entrance examination, which is conducted every year for admission into UG (5-Year LLB) and PG (LLM) programs, which are offered by 24 NLUs in India.

  • Around 1 lakh candidates appear every year for 3,000 to 3,500 NLU Seats.
  • By CLAT, your career door will be opened for corporate law, litigation, judiciary, civil services, legal policy and global law firms.
  • A Single Counselling will be followed for seat allotment as per AIR and category reservation.

If you have appeared for CLAT 2026, check this video by @LegalEdgeCLATCoachingby Toprankers, for complete paper analysis and expected cutoff.

Check: How many candidates appear for CLAT?
Ques. Can I join LLB without CLAT?

Ans. Some states and private law entrance exams allow admission into 5-Year Law programs.

Alternative Exams are:

  • AILET (NLU Delhi)
  • SLAT (Symbiosis)
  • LSAT—India (Private Universities)
  • MHCET Law (Maharashtra Gov Colleges)

Ques. When can candidates expect the provisional and final answer key?

Ans. The CLAT Provisional Answer key is generally released 2-3 days after the exam, and the final answer key will be released after objections.

Stage Expected Timeline
Provisional Answer Key Within 72 hours post-exam
Final Answer Key After the review of objections
Score Basis Final key only

Ques. What is the expected date for the CLAT 2026 result announcement?

Ans. The CLAT Results are usually released after 7-10 days of exams and will be released online.

  • It will be downloaded online from the official website.
  • Includes AIR+Scorecard.
  • It is mandatory for participation in counselling.
  • No separate category-wise scorecard is required.

CLAT 2026 Provisional Answer Key

The Release of the CLAT Provisional Answer Key is the first step after the CLAT Exam. The CLAT Answer Key includes the correct response for all the questions, which will help the candidates with cross-checking their attempts.

You can have an estimation of your score and have an expected ranking before the official results.

CLAT 2026 Answer Key: Release Timeline & Process

Event Expected / Tentative Date
Provisional Answer Key Release 10-Dec-2025 at 5 PM
Objection Window Opens 5:00 PM on 10th December 2025
Last Date to Raise Objections Usually 1–2 days after provisional key release — e.g. till 12-Dec-2025 (5 PM) as per recent announcements.
Final Answer Key Release 5:00 PM on 12th December 2025.
Result Declaration Shortly after the final answer key — expected by mid-December 2025

How to Access & Challenge CLAT 2026 Answer Key?

After the release of CLAT Provisional Answer key, you can download the PDF from the official website, and compare your responses, if there are any discrepancies, and can raise the objections online.

By using the proper use of answer key, the candidates can estimate their score before the release of the CLAT Result.

CLAT 2026: Answer Key Download & Objection Process

Action Details
Where to download Official website Consortium of National Law Universities (consortiumofnlus.ac.in), under “CLAT 2026 → Answer Key / Question Paper” section
Format PDF — set-wise (Set A / B / C / D) with question paper and correct answers
Compare & Calculate Score Use official marking scheme: +1 for correct, 0.25 for wrong, 0 for unanswered
Objection Method Via online portal — login, select “Submit Objection,” choose question number/booklet set, provide reason & supporting doc (if any)
Objection Fee ₹ 1,000 per question challenged (refundable if objection is upheld)
Final Answer Key Released after consideration of objections; final evaluation & result is based on it

Check:

CLAT 2026: Initial Paper Analysis

The CLAT 2026 Exam has been successfully conducted now, and as per the candidate’s the exam was moderate to difficult, with a major focus on comprehension and real-world reasoning questions.

CLAT 2026 Difficulty Review: Section-Wise

Section No. of Qs Reported Difficulty Key Highlights Good Attempts
English Language 22–26 Moderate Long passages; vocabulary in context is manageable 17–20
Current Affairs & GK 28–32 Moderate to Tough Heavily analytical current affairs; limited static 18–22
Legal Reasoning 28–32 Moderate Principle-based scenario questions; required precision 20–24
Logical Reasoning 22–26 Easy to Moderate Shorter arguments; direct reasoning 18–21
Quantitative Techniques 10–14 Moderate to Tough Data-based questions; time-consuming 6–9

According to a lot of candidates, the CLAT Exam 2026 was slightly different from the previous year's exam. Check this video by @12MinutestoCLAT to know what exactly was different in CLAT 2026.

Check: CLAT Expected Paper Analysis

Ques. How many questions should be attempted accurately for a 95+ score?

Ans. You should aim for around 92 to 105 attempts with high precision to reach the top percentile rank.

Percentile Target Attempts Accuracy
99+ 100–105 90%+
95–98 92–98 85–90%

Ques. What was the difficulty trend in the last 3 years of CLAT?

Ans. With CLAT Previous Year Difficulty trends, you can know about what will be level of difficulty this year.

Year Difficulty Level Challenging Section
2024 Moderate LR passages
2023 Mod–Hard GK & Current Affairs
2022 Moderate Quantual MCQs

CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank: What Your Score Could Mean

Since the CLAT 2026 is over, the major question for the candidate is “What rank will I get with my score?”, as the NLU Admissions are majorly based on ranks, with every few marks, your position in the merit list can change.

As per the difficulty level of CLAT 2026, and previous year analysis, the expected marks vs rank for CLAT 2026 is:

  • The Top NLUs demand very high scores; with a score of 98+, you can get a rank among the top 200, and this can increase your chances in top NLUs.
  • With a difference of 90 to 95 and 95-100 marks, your rank can have a change of hundreds, which makes accuracy and time management important.
  • A Score range of 80 to 90 remains competitive for mid-level NLUs or programmes having more seats.
Score Range (out of 120) Estimated All-India Rank Range Admission Chances / Tier of NLUs
98 – 120 Top 1–200 Very strong — likely top NLUs (e.g. NLSIU Bengaluru / NALSAR Hyderabad / WBNUJS Kolkata)
92 – 97 200–500 Competitive — good shot at top 5–6 NLUs or high-demand programmes
85 – 91 500–2,500 Good — solid chances at mid-to-high NLUs or good branches in top NLUs
80 – 84 2,500–4,500 Decent — may get into mid-tier or lower-tier NLUs, depending on seat availability & category
70 – 79 4,500–9,500+ Marginal — likely lower-tier NLUs or state universities; top NLUs unlikely for the General category
60 – 69 10,000–20,000+ Limited — admission to non-NLU law colleges or the least preferred NLUs, especially for reserved categories
Below 60 20,000+ Unlikely to secure a seat in major NLUs; options limited to local/state colleges or private universities

CLAT 2026 Score Calculation Process: How Your Marks Are Calculated

The CLAT Exam will follow a negative marking system, with each correct answer being 1 mark and -0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.

As in CLAT, only a single raw scoring model is used; the final answer key can be directly determined using AIR Rank without a normalisation process.

  • In the CLAT Exam, your accuracy will matter more than the attempts; if you guess too many, your score can be reduced because of negative marking.
  • There is no partial marking, with all questions being single-choice objective questions.

CLAT 2026 Score Calculation: Marking Scheme

Particulars Details Impact on Score
Total Questions 120 (MCQs) Determines max raw score
Marks for Each Correct Answer +1 Increases overall score
Penalty for Each Wrong Answer –0.25 Negative impact: reduces marks
Marks for Unanswered Questions 0 No change in total score
Score Range 0 to 120 (raw marks) Used directly for the AIR ranking
Normalization Not Applicable Raw marks = Final marks
Tie-Breaking Parameters Legal Reasoning score → Older age → Computerised lottery Used when the marks are the same

CLAT Score Calculation Formula

CLAT Formula

Check: CLAT Seat Allotment

CLAT Previous Year Question Paper

If you are appearing in CLAT 2026, you should solve and look through the CLAT Previous Year Question Paper.

The Previous year's Question Paper for CLAT is attached below. You can get familiar with different types of questions that can be asked.

Check: CLAT Previous-Year Question Paper

CLAT 2026 Cut-Off: What Rank Gets You Which NLU?

Understanding the CLAT cut-off is very important. You can now check the College Predictor to check colleges for admission.

This tool allows you to see which college you currently qualify for based on your CLAT cut-off score and helps you identify where you aspire to go.

  • The expected CLAT cutoff 2026 is 90+ with a CLAT closing rank of 97 for NLU Bengaluru.
  • For NALSAR Hyderabad, the expected cutoff is 90+ (158 rank), and for West Bengal NLU, the expected CLAT cutoff is 90+ (262 rank).
  • For NLU Jodhpur and NLU Bhopal, the expected CLAT cutoff 2026 is 84+.
College Name CLAT Score Opening Rank Closing Rank
NLU, Bengaluru 90+ 1 97
NALSAR, Hyderabad 90+ 6 158
The West Bengal NLU, Kolkata 90+ 140 262
NLU Jodhpur 84+ 170 341
NLU, Bhopal 84+ 311 404
Gujarat NLU, Gandhinagar 84+ 210 429
MNLU Mumbai 82+ 99 547
DDrRam Manohar Lohiya NLU, Lucknow 75+ 410 694
HNLU Raipur 75+ 434 707
NLU, Odisha 72+ 591 10180

Check:

CLAT 2026 Result & Counselling: What Happens Now?

The CLAT 2026 Result can be released anytime in the last week of December 2025. You should follow a proper process for the result download.

The merit list will be published, and centralised counselling for proper seat allotment.

Stage What Happens What You Need To Do
Result Declaration Scorecard released with AIR & category rank Download scorecard & analyse rank vs expected NLU
Registration for Counselling Consortium opens counselling portal Pay the counselling fee & register
Choice Filling & Locking Select and arrange NLUs in preference order Carefully prioritise colleges based on cutoff trends
Seat Allotment Rounds (Round 1/2/3 etc.) Seats allotted as per rank, category & preference Accept seat / apply for upgrade/exit option
Document Upload & Verification Verification done online by the allotted NLU Upload the required docs within the deadline
Fee Payment Final seat confirmation Pay the admission fee to the allotted NLU
Upgradation Window Option to upgrade to a better preference (if seats are available) Continue in the system if interested

CLAT College Predictor 2026

The CLAT College predictor uses the seat intake information along with expected competition, which will help you get an estimation of NLU, and you can aim according to your rank/score.

You can check the CLAT college predictor by Collegedunia, where you have to enter your rank, reservation category and state to check the college you can get after the CLAT Result is Out.

Check:

CLAT 2026: List of Participating Institutes

The CLAT 2026 Exam is open for admission into integrated UG and PG Law courses across top law schools in India. This includes 24 NLUs, with each offering seats based on CLAT Rank, along with other institutes accepting CLAT Scores.

Key NLUs Participating in CLAT 2026 (UG Seat Intake)

NLU / University Approx. UG Seats (5-Year Law via CLAT)
NLSIU Bengaluru 310
NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad 132
WBNUJS Kolkata 132
NLU Jodhpur 164
GNLU Gandhinagar 172
NLIU Bhopal 202 (BA-LLB + BSc-LLB)
HNLU Raipur 170
RMLNLU Lucknow 169
RGNUL Patiala 180
NUALS Kochi 60
DSNLU Visakhapatnam 120
MNLU Mumbai 100

FAQs for CLAT 2026

Ques. Which law programs and top NLUs accept CLAT scores?

Ans. The CLAT Scores are used for 5-Year Integrated LLB and LLM Admissions in NLUs and top Law institutes.

  • It is accepted by all 25+ members of NLUs, use the CLAT Score for their undergraduate admissions.
  • For CLAT PG Admissions (LLM), it also follows the same kind of pattern and will be accepted by all participating NLUs.

Ques. What is the exam pattern and marking scheme for CLAT 2026?

Ans. The CLAT Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme is the same as the previous year, with 120 questions, making a total of 120 marks, with research-based passages, five sections, and negative marking

Response Type Marks
Correct Answer +1
Incorrect Answer -0.25
Not Attempted 0
Total Marks 120

Ques. When will CLAT 2026 counselling start after the results

Ans. The CLAT Counselling starts immediately after the results are declared and will follow a structured seat allotment process.

Stage Timeline
Registration & Fee Payment Same week as the result
Preference Locking After registration
Rounds 3–4 allotment rounds
Documentation Mandatory for confirmation

Ques. What are the rules on rough sheets, pens & stationery?

Ans. The Centre will give all the writing material; personal stationery will not be allowed.

Item Provided by Centre
Black Pen Yes
Rough Sheets Yes (must return)
Geometry Box/Calculator No

Eligibility

The Consortium of NLUs sets the CLAT exam eligibility for students for admission into law courses. To be eligible for the CLAT 2026 exam, you must meet the CLAT Eligibility 2026:

  • Educational Qualification: Candidates must have passed the 10+2 or equivalent examination. 
  • Minimum Marks: The CLAT exam eligibility marks are: General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI: 45% or equivalent.  SC/ST: 40% or equivalent. 
  • CLAT age eligibility: There is no upper age limit for the CLAT exam. 
  • Nationality: Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, and PIOs are eligible to apply. Foreign nationals are also eligible for CLAT 2026, but through the NRI quota. 
  • Qualifying Exam: Candidates appearing for their qualifying exams in March/April 2026 are also eligible. They must, however, provide proof of passing the exam at the time of admission. 

The Consortium of NLUs organizes the CLAT 2026, and the participating NLUs and other colleges accept CLAT scores for admission to their UG and PG programs. But they must meet the eligibility criteria as set by the respective NLUs. Meeting the CLAT Eligibility criteria, you can fill CLAT 2026 application form.

CLAT Eligibility 2026

CLAT Age Limit

Key Summary:

In the CLAT Eligibility criteria, we have provided the CLAT exam eligibiltty for UG and PG Law courses. The key points for CLAT Eligibilty are:

  • CLAT can be pursued after completing 12th or graduation.
  • There is no minimum age requirement to apply for the exam.
  • CLAT can be taken after completing B.Tech, but minimum required mark are necessary.
  • NRI candidates are eligible for CLAT 2026 but must follow admission guidelines.
  • Eligibility for CLAT is based on nationality, age limit, and educational qualification.
  • The tie-breaking procedure for equal marks includes higher marks in Legal Aptitude and age preference.

CLAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria for UG Law Courses

Parameters that candidates need to meet to fulfill CLAT eligibility criteria for undergraduate (UG ) level law courses are mentioned below. We have provided a video by “Siddhant Singh” which explains the CLAT Eligibility 2026. 

CLAT Eligibility 2026

The CLAT Eligibility 2026 is simple and flexible. The candidates who have cleared class 12 or are appearing for class 12 can apply for the CLAT exam 2026, but Gen/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI candidates must have 45% and SC/ST candidates must have 40%

Criterion Details
Educational Qualification Passed or appearing in Class 12 / equivalent exam
Minimum Marks (Gen/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI) 45% aggregate
Minimum Marks (SC/ST) 40% aggregate
Appearing Candidates Allowed—must submit passing proof at admission
Age Limit No upper or lower age limit
Nationality Indian, NRI, OCI, PIO; Foreign nationals with NLU protocols
Number of Attempts Unlimited, as long as eligibility is met each time
Tie-Breaker Sequence 1. Legal Aptitude marks → 2. Age → 3. Draw of lots
Registration Start 1 August 2025

CLAT Eligibility for Educational Qualification & Marks 2026

Candidates appearing for CLAT UG 2026 must meet the following qualifications to be eligible for the exam:

  • The CLAT Eligibility after 12th requires candidates to clear Class 12 from a recognized board.
  • With a 45% CLAT eligibility percentage for the General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI.
  • Students who come under the SC/ST categories are required to score at least 40% from any recognized board.
Category Minimum Marks Required in Class 12 (10+2)
General / OBC / PwD / NRI / PIO / OCI 45% aggregate
SC / ST 40% aggregate
Appearing Candidates Allowed – must submit passing proof at admission

CLAT Eligibility Age 2026

According to the official notification by the Consortium of National Law Universities

  • The CLAT Eligibility Age 2026 has no upper or lower age limit, allowing anyone who has cleared or is appearing for Class 12 to apply for CLAT 2026.
  • This means that candidates belonging to any age group can apply for the law entrance exam.
Criterion Details
Minimum Age Not specified (Class 12 passed/appearing)
Maximum Age Limit No upper age limit

CLAT Nationality Eligibility 2026

For the CLAT eligibility 2026, as per the nationality allows Indian students as well as NRIs, OCIs, and PIOs can apply for the CLAT exam 2026.

But if you are a foreign national, then you will need to apply directly to the NLUs under the special quota

Eligible Candidates Notes
Indian Nationals Eligible
NRIs / OCIs / PIOs Eligible
Foreign Nationals Must apply directly to NLUs under special quotas, not via CLAT

CLAT Eligibility for International Students

  • Foreign National students or NRI/NRI sponsored students are also eligible to sit for the CLAT exam on condition that they must qualify the required criteria.
  • The CLAT eligibility for international students might differ in some NLUs; therefore, such students are advised to check the official website of the respective NLUs.
Factor Insight
Application Route NRIs/PIOs/OCIs → CLAT; Foreign Nationals → Direct NLU application
Seat Availability Limited (2–15 per NLU) under Foreign National Quota
Admission Criteria Based on board marks and English proficiency, not CLAT score
Competitiveness High due to limited seats and lack of exam-based advantage
Strategy for NRIs/PIOs/OCIs Can consider both CLAT and direct application if eligible

CLAT Attempts & Flexibility 2026

As per CLAT Attempts and Flexibility 2026, there is no limit on the number of times you can take the CLAT exam as long as you meet the basic academic eligibility, i.e like passing Class 12.

Factor Details
Number of Attempts Unlimited – no restriction on attempts
Frequency As long as academic eligibility criteria are fulfilled

CLAT Eligibility Tie-Breaking Rules 2026

The CLAT tie-breaking rules 2026 are the criteria used when two or more candidates score the same marks in the CLAT exam.

  • In the CLAT eligibility tie-breaking rules 2026, the priority goes first to higher Legal Aptitude marks.
  • Then, to candidates with a higher age, if the legal aptitude marks are also equal.
  • At last, the Computerized draw of lots comes into consideration; the system uses a lottery method to break the tie.
Priority Order Tie-Breaking Rule
1st Higher marks in the Legal Aptitude section
2nd Candidate with a higher age
3rd Computerized draw of lots

Also Read

CLAT PG Eligibility 2026

The CLAT PG Eligibility 2026 is also simple and flexible for the candidates who wish to pursue a post-graduate law degree.

  • To apply for CLAT PG, the candidates should have an LL.B. (3-year or 5-year) and 50% marks (45% for SC/ST).
  • Even a final-year student can also apply if they show proof of clearing the LLB at admission.
  • There is also no age limit for the candidates to apply, so anyone can apply for CLAT PG by meeting the educational qualifications.
Criterion Details
Educational Qualification Must hold an LL.B. degree (3-year or 5-year) from a recognized university
Minimum Marks (Gen/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI) 50% aggregate
Minimum Marks (SC/ST) 45% aggregate
Appearing Candidates Final-year LLB students can apply, but must submit proof of passing at admission
Age Limit No age restrictions
Tie-Breaking Rule 1. Higher age 2. Computerized draw of lots
Registration Window 1 August – 31 October 2025

CLAT 2026 LLM Academic Eligibility

  • Candidates belonging to the General/ OBC/ PwD/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI category should possess an LLB or equivalent degree with minimum 50 per cent aggregate
  • Candidates belonging to SC/ ST category should possess an LLB or equivalent degree with minimum of 45 per cent aggregate
  • Candidates appearing for the final year examination of their qualifying degree are also eligible to apply for CLAT

CLAT LLM Eligibility: Age limit

Given that, there is no age limit for five-year and three-year LLB courses, BCI has relaxed age limit for LLM course admission as well. Therefore, 

  • There is no upper age limit to apply for the CLAT PG exam as well.

  • However, candidates securing same rank and marks in CLAT LLM will be given preference, if they are higher in age than the others.

CLAT Exam Eligibility 2026: Nationality 

You can check the CLAT PG Eligibility for NRI’s here. 

  • As per the previous year’s official notification, Indian Nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and Foreign Nationals are eligible to apply for the CLAT PG Exam 2026. 
  • However, NRI and Foreign nationals must apply for the exam through the NRI quota offered by the CLAT participating colleges.

Also Read

CLAT Score Tie Breaker
Frequently Asked Questions

CLAT 2026 Eligibility FAQs

Ques. Can I give CLAT after graduation?

Ans. Yes, you can give the CLAT exam after your graduation. The CLAT eligibility 2026 does not have any age limit or a restricted number of attempts for the applicants.

  • While the CLAT exam is designed for Class 12 graduates, law aspirants who have already completed a different graduation can still apply, provided they have passed Class 12.
  • But for CLAT PG, the candidate must hold an LL.B. degree; the postgraduate exam is specifically for law graduates

Ques. Is CLAT tougher than NEET?

Ans. The CLAT is not that tougher than NEET, but it is challenging in its own way. NEET focuses on memorization and scientific expertise under pressure, while CLAT demands sharp reading, reasoning, and quick thinking.

Feature CLAT NEET
Subjects Tested Legal Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, English, GK, Quantitative Techniques Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Science).
Competition Scale ~60,000 aspirants for batch of ~1,800 (≈3% selection) Over 2.2 million test-takers vying for ~1 lakh seats; qualification rate ~56%

Difficulty Level of CLAT and NEET

CLAT NEET
Tests comprehension, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning. Requires deep conceptual understanding and speed in applying scientific knowledge.

Ques. Is CLAT only for 5-year LLB?

Ans. No, while CLAT UG is for 5-year integrated law courses, the CLAT exam as a whole includes the CLAT PG.

So, CLAT UG is exclusively for a 5-year integrated Law course, whereas CLAT as a whole is not only limited to the integrated program, but it also caters to law graduates aiming to pursue an LLM.

Ques. What is the qualification for CLAT exam?

Ans. Students willing to appear for CLAT 2026 must qualify class 12th in any stream from a recognized board. 45% for General category students and 40%marks for reserved category students are minimum percentage required for CLAT exam.

Ques. Can a 12th pass apply for CLAT?

Ans. Yes, a 12th pass student is eligible to apply for CLAT 2026 but he/she must score qualifying percentage to be eligible for CLAT exam.

Ques. Who can fill CLAT form?

Ans. Students interested in pursuing law courses can apply for CLAT. 45% is the minimum criteria to apply for CLAT 2026 exam.

Ques. Is CLAT only for law students?

Ans. CLAT is a national-level entrance exam for admission to UG and PG law courses. CLAT scores are acceptable to only its participating colleges such as NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS West Bengal, etc.

Ques. Can a science students give CLAT exam?

Ans. Yes, students with science stream in class 12th standard can appear for CLAT exam. However, they must fulfill the eligibility criteria to sit for the exam

Application Process

CLAT Registration 2026 for the Common Law Admission Test starts on August 1, 2025 through the official Consortium of NLUs website. Candidates must fill out the CLAT application form online, upload required documents, and pay the CLAT form fees for registration:

  • INR 4,000 for General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI
  • INR 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL categories.

The CLAT form price remains the same for UG and PG courses. CLAT registration will stay open till 31st October, 2025 and late submissions will not be accepted. This process is mandatory for admission to 24 participating NLUs for UG and PG law programs.

  • Aspirants can complete the CLAT 2026 application on the official website at consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
  • Candidates must register for CLAT 2026 using personal, and academic details.
  • Students must pay the CLAT exam registration fee as prescribed by the concerned authority.
  • Students are advised to fill out the CLAT application form 2026 as soon as possible get their first preference of examination centre.

CLAT Exam will be conducted on 7th December 2025. Every year, around 60,000 students apply for the exam, fighting for 3,213 seats for a 5-year LLB and 1,217 seats for a 1-year LLB.

CLAT Registration

Also Read

Key Summary:

The CLAT regsitration for 2025-2026 has begun. You must apply before the end date to avoid any penalty. Some of the important sections covered in this article are:

  • CLAT 2026 registration begins on August 1, 2025.
  • The CLAT registration 2026 will last till October 31, 2025.
  • To be eligible for CLAT 2026, students must have completed class 12th with at least 45% marks (40% for reserved categories)
  • CALT Application fees and documents required are updated. 
  • You also get to know the statistics of how many students registered and appeared for the test. 

CLAT 2026 Registration Dates

The CLAT registration has already begun. You must complete the CLAT registration as soon as possible to avoid any delays. Some of the important dates are:

Event Dates
CLAT Registration Starts August 1, 2025
CLAT Registration Last date October 31, 2025
CLAT Application Correction Last Date 2nd/3rd week of October 2025
Release of CLAT Admit Card 22nd November 2025
CLAT Exam Date December 7, 2025

How to Apply for CLAT and complete CLAT Registration?

To know the process to apply and complete the CLAT registration, you must check the video below. The video will outline the total CLAT Registration process, payment of CLAT form fees and many more. 

CLAT Exam Registration 2026: Eligibility

Students must fulfill the CLAT 2026 eligibility criteria as prescribed by the Consortium of National Law Universities. The CLAT 2026 eligibility criteria are as follows.

  • Students must have completed their 12th grade from a recognized board
  • In a graduation degree, students need a minimum of 45% if they fall under the General/ OBC / PWD / NRI / PIO / OCI categories and 40% if they’re from the SC / ST category.
  • If appearing for the final year’s exam of an undergraduate degree, candidates may apply.

Also Read

CLAT Registration 2026: Documents Required

Students must upload all the required documents as per the guidelines discussed below.

  • Personal details (name, correct address, mobile number, email ID, etc.)
  • Educational Details (Class 10+2 and Bachelor’s degree certificates)
  • Your colored photograph and signature. The following are the exact dimensions:
Picture Format Size
Recent Colored Photograph with name and date .jpeg/.jpg 20 to 50 KB
Signature with a black pen on white paper .jpeg/.jpg 10-20 KB
State Domicile Certificate PDF 2 MB

What are the fees for CLAT Registration?

The CLAT registration fee is prescribed by NLUs. As per the CLAT fee for previous years, students must pay INR 4,000 (general/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI) or INR 3,500 (SC/ST/BPL).

Category Application Fee (in INR)
General/ OBC/ PwD/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI 4,000
SC/ ST/ BPL 3,500
Previous years' question papers 500

CLAT Exam Registration 2026: Important Instructions

Candidates must remember things to keep in mind while filling up the CLAT 2026 form as discussed below.

  • Avoid last-minute registrations, as the site may crash due to overload
  • Make sure the images and documents to be uploaded are in the right format.
  • Make sure you keep all the documents ready during the application process

CLAT Registration 2026: Form Correction

The Consortium of NLUs provides an Application Correction Window to help you make any necessary edits to your CLAT 2026 Application Form before final submission. The Application correction window's last date is usually in November.

You can then adjust your NLU preferences under 'Category and Seat Reservation' and update your category status in the Personal Details tab. After making the necessary changes, click the Next button, tick the declaration checkbox, and click Save to submit your corrections.

How Many Applications Received for CLAT in the Past 5 Years?

Year Total registered Total appeared
2025 75000+ 96.33%
2024 71,243 68,786
2023 54,253 51,469
2022 60,895 56,472
2021 70,277 62,107
2020 75,183 59,443

CLAT UG vs CLAT PG Statistics

Exam name Appeared in CLAT 2025 Absent
CLAT 96.33% 3.67%

Also Read

CLAT-Statistics

CLAT UG vs CLAT PG

CLAT Exam 2026 Intakes

You can check the details of the CLAT exam in the previous years below:

Particular 2025 2024
Number of seats offered 
  • CLAT UG - 2,860+
  • CLAT LLM - 1,160+ 
  • CLAT UG - 2,801
  • CLAT LLM - 1,072
Participating institutes
  • CLAT UG - Undergraduate (UG) programs are offered by all the twenty-two (22) participating National Law Universities (NLUs)
  • CLAT PG - Postgraduate (PG) programs are offered by nineteen (19) NLUs.
Highest marks
  • CLAT UG - To be announced
  • CLAT PG -  95.25
  • CLAT UG - 121
  • CLAT PG - 94

CLAT Exam Seats in NLUs

The number of seats available in NLU’s under CLAT 2026 are:

CLAT UG vs CLAT PG Statistics

We have also compared the number of students who registered for CLAT UG and CLAT PG separately. The table also contains the number of absentees. 

Exam name Registered for CLAT 2024 Appeared in CLAT 2024 Absent
CLAT UG 60295 58,504 1,791
CLAT PG 10948 10,282 666
Total 71243 68,786 2,457

How to Cancel CLAT Registration 2026?

If you want to cancel the CLAT Registration, you must follow the options below:

  1. Contact Authorities: You must contact the CLAT exam conducting authorities and explain your reasons for cancellation. Refunds are generally not provided, but exceptions may be considered based on the validity of the reason.
  2. Submit a New Application: If errors are irreparable, submit a new application. Note that multiple applications from the same candidate are typically not accepted.

CLAT Registration 2026: FAQs


FAQs

CLAT Registration FAQs

Ques. I am 28 years old, am I eligible to apply to CLAT?

Ans. Yes, there is no upper age limit to apply for the exam.

Ques. I am in my last semester, results are still awaited for my college, can I apply for CLAT?

Ans. Yes, if you’re qualifying exam is in March / April, you’re eligible to apply for the exam provided you submit your degree at the time of admission.

Ques. If the Picture that I uploaded is old and not recently clicked, will it create problems?

Ans. It should not. When you reach the examination centre, they will ask for your proper ID card, such as Aadhar, driving license, PAN, etc. Then, they will match your name, your parents' name, etc., with the ID card provided. So, it should not create a problem unless the picture is unrecognizable. Still, we suggest not taking any risks and trying to upload a picture that was recently taken.

Ques. If I have forgotten my Login Credentials, What should I do?

Ans. In case you have forgotten the credentials required to log into your account, you can recover them by following the steps mentioned below.
To reset your password on the Consortium website, start by visiting the official site and clicking on the 'Forgot Password' link in the login window.
Enter your registered mobile number and click on 'Request OTP'.
Once you receive the One Time Password (OTP) on your mobile, enter it to verify your identity.
Then, create a new password and proceed to log in with your updated credentials.

Exam Pattern

The CLAT Exam Pattern for UG consists of 120 MCQs to be attempted in 2 hours, The CLAT syllabus covers sections like English Language, Current Affairs & GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Each correct answer carries 1 mark, while 0.25 marks are deducted for wrong answers. The CLAT exam syllabus allocates:

  • 20% weightage to English Language
  • 25% to Current Affairs including General Knowledge
  • 20% each to Legal Reasoning and Logical Reasoning
  • 10% weightage to CLAT Quantitative Techniques

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the entrance exam for admission to top Law Colleges in India. The consortium of NLUs in India releases the CLAT Exam pattern every year.The CLAT exam pattern 2026 will follow the same pattern, and any further updates, if any, wll be communicated in due course of time.

Key Summary:

As per CLAT Exam pattern, the total of 120 multiple-choice questions are present across five sections. The exam duration is 2 hours, conducted in offline (pen-and-paper) mode. 

  • The CLAT Exam pattern  includes English Language, Current Affairs & General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques
  • The CLAT Exam pattern marking scheme is – Each correct answer is worth +1 mark; each incorrect answer results in a –0.25 mark deduction. No penalty for unattempted questions.
  • The section wise question distribution are –  English Language: 22–26 questions (~20%), Current Affairs & General Knowledge: 28–32 questions (~25%), Legal Reasoning: 28–32 questions (~25%), Logical Reasoning: 22–26 questions (~20%) and Quantitative Techniques: 10–14 questions (~10%)
Highlights

What is CLAT Exam Pattern 2026?

The CLAT Exam is held in pen and paper mode for 2 hours. You need to answer 120 questions allocating 1 marks for correct answer and deducting 0.25 marks for incorrect answer. 

  • Reading skills are essential since the CLAT exam pattern for 2026 includes passages and questions. The CLAT will test inferential reasoning skills, favoring those with strong reading habits.
  • The CLAT exam pattern 2026 will include questions based on numerical data in graphs, pictures, propositions, and diagrams to demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • The CLAT 2026 Exam pattern questions are of a 12th standard level, while the quantitative techniques section will have questions of a 10th standard level.

The table below discusses key features of CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern of CLAT UG and CLAT PG exams.

Particulars CLAT UG CLAT PG
Medium English English
Mode Offline - Pen and Paper Offline – Pen and Paper
Duration 2 Hours 2 Hours
Type of Questions MCQ MCQ
Total Number of Questions 120 120
Marking Scheme Total Marks: 120
Marks for Correct Answer: 1
Negative Marking: -0.25
Total Marks: 120
Marks for Correct Answer: 1
Negative Marking: -0.25
Total No. of Subjects/ Sections English Language
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge
Legal Reasoning
Logical Reasoning
Quantitative Techniques
Constitutional Law
Other Law Subjects

Also Read


Sectional Weightage

What is CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 Sectional Weightage?

There are 20 passage-based MCQ questions for 120 marks, in CLAT exam 2026 for UG course admissions. Based on the CLAT exam pattern 2026 sectional weightage, candidates can consider the weightage of each section's questions as follows:

CLAT Exam Subject MCQs per section Maximum Marks Approximate Weightage (in %)
English Language 28-32 28-32 18.66 - 21.33
Current Affairs including General Knowledge 35-39 35-39 23.33 - 26
Logical Reasoning 28-32 28-32 18.66 - 21.33
Legal Reasoning 35-39 35-39 23.33 - 26
Quantitative Techniques (Elementry Mathematics up to Class 10) 13-17 13-17 8.66 - 11.33
Total 120 120 100%

CLAT Past Year Question Paper

CLAT Question Paper consists of MCQ-based questions based on comprehension. Candidates preparing for CLAT PG 2026 and CLAT UG 2026 can get details on CLAT Exam syllabus 2026, making scheme, type of questions, and mode of examination from this article. We have provided the CLAT Question paper with solution here for reference:

CLAT Question Paper 2025 with Answer Key and Solution PDF

The CLAT past year question papers will help you understand the CLAT exam syllabus better.

CLAT Paper Download PDF Detailed Solution
CLAT 2025 Question Paper with Answer Key Set A Download Check Solution
CLAT 2025 Question Paper with Answer Key Set B Download Check Solution
CLAT 2025 Question Paper with Answer Key Set C Download Check Solution
CLAT 2025 Question Paper with Answer Key Set D Download Check Solution

CLAT Question Paper 2024 with Answer Key and Solution PDF

CLAT Paper Download PDF Detailed Solution
CLAT 2024 Question Paper with Answer Key Set A Download Check Solution
CLAT 2024 Question Paper with Answer Key Set B Download Check Solution
CLAT 2024 Question Paper with Answer Key Set C Download Check Solution
CLAT 2024 Question Paper with Answer Key Set D Download Check Solution
Year CLAT Question Paper with Answer Key PDF CLAT Solution PDF
2023 Check Here Check Here
2022 Check Here Check Here
2021 Check Here Check Here
2020 Check Here Check Here

Want to know more about CLAT Exam Pattern 2026?

If you are looking to know What is the total marks of CLAT exam pattern? or What are the questions in CLAT exam pattern, this video by “TopRankers” will help you guide throughout your CLA preparation journey. 

Marking Scheme

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Key Areas

Some of the key areas that you should prepare while going through CLAT examination pattern are:

Section Key Focus Areas
English Language Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar
Current Affairs including General Knowledge Static GK, Current Events, Awards, Sports
Legal Reasoning Legal Principles, Case Analysis
Logical Reasoning Critical Thinking, Analytical Reasoning
Quantitative Techniques Arithmetic, Data Interpretation

Also Read

CLAT Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme

As per the marking scheme of CLAT exam pattern 2026, candidates are awarded one mark for every correct answer. However, 0.25 marks will be deducted for an incorrect answer due to the provision of negative marking in CLAT exam pattern 2026. No marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.

Refer to the table below for a better understanding of the CLAT 2026 marking scheme.

CLAT Marking Parameters Marks Awarded
Correct answer +1 marks
Incorrect answer -0.25 marks
Unattempted question 0 marks

Post Graduate Exam

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: PG Exam

CLAT LLM 2026 (CLAT PG 2026) Exam Pattern for the PG program is discussed below. Students can read the article to get details on the CLAT PG question pattern, marking scheme, and mode of the CLAT PG exam.

CLAT Examination Pattern 2026: Section-wise Weightage for PG Exam

CLAT PG questions will cover undergraduate-level legal topics, including Contract Law, Property Law, and Family Law. This portion of CLAT syllabus assesses the candidates' abilities to make legal arguments and their legal knowledge. The CLAT paper Pattern is tabulated below:

Subjects No. of Questions No. of Marks
Constitutional Law 60 60
Other Law 60 60
Total 120 120

CLAT Marking Scheme 2026: PG Exam

The CLAT Question Paper for PG has a total of 120 questions. The CLAT Marking Scheme for PG exam is discussed below:

Parameters Marks Awarded
Correct answer 1
Incorrect answer - 0.25
Unanswered 0

CLAT Syllabus 2026: PG Exam

The CLAT LLM Syllabus 2026 for the PG exam along with the important topics is discussed below:

Sections Important Topics
Constitutional Law Revise the topics mentioned in the CLAT UG Program Syllabus
Other Areas of Law Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public, International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law, Labour & Industrial Law

Syllabus

CLAT Syllabus 2026

The following table provides a detailed view of CLAT Syllabus 2026 for the UG exam with the important topics and CLAT subjects.

CLAT Subjects Important Topics
English Language Grammar (correcting incorrect grammatical sentences, filling in the blanks, etc.) Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Current Affairs including General Knowledge Static GK (Arts & Culture and History)
Knowledge of all events happening nationally and internationally
Logical Reasoning Relationships
Analogies
Logical Sequences
Arguments
Legal Reasoning General awareness of contemporary legal and moral issues
Quantitative Techniques Ratios and Proportions
Basic Algebra
Mensuration
Statistics

CLAT Books 2026

CLAT is one of India's most difficult and competitive law exams. A huge number of students attempt CLAT each year, therefore the competition is also high. Candidates can refer to these recommended books while preparing for the CLAT 2026 Exam.

Subject Name of Book Publisher/ Author
English Word Power Made Easy Norman Lewis
High School English Grammar and Composition Key Wren & Martin
Current Affairs Manorama Yearbook 2021 Manorama
Current Affairs Yearly 2021 Arihant
Legal Reasoning Legal Awareness Legal Reasoning Bhardwaj
Legal Aptitude for the CLAT and other Law Entrance Examinations Bhardwaj
Logical Reasoning Universal’s Logical Reasoning for CLAT, LSAT and other Law Entrance Exams Jain Prateek
Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning RS Agarwal
Quantitative Techniques Universal's Elementary Mathematics (Numerical Ability) Jain Prateek
Quantitative Aptitude RS Aggarwal
Constitutional Law Indian Constitutional Law M P Jain
The Constitution of India P M Bakshi

Quick Links:


Frequently Asked Questions

CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Frequently Asked Questions

Ques. What are the changes in the CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern?

Ans. The consortium of NLUs in India releases the CLAT Syllabus and CLAT Exam pattern every year. The CLAT exam pattern was changed in 2024, which suggests that the consortium is likely to maintain the same pattern for the CLAT Exam 2026. CLAT exam pattern negative marking is 0.25 marks for each wrong answer and 1 mark is awarded for each correct answer.

Parameters Marks Awarded
Correct answer 1
Incorrect answer - 0.25
Unanswered 0

Ques. When will the CLAT 2026 exam be held?

Ans. The Consortium of NLUs declared the CLAT exam date 2026 at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. As per the update, the exam will be held on December 7th for 2 hours from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Ques. How many questions will be asked in CLAT 2026?

Ans. There will be 120 questions in the CLAT 2026 exam, per the CLAT 2026 exam pattern. It is highly unlikely that there will be any changes in the pattern due to the changes done in 2026.

Sections MCQs per section Approximate Weightage (in %)
English Language 28-32 18.66 - 21.33
Current Affairs including General Knowledge 35-39 23.33 - 26
Logical Reasoning 28-32 18.66 - 21.33
Legal Reasoning 35-39 23.33 - 26
Quantitative Techniques (Elementry Mathematics up to Class 10) 13-17 8.66 - 11.33
Total 120 100%

Ques. What is the mode of the CLAT exam 2026?

Ans. CLAT is conducted in offline mode for 2 hours. Both CLAT UG 2026 as well as CLAT PG 2026 consist of objective-type questions.

Ques. Is CLAT Exam MCQ based?

Ans. Yes, the CLAT exam consists of objective-type questions based on passages- Each section consists of passages, based on which candidates have to answer objective-type questions.

Ques. What is CLAT negative marking?

Ans. CLAT has a negative marking of -0.25 for each incorrect answer. While each correct answer will be given 1 mark. CLAT 2026 question paper will have 120 questions instead of 150.

Ques. What is a good score in CLAT 2026?

Ans. CLAT is a tough exam and candidates need to score high to qualify for the cut-offs. Anything above 100 is considered a good score in CLAT to qualify for the NLUs in India. The expected CLAT cut-off score of NLUSIU Bangalore is 100 plus, whereas NLU Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur, and NLU Bhopal are between 94 to 98.

For General Category:

  • Top NLUs (e.g., NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad): Aim for 100+ marks.
  • Other Top NLUs: A score of 90+ is generally desirable. 

For Reserved Categories:

  • EWS: Aim for 85-95+ marks.
  • OBC: Target 80-90+ marks.
  • SC/ST: Look for scores between 75 and 85. 

Ques. What are the 5 subjects of CLAT?

Ans. CLAT exam pattern has 5 subjects- English Language, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques, and Current Affairs. The Current Affairs section also has questions based on General Knowledge.


Syllabus

The CLAT syllabus for UG consists of 120 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 2 hours. The CLAT exam syllabus 2026 for UG is based on a class 12 level of difficulty. CLAT Syllabus 2026 covers the detailed subjects and topics for undergraduate (UG) admission to 5-year integrated LLB programs at 26 National Law Universities (NLUs) across India.

The CLAT Syllabus 2026 for UG mainly focuses on your comprehensive, reasoning, as well as strategic approach to answer the questions. There will be passage-based questions from the following 5 subjects:

  • English Language: Focuses on comprehension and vocabulary.
  • Current Affairs, including General Knowledge: Tests awareness of recent events and static GK.
  • Legal Reasoning: Assesses the ability to apply legal principles to given scenarios.
  • Logical Reasoning: Evaluates logical analysis and reasoning ability.
  • Quantitative Techniques: Tests basic mathematical skills.

Now, if we look at each subject separately, we can understand how many questions you might get from each topic.

  • The maximum number of questions comes from the Current Affairs and Legal Reasoning parts.
  • With 28-32 questions each, these two portions hold 50% of the total paper.
  • Logical Reasoning, English Language, and Quantitative Techniques come with 20% and 10% weightage of questions.

You can enhance your skills by reading various journals, articles, newspapers, magazines, and novels. For newspapers, you can trust The Hindu, The Times of India, and The Indian Express.

Also Read:

CLAT Syllabus 2026

Key Summary

  • CLAT Syllabus 2026 covers the detailed subjects and topics for undergraduate (UG) admission to 5-year integrated LLB programs.
  • You will get the maximum number of CLAT Syllabus questions from the Current Affairs and Legal Reasoning part.
  • CLAT Current Affairs and Legal Reasoning has 28-32 questions each; these two portions hold 50% of the total paper.
  • The CLAT syllabus consists of 5 sections, which are English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques
  • You can also check the CLAT Syllabus 2026 Subject-wise Weightage and Marks Distribution along with important books to refer.

What is the CLAT Syllabus 2026?

The CLAT 2026 syllabus consists of 5 sections which are English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques.

In 2024, a change was implemented in the exam pattern by reducing the number of questions from 150 – 120. However, no expectations of change in the syllabus are kept this year. Students will be updated here if the syllabus gets updated or revised. The weightage, along with the insights of all five subjects, is given below.

Section Number of Questions Weightage
English Language 22-26 questions 20% of the paper
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge 28-32 questions 25% of the paper
Legal Reasoning 28-32 questions 25% of the paper
Logical Reasoning 22-26 questions 20% of the paper
Quantitative Techniques 10-14 questions 10% of the paper
CLAT Syllabus 2026

Also Read:

We have provided a video of the CLAT Syllabus 2026 and the CLAT Exam syllabus. The video by PW Clat explains the CLAT Exam syllabus and CLAT exam pattern in detail.

Ques: What are the subjects in CLAT?

Ans: The CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) consists of five subjects:

  • English Language
  • Current Affairs (including General Knowledge)
  • Legal Reasoning
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Quantitative Techniques.

The exam includes passage-based multiple-choice questions, and candidates are tested on their comprehension, analytical skills, awareness of current events, logical thinking, and basic mathematical ability.

Ques: Is CLAT easy to pass?

Ans: No, CLAT is not considered an easy exam; it's a highly competitive and challenging test that requires significant preparation.

  • High Competition: There are thousands of aspirants for a much smaller number of seats at the top National Law Universities (NLUs).
  • Comprehensive Syllabus: The exam covers a broad range of subjects, including English proficiency, general knowledge, legal aptitude, logical reasoning, and quantitative techniques.
  • Time Constraints: The exam has a limited time duration, requiring effective time management and speed.
  • Integrated Skills: Success requires developing critical thinking, strong reading comprehension, an understanding of legal concepts, and efficient problem-solving skills.

Ques: Is the CLAT UG syllabus similar to Class 12 subjects?

Ans: No. CLAT does not follow NCERT or any specific board syllabus. Instead, it tests skills like reading comprehension, reasoning, analytical ability, and awareness of current affairs. Basic Class 10-level Math is included.

Ques: Is 3 months enough for CLAT?

Ans: Yes, you can clear the CLAT exam in three months with a well-structured, strategic, and disciplined approach

  • Focus on a consistent daily study plan
  • Take regular mock tests to identify and address weak areas
  • Understand the exam pattern and syllabus thoroughly.

Ques: What kind of Current Affairs/GK is asked in CLAT?

Ans: CLAT GK questions are passage-based and focus on recent events (national & international), awards, government schemes, treaties, legal developments, and important historical events linked to the news. Static GK is tested only if related to current events.

CLAT Syllabus 2026 Overview

Here is the new CLAT exam 2026 syllabus for preparation:

Section Key Topics
English Language – Reading Comprehension– Vocabulary – Synonyms – Antonyms – English Grammar– Tenses– Parts of Speech– Literary Devices
Current Affairs, including GK – Constitution – International Relations – Indian Economy– History– Art & Culture– Current Events
Legal Reasoning – Constitution– Contract Law– Tort Law– Criminal Laws– Family Law– Evidence Act– International Law
Logical Reasoning – Critical Reasoning (Assumptions, Inference, Cause & Effect)– Analytical Reasoning (Blood Relations, Syllogisms)
Quantitative Techniques – Data Interpretation– Percentage– Profit & Loss– Time & Work– Mensuration– Probability

CLAT Previous Year Question Papers PDF Download

Solving previous year's questions along with attempting mock tests from time to time is very crucial and plays a vital role in the enhancement of your preparation. The question papers with answer keys are detailed below:

Year CLAT Question Papers with Answer Key PDFs
2024 Check Here
2023 Check Here
2022 Check Here
2021 Check Here
2020 Check Here
2019 Check Here
2018 Check Here
2017 Check Here
2016 Check Here

CLAT Syllabus 2026: Key Areas

Now that we are aware of the CLAT exam syllabus 2026, let us check the key areas that one must prepare before taking the CLAT exam.

CLAT Syllabus for English Language

CLAT syllabus for English is designed to test a candidate’s proficiency in comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary. With 22-26 questions in this section, it accounts for 20% of the exam.

Topic Key Areas Covered
Reading Comprehension Passages of ~450 words, main idea, tone, viewpoints, inferences, and summary questions
Vocabulary – Synonyms– Antonyms– Root Words– Homophones– Idioms– Analogies– One-word Substitutions
English Grammar – Parts of Speech– Tenses– Modals– Conditionals– Phrasal Verbs– Determiners
Paragraph-Based Questions – Para Jumbles– Para Completion– Para Summary
Literary Devices Common literary terms and their applications

What is the CLAT 2026 Syllabus of “English Language”?

CLAT syllabus 2026 for English Language includes unseen passages like reading comprehension. This section also analyses students’ grammar skills. There will be 6 to 7 passages each with 450 words. Students need to analyze the passage and write the answers using their own perceptions.

  • Type of Questions Asked: Comprehension-based MCQs.
  • Abilities Tested During the Exam: Read and analyze comprehensive, argumentative and analytical passages and frame answers using own perspectives, summarize and draw conclusions, make a contrast between the viewpoints, grammar, and vocabulary skills to understand different phrases used in the passages.
  • Standard of Questions Asked: Class 12th.
  • Weightage of Questions: 20% (22-26 questions).
  • Topics to Focus: Correcting incorrect grammar sentences, Synonyms and antonyms, Tenses, Fill in the Blanks, Spotting Grammatical Errors Active and passive voice.
  • Sources or Study Materials: Journals, newspapers, magazines, articles, contemporary or historical fiction and non-fiction novels.

Also Read:

CLAT 2026 Syllabus for Current Affairs and GK

This section of CLAT Syllabus comprises 28-32 questions (25% of the exam), making it a high-weightage area. You must stay updated with daily events and understand key topics in history, economics, and the Constitution.

Topic Key Areas Covered
Constitution of India – President– Vice President– Parliament– Judiciary– Constitutional & Non-Constitutional Bodies– Centre-State Relations– Election System
Basics of International Relations – India’s relations with neighboring countries and superpowers– Important international bodies– Major world disputes– Foreign policies
Basics of Economics – Inflation– Banking– Union Budget– National Income– Economic Glossary– Money and Capital Markets– Economic Organizations and Reports
Important Current Events – Environment– Science and Technology– Government Schemes– National and International Reports– Significant Developments
History – Major historical events– Freedom struggles– Historical figures– Significant milestones.
Art and Culture – Aspects of Indian art– Cultural heritage– Important works of literature, dance, and architecture

What is the CLAT Syllabus of “Current Affairs Including General Knowledge”?

This part of CLAT Syllabus tests how updated a student is with his/her General Knowledge and facts happening around. The questions can come from history, culture of India, economics, technology, and politics. Students can also be asked questions from outside India, i.e., International facts. Here will also be passages with 450 words each.

  • Type of Questions Asked: Comprehension-based MCQs from Current Affairs and Static General Knowledge.
  • Abilities Tested During the Exam: The section tests students’ awareness of current affairs, contemporary events, art and culture of India and International, historic events, continuing significance in the modern world, and International affairs.
  • Standard of Questions Asked: Class 12th.
  • Weightage of Questions: 25% (28-32 questions).
  • Topics to Focus: Current Affairs and Arts and Culture of India and outside it; Technology; Sports, Awards, Accolades, and Accomplishments of India and International.
  • Sources or Study Materials: Journals, newspapers, magazines with historical facts, history books, and articles.

Also Read:

CLAT Exam Syllabus for Logical Reasoning

CLAT Logical Reasoning comprises 22-26 questions (20% of the exam) and is pivotal for interpreting and analyzing arguments, patterns, and logical sequences.

Topic Key Areas Covered
Critical Reasoning – Evaluation of arguments– Assumptions– Inferences– Cause-effect relationships– Strengthening/weakening arguments– Resolving paradoxes
Analytical Reasoning – Blood relations– Direction sense– Syllogisms– Coding-decoding– Seating arrangement– Calendars– Clocks
Course of Action Logical decision-making based on given scenarios.
Flaw in Reasoning Identification of logical fallacies in arguments.
Parallel Reasoning Drawing analogies and recognizing similar logical structures.

What is the CLAT 2026 Syllabus of “Logical Reasoning”?

This section of CLAT Syllabus will also have passages with 450 words each. Candidates need to read and reach the conclusion of an argument, draw relationships and analogies, and identify paradoxes or riddles.

  • Type of Questions Asked: Comprehension-based MCQs.
  • Abilities Tested During the Exam: Identify the arguments and reach a conclusion, and critically analyze the pattern of reasoning. Identify how conclusions may depend on particular evidence, and how conclusions can be strengthened or weakened as a consequence of an alteration of supporting facts. Infer what follows from the passage and apply these inferences to new situations. Find relationships, contradictions, and equivalences, and assess effectiveness.
  • Standard of Questions Asked: Class 12th.
  • Weightage of Questions: 20% (22-26 questions).
  • Topics to Focus: Analogies Series, Seating arrangements, Syllogisms, Blood relations, Logical sequences and matching, Calendars and clocks.
  • Sources or Study Materials: Fact-based situations, patterns, statements, and arguments.

CLAT Syllabus for Legal Reasoning

CLAT Legal Reasoning syllabus tests a candidate’s ability to understand legal principles and their application. With 28-32 questions (25% of the exam), it is one of the most crucial sections of CLAT exam syllabus.

Topic Key Areas Covered
Constitution – Basics of the Constitution– Fundamental Rights– Directive Principles– Emergency Provisions– Constitutional Doctrines
Contract Law Types of contracts, offer, acceptance, consideration, capacity to contract, breach, and remedies.
Tort Law Nature of torts, negligence, vicarious liability, defamation, nuisance, and trespass.
Criminal Law Offenses like murder, theft, culpable homicide, sexual offenses, and defenses in criminal law.
Family Law – Marriage law– Divorce law– Inheritance law– Adoption law– Maintenance law
Evidence Act – Admissions– Confessions– Burden of proof– Estoppel– Dying declarations
International Law Basics – Recognition of states– Refugee laws– Monism and dualism– International treaties.
Other Law Basics – Intellectual property rights– Arbitration– Data protection laws– Current legal issues

What is the CLAT Syllabus of “Legal Reasoning”?

There will be 6 to 7 passages of 450 words each in CLAT Syllabus for Legal Reasoning. No specific knowledge of the Law is required for this section. Candidates need to have factual knowledge to apply general principles for analyzing the passages.

  • Type of Questions Asked: Comprehension-based MCQs.
  • Abilities Tested During the Exam: Identification of arguments, rules set in the passage, apply the rules to decipher various situations, also understanding how changes in the rules can affect your interpretation.
  • Standard of Questions Asked: Class 12th.
  • Weightage of Questions: 25% (28-32 questions).
  • Topics to Focus: Law of Torts, Contract Law, Indian Penal Code (IPC) and related concepts, Monism and Dualism, Personal laws- Special Marriage Act, Contract Act, Bigamy and Constitution Void and voidable Marriage, Law of writs, Penal law, Public international law, Juvenile Justice Act, Personal data protection bill.
  • Sources or Study Materials: Legal Journals, case files, newspaper articles, editorials.

Also Read:

CLAT Syllabus 2026 for Quantitative Techniques

The CLAT Quantitative Techniques syllabus evaluates mathematical aptitude and data interpretation skills. With 10-14 questions (10% of the exam), this section of CLAT Syllabus focuses on Class 10-level mathematics and application-based problem-solving.

Topic Key Areas Covered
Basic Calculations – Squares– Square roots– Cubes– Cube roots– Multiplication and Division– Fractions– Rules of divisibility
Percentage and Ratios – Percentage calculations– Ratio and proportion– Partnership– Averages– Ages
Profit and Loss Calculating profit, loss, and discounts.
Interest Calculations – Simple interest– Compound interest
Time and Work Work efficiency, pipes and cistern problems.
Time, Speed, and Distance Problems on trains, boats, and streams.
Mensuration – Area of geometrical shapes– Volume of geometrical shapes– Surface area of geometrical shapes
Data Interpretation – Tables– Charts– Graphs– Caselets.
Probability – Basics of probability– Permutation– Combination

What is the CLAT Syllabus of “Quantitative Techniques”?

This part of CLAT Syllabus will include short sets of propositions or facts. The passages or questions will have textual representations of numerical information. Students need to apply mathematical operations by acquiring information and facts from the passages.

  • Type of Questions Asked: Numericals with graphical, textual, and diagrammatic representations, followed by other questions.
  • Abilities Tested During the Exam: Identify, manipulate the numerical information set in the passages. Use 10th standard perspectives for attempting the answers, including ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration and statistical estimation.
  • Standard of Questions Asked: Class 10th.
  • Weightage of Questions: 10% (10-14 questions).
  • Topics to Focus: Basic algebra, Ratios and proportions, Mensuration, Statistical estimation Algebra.
  • Sources or Study Materials: Mathematics books of class 10th standard.

Also Read:

Ques: Is Mathematics compulsory in CLAT?

Ans: Yes, Mathematics is compulsory in CLAT syllabus. You do not need Class 11 or Class 12 Maths, but only basic arithmetic (up to Class 10) is asked. Around 10–14 questions are asked in the Quantitative Techniques section.

Ques. How is Legal Reasoning in CLAT UG different from CLAT PG?

Ans: The CLAT Legal Reasoning section for UG and PG are different. Here is how:

  • CLAT UG: Tests legal reasoning skills using hypothetical situations and principles; no prior legal knowledge is required.
  • CLAT PG: Focuses on the interpretation of legal passages, core law subjects, and applying advanced legal knowledge.

Ques: Is there any official syllabus PDF for CLAT?

Ans: The Consortium of NLUs (official body) does not release a detailed syllabus PDF. Instead, they provide sample papers, question formats, and subject-wise outlines. Aspirants rely on these and previous papers for guidance.

Ques: How should I prioritize sections while preparing for CLAT?

Ans: To prioritize sections in CLAT, you must be aware of the whole CLAT syllabus. Here is what you should prioritize:

  • For UG: Focus more on Legal Reasoning & Current Affairs, as they carry the highest weight. Then prepare English, Logical Reasoning, and keep daily practice for Math.
  • For PG: Prioritize Constitutional Law & Jurisprudence (they carry more weight), followed by other core law subjects.

CLAT Syllabus 2026: Subject-wise Weightage and Marks Distribution

In CLAT syllabus 2026, there will be a single paper with 120 multiple-choice questions in the exam. For every correct answer, candidates will be marked with +3 and -1 for incorrect answers. The question distribution along with weightage for all 5 subjects in the CLAT syllabus is as follows:

Subjects Total Questions Weightage in Percentage
English Language 22-26 20%
Current Affairs Including General Knowledge 28-32 25%
Legal Reasoning 28-32 25%
Logical Reasoning 22-26 22%
Quantitative Techniques 10-14 10%
Subject-wise Weightage and Marks Distribution

Ques: Which subject has more weightage in CLAT?

Ans: The subjects with most weightage in CLAT syllabus are Current Affairs & General Knowledge and Legal reasoning.

Section No. of Questions Weightage (%)
Current Affairs & General Knowledge 35 – 39 23.33% – 26%
Logical Reasoning 28 – 32 18.66% – 21.33%
Legal Reasoning 35 – 39 23.33% – 26%
Quantitative Techniques (up to Class 10) 13 – 17 8.66% – 11.33%

Ques: What is the total marks distribution of CLAT exam?

Ans: There will be 120 questions in the CLAT UG exam, and students will receive 1 mark for each correct answer, for a total of 120 marks. In a similar way, there will be 120 questions in the CLAT PG exam, and each right response will have one mark, for a total of 120 points.

Ques: Which subject is hardest in CLAT?

Ans: Most students consider the Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques sections to be the toughest in CLAT. That's because these areas demand conceptual clarity, quick problem-solving, and sharp analytical thinking.

Ques: Which is the easiest section in CLAT?

The English section is considered easy for CLAT. The Subject-Wise CLAT Exam Analysis are:

Section No. of Questions Level of Difficulty
English 30 Easy
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge 35 Easy
Legal Reasoning 40 Moderate but lengthy
Logical Reasoning 30 Moderate

Changes in the CLAT Syllabus 2026 Over the Years

CLAT syllabus has been revised multiple times over the years. The last time CLAT exam syllabus was changed was in 2024, when the number of questions was reduced to 120. Some of the changes that took place over the years are:

  • Comprehension-based Questions – A few years back, CLAT was more about direct questions. Now, the CLAT 2026 syllabus focuses heavily on passages in English, Legal Reasoning, and Current Affairs, testing your ability to read, understand, and analyse.
  • Smarter Current Affairs Sections – Instead of static GK, the syllabus now focuses on contemporary events, legal or social issues. This means reading quality newspapers is more important than facts.
  • Legal reasoning without Legal knowledge – The CLAT syllabus shifted from expecting legal theory from students to testing their reasoning skills through legal principles mentioned in the question.
  • Emphasis on Critical Reasoning – This CLAT syllabus section now includes more argument-based questions than before.
  • Skill-based Approach – The overall CLAT syllabus has moved towards testing skills over learning. CLAT syllabus will now reward candidates who can think quickly and apply concepts rather than memorize them.

How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 Examination?

CLAT exam is one of the prestigious yet toughest entrance exams for students aspiring to study and pursue their careers in Law. However, with effective preparation strategies, students can obtain good marks in the examination:

  • Whenever 40-50% of the syllabus is completed, start attempting mock tests, especially before 1-2 months of the exam. Our free CLAT mock tests provide full-length, subject-wise, chapter-wise tests and live quizzes also.
  • Attempt section-wise tests through previous year questions whenever a particular topic of a subject is being completed. Use a timer and see how much time it is taking you to solve those questions.
  • The most demanding thing for the exam is to have a strong command of vocabulary and develop reading habits. How can we do that? By reading various types of journals, editorials, articles, newspapers, novels, and magazines. For newspapers, follow the Hindu, The Times of India, The Indian Express, The Telegraph, etc.
  • Check YouTube or connect with your teachers at respective coaching centers for doubt-clearing one-to-one mentorship sessions. Check the recommended books for all 5 subjects
  • If students are making a study plan, it should be long-term. Changing study plans every 2 weeks or months will not be effective by any means.

How Can I Get 90-100 Attempts in CLAT?

Many toppers or students who cleared CLAT have advised that you should attempt at least 90-100 questions. In CLAT 2024 average number of students who attempted questions was 105-110. Attempting 90-100 questions in an exam like CLAT requires strategic preparation and effective test-taking techniques. Here are some key strategies:

Preparation Strategies

  1. Clear Fundamentals: Strengthen your basics in all subjects. This includes grammar for English, legal principles for Legal Aptitude, and foundational concepts in Quantitative Techniques and Logical Reasoning.
  2. Practice Regularly: Regular practice with previous years' mock tests and question papers is essential. This helps familiarize you with the exam pattern and question types.
  3. Time Management: Allocate specific time slots to each section during your practice sessions to build speed and accuracy. For instance, you can allot 30 mins for English, 30 Minutes for CR, 10-12 Minutes for CA, 10-12 minutes for DI, and another 35-38 minutes for DI. Practicing under timed conditions can help in actual tests.
  4. Analyze Performance: After each mock test, thoroughly analyze your performance. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and focus on improving the areas where you are lagging.

Test-Taking Strategies

  1. Prioritize Sections: Start with sections you are most confident in to secure easy marks quickly. This can boost your confidence and save time for tougher sections later.
  2. Skim and Scan: For lengthy passages, such as in the English and Legal Reasoning sections, skim through the text to get the gist before diving into the questions. This saves time and improves comprehension.
  3. Intelligent Guessing: If you are unsure about an answer, use elimination methods to narrow down your choices. Intelligent guessing can help maximize your score while minimizing negative marking risks.
  4. Stay Calm and Focused: Maintain a calm demeanor throughout the test. Stress can impair judgment and slow you down, so practice relaxation techniques to stay focused under pressure.

When implemented effectively, these strategies can help you manage time more effectively and increase your chances of attempting more questions accurately in mock tests and actual exams.

How should a Beginner start preparing for CLAT Syllabus?

Before studying for any exam, you need to prepare yourself mentally. If you are a beginner and have no idea how to start preparing for the CLAT exam, check the points below to understand how to start your CLAT preparation.

  • Recognize Your Current Level: Start preparing in 11th or 12th grade. Before beginning, take a diagnostic test to understand your current aptitude. CLAT tests aptitude, mental ability, and comprehension, not just knowledge.
  • Set a Target College and Score: Decide which law school you want to attend based on your current level, location, affordability, and interest in law. Determine the score you need for your chosen college and focus on achieving that.
  • Gather Resources: List all available study materials, including books, videos, previous years’ papers, practice questions, and topper notes. Supplement coaching institute materials with self-study books.
  • Create a Timetable: Allocate 3-4 hours daily for CLAT preparation, including ample breaks. Keep weekends free for extracurricular activities. Study and revise at the same time each day to build a routine.
  • Join a Coaching Institute: Many students benefit from structured coaching programs that offer curated content, access to teachers, practice sessions, and mock tests. Coaching provides discipline and a structured approach to preparation.
  • Maximize Preparation:​
    1. Preview content before class.
    2. Participate actively in class.
    3. Solve and review in-class exercises and practice questions.
    4. Take topic-wise tests after completing a topic and analyze your performance.
  • Mock Tests: Take at least 50 mock tests in real exam conditions. Analyze your results to identify weaknesses and improve. Discuss your mistakes with mentors to enhance your understanding.
  • Read Newspapers: Regularly read newspapers like The Hindu, The Telegraph, Indian Express, and Times of India to improve current affairs knowledge and reading comprehension.

Golden Rules Followed by AIR-1: Jai Kumar Bohara

This year, Jai Kumar Bohara became the AIR-1 with the 100 percentile marks. He decided to pursue his career in Law as his parents and grandfather are also from a lawyer background. Let’s see what he said to upcoming CLAT 2026 aspirants about his journey of becoming the CLAT AIR-1 student of 2024:

  • The GK section was tough in comparison to the other 4 subjects. He followed the notes and materials of CLAT Express and LawPrep. Whatever topics students are covering in GK, should be revised daily. If there are 30 topics, study 5 of them on the first day, and the next day, do another 5 along with a revision of the previous topics.
  • Jai stated that students can take 1-1.5 months to decide, but after that, there should be no looking back. Whenever you are ready, you should focus on delivering your 100 percent, or else do not appear for the exam.
  • When students asked Jai about any particular reference books, he said that they should make a habit of reading current affairs, newspapers, journals, etc. For books also, vary from person to person, so it will be better to stick with the books with which a student’s vibe and mindset match. He personally followed Wiley’s textbooks.
  • To ace the exams, giving mocks should be treated as reading the Bible. He stated that many students along with him, left the hall while giving mock tests. However, it must be noted that mock tests are just for self-practice and improvement. No one, except you, is going to assess your performance and skills based on your mock test performances. You can also increase your gut feeling by practicing.
  • Take 1-2 breaks while studying. However, according to him, during the breaks, a student should do some mind-refreshing activities, which is beneficial. He told students during the candid talk to avoid mobile phones, as it is such a thing if you have thought to use it for 5 minutes, it will be extended into 10 minutes and further.
  • Make long-term strategies, divide them into phases, and continue it till the day of the examination. In the first phase, do not pressure yourself and start building your momentum. Increase study timing in the later months.
  • Whatever subject a student feels confident with should be started initially to boost the confidence level, and it will be helpful for other subjects also.
  • To enhance Legal Reasoning, students should practice and keep their content limited during the exam, as it is a personalized subject. Read articles and learn theories to frame your answers interactively in limited words.
  • Read newspapers, and case files and try to draw arguments for Logical Reasoning. For Quantitative Techniques, get your concepts cleared by the teachers and practice passages regularly, as it is an approachable subject.
  • Do not compare your marks with other students, as it will demotivate and will build unnecessary stress. If you are a beginner, you should avoid it at any cost.
  • Make limited friends and make friendship with the ones who are understanding and bring a positive impact in your life. Do not make friends by seeing their friends. Take breaks on Sundays and go for refreshments like going for an outing, or eating with a limited company of friends. Make a proper balance between friends and being isolated.
  • Talk with parents and teachers not only about studies but also about some other things. By doing this, your mind will get refreshed and it will give you extra energy for the next day's preparation.

Can I prepare for both CLAT and IPMAT together?

Preparing for both CLAT and IPMAT simultaneously is tough due to the rigorous and different nature of each exam's syllabus.

  • CLAT is an entrance exam for law courses that focuses on general knowledge, current affairs, legal aptitude, logical reasoning, and numerical ability.
  • In contrast, IPMAT is an entrance exam for integrated management programs that emphasizes quantitative ability (both multiple-choice and short-answer questions) and verbal ability.
  • Although there are some similarities in verbal ability and quantitative sections, the core focus and subject matter of each exam are different.
  • CLAT prioritizes legal and rational-legal knowledge, while IPMAT targets analytical and management-focused skills.

While Reading Passages, I cannot Keep My Focus Fully. What Should I Do?

This thing often happens with students, like they lose links of the passages while reading 2-3 lines of it. What they can do is try to build the skills of speed running or skimming through the passages. This method helps in understanding the passages by not reading them fully but going through the important points hidden.

  • It must be noted that it is the game of skimming and reading the entire 450 words will only consume your time, as there will be only 120 minutes.
  • Reduce this 120 minutes to 105 minutes, as on the exam day
  • 15 minutes will go by in the blink of an eye by following exam day rules.

How to Prepare for CLAT Syllabus Subject-wise?

To prepare subject-wise, students need to identify which subject they can become an expertise in. If we consider CLAT subject-wise preparation, then:

  • For Quantitative Techniques: Solve questions of the passages having factual information. Reading the passages can help students to tackle different scenarios of questions. Sharpen your mathematical skills by practicing class 10+2 books. Practice formula-based questions, solve previous year's questions, and attempt mock tests regularly.
  • For Logical Reasoning Preparation: Read the passages carefully, skim the important points, learn the theme, and try to infer conclusions from them. Jot down the arguments and try to figure out what is pointing towards an agreement and what is towards conflict. Build time management skills by attempting Consortium’s practice paper sets and mock tests regularly. Solve mock tests and previous year questions.
  • For Legal Reasoning Preparation: In this section, the questions are mostly from the newspapers, case files, etc. There is no specific knowledge required in this part. Instead, students need to recognize the facts mentioned, and frame answers using the practical knowledge. Pick a topic and communicate with your friends, and sit for debates with your family. By doing this, students can set their perspective on their answers. Solve mock tests and previous year questions here also.
  • For General Knowledge Including Current Affairs Preparation: For this, read in-depth current affairs of both India and of International also. Watch news, and read newspapers like The Indian Express, The Hindu, Times of India, etc. Candidates can also gather information from novels and magazines. However, whatever topics you are studying in GK, should be read in-depth. Attempt free online quizzes, solve previous year's question papers, and attempt mock tests.
  • For English Language Preparation: Make a strong command of words to increase your vocabulary. Practice grammar and see where you are making mistakes. In the passage, concentrate on the 5Ws: Who, What, Why, When, & Where, and the paragraph conveys a single point of view in the English Language part. Read different books, stories, and analytical writings, attempt mock tests, and solve the previous year's questions.

What Books are Recommended for CLAT Examination 2026?

We have mentioned some recommended books that students can consider to ace their preparation:

Books Author/ Publisher Price
Wiley's ExamXpert A Simpler Approach to Logical Reasoning Amandeep Rajgotra, Pratik Pradhan INR 375
Wiley's ExamXpert Legal Awareness & Legal Reasoning (LA & LR) Amandeep Rajgotra, Danish Hasnain INR 512
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination R.S. Aggarwal INR 597
Maths 30 Days Wonder KJS Khurana, Rajeev Markanday, S Chand INR 356
Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations Dinesh Khattar INR 399
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning R.S. Aggarwal INR 609
Analytical Reasoning M. K. Pandey INR 306
A Modern Approach To Logical Reasoning R.S. Aggarwal INR 225
Legal Awareness and Legal Reasoning For the CLAT and LL.B. Entrance Examinations A.P. Bhardwaj INR 347
Universal's Guide to CLAT & LLB Manish Arora INR 699
Manorma Year Book 2024 Edition Sonia Gandhi, Om Biria, Nitin Gadkari, S. Somnath, Amitabh Kant NR 320
General Knowledge 2026 Edition Tarun Goyal Classes INR 191
Word Power Made Easy Norman Lewis INR 150
Objective General English S.P. Bakshi INR 250
Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques. Why are mock tests more difficult than the main CLAT paper?

Ans. You can connect this answer if you reminisce about your pre-board examinations. Over the years, we have seen that the difficulty level of pre-board questions comes nowhere when compared to the main exam. It is done so that we can adapt ourselves with the question papers and during the examination, no problem occurs if such type of questions are asked. The same thing follows in CLAT and other entrance examinations also.

Ques. Is giving mock tests enough for CLAT 2026 exam?

Ans. Attempting mock tests is a good step, but it will be not worth if you do not analyze your performance. What Jai Kumar Bohara did and every CLAT 2026 student should also follow is that every 10 mocks he used to collect doubts about every section. Ask your mentors to guide you on what type of mistakes are you making. Remember that by making mistakes and knowing about them, you are self-assessing yourself in transforming your weaknesses into strengths.

Ques. I have given my first mock test of CLAT exam and obtained 55 marks. Should I stop preparing for the exam?

Ans. Clearing mock tests with maximum scores is good, but if you have obtained 55 marks, you also should not be demotivated. The mock tests are more for your own practice for the main day battle. No one is going to judge you for the numbers obtained in the mock tests. Making unique mistakes can only help you in learning and boost your preparation. After giving the first mock test, it might not be beneficial for you, so you should keep on attempting. It is like medicines, which will not cure your ailments immediately, instead, it will take time.

Ques. Should I focus on Boards or CLAT exam 2026?

Ans. The answer to this particular question relies on yourself. Ask yourself about your limitations, and make your expectations clear and realistic. Being a school topper or not is never a part of your abilities. Remember that in schools, the decisions are linear, however, in entrance exams like CLAT, you have to set your commitment. If you are focusing on boards, focus whole and sole on that but if you are more into CLAT, then keep aside your performance in Boards, and it should not affect your preparation. Ask yourself, with what numbers you will be satisfied.

Ques. I always get panicked on the day of the exam, how should I cope up with this on the day of CLAT 2026?

Ans. For this, you need to keep a sadistic approach and try not to panic on the day of exam by seeing other students panicking. Keep a positive attitude that if you are making a mistake in a particular passage, other fellow candidates are making the same. Attempt the question with this confidence.


Cut-offs

The CLAT Cutoff 2026 for top NLUs is expected to fall between 82 to 110 marks, which makes it one of the most competitive years. As 75,009 candidates appeared for CLAT UG, and the total seats are around 3,500, the competition will increase.

  • The cutoff for top NLUs will also increase, and general category candidates will require at least 85+ marks to get a seat in at least 1 NLU.
  • The Cutoff for the reserved category will be lower, for OBC it will be 78 to 103 marks and for SC around 60 to 65 Marks.

As per the previous year's data, top NLUs closed within the Top 100 to 500 ranks, mid-tier NLs closed around 1,500 to 4,000 ranks.

The CLAT Cutoff will depend upon the exam difficulty, competition, total seats and your NLU preference during the counselling.

CLAT Cutoff

Also Read

Key Summary

In this Article, we have discussed about the CLAT Cutoff, including the Category-Wise Cutoff for top NLUs, Percentile & Previous Year Cutoff.

  • In CLAT, each counselling round has 70 to 75% of seats in top NLUs, which makes the cutoff of round 1 the highest.
  • With a difference of 5 to 12 marks, your rank can increase by 1,000 to 2,000, which makes accuracy in the top score important.
  • A score of 95–100+ is considered safe for the Top 7–10 NLUs for General category candidates.
  • The Mid-Tier NLUs will have a closing rank of between 2500 to 5000 as per the state quota and seat intake.
  • If you are an SC/ST Candidate with 75 to 85 marks, you can get admission into mid to top-mid NLUs.

What is CLAT Cutoff?

The CLAT Cutoff is the minimum marks or AIR required for admission into a specific NLU, as per the category and quota given in the counselling round.

  • The CLAT Cutoff is released in different rounds; the cutoff drops by 3 to 10 marks, or 200 to 600 ranks, from Round 1 to Round 5.
  • The Reserved Category Candidates typically have 10 to 30% less cutoff ranks than the general category.

Every year, the CLAT Cutoff is released in different rounds. Check the CLAT 2025 Round-wise cutoff for top NLUs below:

NLUs Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
NALSAR University of Law (NALSAR), Hyderabad Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
The National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal - B.A.LL.B (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
The National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal - B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) [Cyber Security] Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata - B.A.LL.B (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata - B.SC.LL.B (Hons.) [Criminology and Forensic] Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Silvassa Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Punjab Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna - B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna - B.B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National Law University Odisha (NLUO) - B.A.LL.B Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National Law University Odisha (NLUO) - B.B.A.LL.B Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi - B.A.LL.B Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi - B.B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli - B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli - B.Com. LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur - B.A.LL.B.(Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur - B.B.A.LL.B. (Honours) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Aurangabad - B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Aurangabad - B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla - B.A. LL.B (Hons) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla - B.B.A. LL.B(Hons) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Dharmashastra National Law University (MPDNLU), Jabalpur Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National Law University (DBRANLU), Sonepat Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
National Law University Tripura (NLUT), Agartala Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
Dr Rajendra Prasad National Law University (RPNLUP), Prayagraj Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
India International University of Legal Education and Research, Goa - B.A.LL.B Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
India International University of Legal Education and Research, Goa - B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF

Also Read

CLAT Seat Allotment

Ques. How is the CLAT cutoff calculated, and what factors influence it each year?

Ans. The CLAT Cutoff is calculated as per the last rank or score at which candidates will secure admission in a particular NLU after each counselling round. It will change every year according to the competition level and seat availability.

Factor Impact on Cutoff
Exam Difficulty Tough paper – lower cutoff; Easy – higher cutoff
Number of Applicants More candidates – higher competition
Total Seats in NLUs Fewer seats – higher cutoff
Category Reservations Reserved seats – different cutoff range per category
NLU Ranking/Preference Top NLUs – higher cutoff
Normalisation (if applicable) Score variations adjusted across shifts

Ques. What is the difference between the qualifying cutoff and admission cutoff in CLAT?

Ans. The CLAT has 2 types of cutoffs, qualifying and admission cutoffs, both have different purposes:

Type of Cutoff Purpose When released? Who releases it?
Qualifying Cutoff Minimum marks required to be eligible for ranking After exam Exam conducting body
Admission Cutoff Minimum score/rank required for NLU admission After each counselling round Each NLU

Ques. Are CLAT cutoffs based on score, rank, or percentile for counselling?

Ans. The CLAT Counselling uses a rank-based cutoff for admission, but score and percentile are also important for evaluation and performance insights.

  • The Score is used for the evaluation of exam performance, with higher marks giving a better rank.
  • The Rank are the primary criterion for seat allocation in NLU, which determines admission.

CLAT 2026 Cut Offs for Top 10 NLUs

The CLAT Cutoff for top NLUs will be high because of more demand and with less seats. If you are aiming for NLSIU, WBNUJS and other Tier-1 NLUs, you should target a score of more than 100-700 as per your category and reservation.

Expected CLAT 2026 Cutoffs for Top 10 NLUs

  • The Top 3 NLUs demand very high performance, for which the general category candidates require Top 500 AIR.
  • The Reserved Category Candidates have seen a high jump in the rank range because of limited category-wise seats.
  • The Mid-Tier NLUs, like HNLU and NLU Odisha, have high competition but less flexibility up to 6,000+ AIR for general candidates.
Rank NLU Name GEN OBC EWS SC ST
1 NLSIU Bengaluru 1 – 120 300 – 600 200 – 500 900 – 1,500 2,000 – 3,000
2 NALSAR Hyderabad 50 – 150 600 – 900 400 – 800 1,800 – 2,500 3,000 – 4,000
3 WBNUJS Kolkata 150 – 350 900 – 1,300 800 – 1,200 2,500 – 3,200 4,200 – 6,000
4 NLU Jodhpur 200 – 450 1,000 – 1,500 900 – 1,400 3,000 – 4,200 6,000 – 7,500
5 GNLU Gandhinagar 250 – 500 1,200 – 1,800 1,000 – 1,600 3,200 – 4,500 6,500 – 8,000
6 NLU Bhopal 300 – 550 1,300 – 2,000 1,200 – 1,700 3,500 – 4,800 7,000 – 9,000
7 NLU Delhi* Through AILET
8 NLU Odisha (Cuttack) 400 – 800 1,800 – 2,500 1,600 – 2,200 5,000 – 6,500 9,000 – 12,000
9 HNLU Raipur 450 – 900 2,000 – 2,700 1,800 – 2,500 6,000 – 7,500 10,000 – 14,000
10 MNLU Mumbai 350 – 700 1,500 – 2,200 1,400 – 2,000 4,500 – 6,000 8,000 – 11,000

NLU Delhi conducts its own exam (AILET), so the cutoff is not based on CLAT.

Also Read

CLAT College Predictor

Ques. How many marks should I target for a Top 5 NLU?

Ans. If you are looking for a seat in one of the top 5 NLUs (e.g. NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, and similar elite NLUs), setting a proper target score is important. The 95+ Marks are required to increase your chances at the top 5 NLUs; a score of 90+ is a good target for many candidates.

As per the previous year's data and the expected cutoff, the target scores are:

Target Marks (out of total) Likely Rank Range Chance for Top 5 NLU
95+ Top 100 Very High: strong shot at Top 2–3 NLUs
90–95 50–500 High: good shot at Top 5 NLUs depending on seat & preference
85–90 500–1,500 Possible: might get Top 5–10 NLUs or strong mid-tier NLUs

Ques. What rank is considered safe for admission in the Top 10 NLUs?

Ans. The CLAT Marks are important; the AIR is mainly counted for admission by counselling. A Safe rank depends upon the NLU Demand, category and cutoff.

Rank Ranges vs NLU Admission Chances

Rank Range (General Category) Likely Admission Outcome
1 – 500 Very high chance at Top 5–7 NLUs
500 – 1,500 Strong chance at Top 10 NLUs / upper mid-tier NLUs
1,500 – 3,000 Possible seat at mid-tier NLUs or lower-ranked NLUs

CLAT 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff for Top NLUs

The CLAT Cutoffs for Top NLUs will differ for each category as per the seat availability, reservation rules and overall competition.

The cutoff of General Category candidates is the highest, whereas OBC, EWS, SC and ST Categories will have a lower score range as per the national and state quota.

Below are the expected category-wise cutoffs for the Top 10 NLUs.

CLAT Cutoff for General Category 2026

  • The General Category cutoff will remain high because of open competition.
  • The Candidates need 85+ marks to get at least 1 NLU.
  • The Top NLUs will close within the top 100 to 500 ranks.
NLU Expected Cutoff (Marks)
NLSIU Bangalore 100–110
NALSAR Hyderabad 95–105
WBNUJS Kolkata 92–102
NLU Jodhpur 88–100
GNLU Gandhinagar 87–98
NLU Delhi* Not through CLAT
MNLU Mumbai 85–95
RGNUL Patiala 84–93
NLU Odisha 83–92
HNLU Raipur 82–90

CLAT Cutoff for OBC Category 2026

  • In CLAT, OBC Cutoffs are 3-6 marks less than the general category.
  • The Popular NLUs have cutoffs above 90 marks.
  • The demand is increasing as more OBC Candidates appear every year.
NLU Expected Cutoff (Marks)
NLSIU Bangalore 95–103
NALSAR Hyderabad 90–100
WBNUJS Kolkata 88–97
NLU Jodhpur 85–95
GNLU Gandhinagar 84–94
MNLU Mumbai 82–92
RGNUL Patiala 81–90
NLU Odisha 80–89
HNLU Raipur 79–88

CLAT Cutoff for EWS Category 2026

  • The EWS Cutoffs are similar to the general category candidates.
  • It is expected to increase in 2026 because of the increased number of EWS Candidates.
  • The Top NLUs will close above 90 marks.
NLU Expected Cutoff (Marks)
NLSIU Bangalore 96–105
NALSAR Hyderabad 91–100
WBNUJS Kolkata 89–98
NLU Jodhpur 86–96
GNLU Gandhinagar 85–95
MNLU Mumbai 83–92
RGNUL Patiala 82–91
NLU Odisha 81–90
HNLU Raipur 80–89

CLAT Cutoff for SC Category

  • The SC Cutoffs are around 18 to 25 marks less than the general category.
  • The Increased number of seats under SC will help reduce the cutoff pressure.
  • By Scoring 65+, you can target 65+ mid-tier NLUs.
NLU Expected Cutoff (Marks)
NLSIU Bangalore 70–85
NALSAR Hyderabad 68–82
WBNUJS Kolkata 65–80
NLU Jodhpur 63–78
GNLU Gandhinagar 62–76
MNLU Mumbai 60–74
RGNUL Patiala 60–72
NLU Odisha 60–70
HNLU Raipur 58–68

Ques. Can I get NLU with 80 marks?

Ans. A CLAT cutoff score of 80 out of 120 in CLAT 2026 means that the candidate has secured the AIR around 4300–4800, which can provide the chance to take admission into Tier-3 or state colleges.

  • The General category may get admission into Tier‑3 NLUs or state universities using CLAT score (e.g., DU, IPU).
  • The OBC/EWS candidates can be expected to secure a seat at mid-level NLUs (like WBNUJS, NLU Jodhpur, NLIU), depending on category rank and domicile flexibility.
  • The SC/ST category can have access to the top NLUs like NLSIU or NALSAR, as the cutoff marks drop significantly for reserved categories.

Top Colleges with 80 marks in CLAT

Category Admission Possibility with 80 Marks Possible NLUs / Institutes
General / EWS Top NLUs out of reach. Possible in lower-ranked NLUs or state law universities.
  • Tier‑3 NLUs
  • Delhi University (DU)
  • IP University (IPU)
SC / ST High possibility for admission in top NLUs due to significantly lower CLAT cutoff marks for reserved categories. NLSIU, NALSAR, WBNUJS, other top NLUs
OBC / EWS May get admission in mid-tier NLUs depending on state quota and rank position. WBNUJS Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur, NLIU Bhopal

Ques. What rank is 85 marks in CLAT?

Ans. If the candidate is scoring a CLAT cutoff of 85 marks out of 120 in CLAT, it will place them in the AIR approximately 2,500–2,600 with an expected +98th percentile.

Top Colleges with 5 Marks in CLAT

Category Expected Rank Admission Chances Potential NLUs / Colleges
General / UR 2,250–2,600 Moderate to Low for top NLUs HNLU Raipur, RMLNLU Lucknow, NLU Odisha, NUSRL Ranchi, CNLU Patna
EWS 2,250–2,600 Moderate (depends on state quota) HNLU, RMLNLU, NLUJA Assam, DSNLU Vizag
OBC 2,250–2,600 Moderate to Good for mid-tier NLUs GNLU Gandhinagar, NLU Jodhpur (State Quota), NLIU Bhopal (Category Seats)
SC 2,250–2,600 High – possible for top NLUs NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, and even NLSIU Bengaluru (Reserved Seats)
ST 2,250–2,600 High – good chances for top NLUs NLU Jodhpur, NALSAR, NLSIU (ST Category Seats)
PwD 2,250–2,600 Depends on category + quota availability Similar to SC/ST cutoffs depending on the category

CLAT Cutoff Percentile 2026

The CLAT Cutoff Percentile shows the minimum percentile a candidate should secure to be eligible for admission into a particular NLU under a specific category.  Unlike marks, the percentile shows the relative performance of candidates among all the test-takers.

Expected CLAT 2026 Cutoff Percentile

  • The General Category candidates should aim for more than 98 percentile to get a seat in top NLUs.
  • The OBC/EWS Candidates require a slightly lower percentile, of 96 to 99, but they should target more to get into the top institutes.
  • The SC Candidates can get admission in top NLUs, with 90 to 95 percentiles, as per the seat availability.
Category Expected Percentile Range Notes
General 98 – 100 Required for top NLUs like NLSIU, NALSAR, WBNUJS
OBC 96 – 99 Slightly lower than General; highly competitive in top NLUs
EWS 96 – 99 Comparable to OBC; top NLUs may have percentile >97
SC 90 – 95 Relaxed percentile; mid-tier NLUs may accept lower
ST 85 – 92 Lowest percentile requirement; varies with seat availability

CLAT Previous-Year Cutoff

By the previous-year cutoff, you can have insights for the minimum marks or ranks that were required for various NLUs, under different categories.

CLAT Cutoff 2025 for top NLUs

  • The NLSIU Bengaluru has the toughest cutoff, with the closing at 105 marks for the general category.
  • The Cutoff differs in NLUs, showing high competition in the top 3-4 NLUs.
NLU General OBC EWS SC ST
NLSIU Bengaluru 105 100 101 85 80
NALSAR Hyderabad 100 95 96 82 78
WBNUJS Kolkata 95 90 91 80 75
NLU Jodhpur 92 88 89 78 73
GNLU Gandhinagar 90 85 86 75 70
MNLU Mumbai 88 84 85 73 68
CLAT 2025 Cutoff

CLAT Cutoff 2024 for top NLUs

  • The Cutoff for 2024 was slightly less than 2025, because of the moderate difficulty level.
  • For the top 3 NLUs, around 100 marks are required for the general category candidates.
NLU General OBC EWS SC ST
NLSIU Bengaluru 103 98 99 83 78
NALSAR Hyderabad 98 93 94 80 75
WBNUJS Kolkata 93 88 89 78 73
NLU Jodhpur 90 85 86 75 70
GNLU Gandhinagar 88 83 84 73 68
MNLU Mumbai 86 81 82 71 66
CLAT 2024 Cutoff

CLAT Cutoff 2023 for top NLUs

  • The NLSIU Bengaluru cutoff was the highest with 108 marks, which shows a great difficulty level.
  • The Mid-tier NLUs’ General cutoffs were around 86–94 marks, giving moderate chances.
NLU General OBC EWS SC ST
NLSIU Bengaluru 108 103 104 88 83
NALSAR Hyderabad 102 97 98 84 79
WBNUJS Kolkata 97 92 93 81 76
NLU Jodhpur 94 89 90 79 74
GNLU Gandhinagar 91 86 87 76 71
MNLU Mumbai 89 84 85 74 69
CLAT 2023 Cutoff

CLAT Cutoff 2022 for Top NLUs

  • As per the cutoff trends, the marks for general and reserved categories were less than 2023-2025.
  • The NLSIU Bengaluru has the highest cutoff for the general category, with 106 marks.
NLU General OBC EWS SC ST
NLSIU Bengaluru 106 101 102 86 81
NALSAR Hyderabad 100 95 96 82 77
WBNUJS Kolkata 95 90 91 79 74
NLU Jodhpur 92 87 88 76 71
GNLU Gandhinagar 89 84 85 73 68
MNLU Mumbai 87 82 83 71 66
CLAT 2022 Cutoff

Also Read

FAQs for CLAT Cutoff 2026

Ques. Is 70 a good score for CLAT?

Ans. A CLAT Cutoff score of 70 out of 120 in CLAT is considered below average for the top NLUs, especially for the General, OBC, and EWS category candidates. This score will place the candidate in the AIR between ~10,700–11,500 with ~93–95 percentile.

Top Colleges with 70 marks in CLAT

Category Admission Possibility at NLUs Expected Institutions
General / EWS / OBC Very limited — most top & medium NLUs out of reach Best bet: Private or state law colleges accepting CLAT score
SC / ST Better chances — reserved seats may open door to NLUs Possible at NLIU Bhopal, WBNUJS, NLU Odisha, NUSRL, RMLNLU, etc.
PwD Similar to SC/ST — likely access to reserved seats Many same NLUs under the PwD quota

Ques. Is 15000 a good rank in CLAT for NLU?

Ans. A rank of 15000 is not a good rank to secure a seat at NLU for the General and EWS candidates, while the Reserved category candidates may still have a chance in lower-tier NLUs, depending on the state and the category-specific quotas.

Category NLU Admission Chances? Possible Institutions
General / EWS Very low State universities or reputed private colleges
OBC Low to moderate via reserved seats MNLU Nagpur, NLU Odisha, etc.
SC / ST Moderate to good for some NLUs NUSRL, NLU Odisha, MPDNLU, etc

Ques. What percentile does 120 marks correspond to?

Ans. In the CLAT Exam, by scoring 120/120 marks, you will be placed in the top 100th percentile, which means you will be among the highest-scoring candidates.

  • 120 marks - Will have Rank 1 or within the top candidates, depending on tie-breakers, so percentile- 99.99–100.
  • This gives maximum chance for top NLUs across categories — general or reserved.

Ques. Can I get NLU in 70 marks?

Ans. With 70 marks out of 120 in CLAT, getting admission into any NLU for the General Category candidate is highly unlikely, as the cutoff of mid-tier NLUs goes even higher than 70 marks.

Whereas the SC/ST candidates with 70 marks in the CLAT can secure a seat in NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad (under the ST quota).

A score of 70 marks in CLAT will place the candidate in the rank range of around 10,700–11,500.

Category Estimated Rank (70 marks) NLU Admission Chances
General/OBC/EWS ~10,700–11,500 Very unlikely—most NLUs closed by much higher scores.
Reserved (SC/ST) Similar rank range Possible entry at some NLUs via reserved quotas—depends on NLU & year.

Results

The CLAT result has been declared on the official website. You can now check the CLAT result by visiting the CLAT 2026 page and loggin into the account with Mobile and password. You can also reach out to clat@consortiumofnlus.ac.in or 08047162020 for any queries. 

The CLAT 2026 results will contain essential information such as the candidate's name, All India Rank (AIR), category, and merit rank based on their performance in the exam.
  • In the previous year, over 63,000 candidates appeared for the exam
  • The approximate qualifying rate of only 4–5% for top NLUs.
  • Statistical data shows that the general category CLAT cut-off for top NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore remained around 85–90 marks, while lower-ranked NLUs had cut-offs near 50–55 marks.

Over the last three years, the number of candidates appearing for CLAT has steadily increased from 54,253 in 2023 to around 75,000 in 2025. Whereas the top scores have gradually decreased from 116.75 in 2023 to 103.5 in 2025, indicating rising competition despite slightly lower maximum scores.

CLAT Result 2026 Head

Also Read

Key Summary

  • In this article, we have shared the CLAT 2026 result, important dates related to the result, the NLUs Seat Matrix, the Previous year's Cut-Off trend, the result statistics, and the seat intake of top NLU colleges.

  • The CLAT result 2026 will be released in the 3rd week of December 2026.
  • The result is based on the marking scheme of +1 for a right answer, -0.25 for an incorrect and 0 for unanswered questions.
  • If there is a tie in the marks, it will be resolved first by higher marks in the legal aptitude section, then by higher age, and finally by a computerized draw of lots.
  • If the candidate has any grievance related to their CLAT result, they can submit a complaint to the Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLU)
  • According to the seat matrix, NLU Bangalore offers the highest number of UG and PG seats.

Also Read

CLAT Result 2026 Overview

Students can use the following method to calculate their CALT results 2026.

CLAT Scores = Total number of Correct Answers- (Total number of incorrect answers X 0.25).

Here are the Important dates of CLAT 2026 UG:

CLAT Result 2026
Event Dates
CLAT 2026 Admit Card date 3rd Week of November 2025
CLAT 2026 exam day 7 December 2025
CLAT 2026 Answer Key Date 8–9 December 2025 (Tentative)
Objection Window 9–11 December 2025 (Tentative)
Release of CLAT final answer key 2026 16th December 2025 
Declaration of CLAT 2026 results 17th December 2025
Counselling Registration Starts Last week of December 2025 (Tentative)

Also Read

Ques: When was the CLAT result declared?

Ans: The CLAT result was first declared on 7th December 2024, but due to some legal changes, it was revised later and declared on 17th May 2025. However, for CLAT 2026, the result will be out in the third week of December.

Ques: Can the CLAT result also be revised after it is released?

Ans: Yes, the CLAT result can be revised after it is released. If there are errors in the answer key or the evaluation process, or because of the court orders or legal challenges regarding specific questions or results.

Ques: What is the highest mark in CLAT 2025?

Ans: The highest score in CLAT 2025 was 103.5, and it was scored by Saksham Gautam, who secured AIR 1.

How To Calculate the CLAT Score 2026?

The CLAT results are prepared by calculating the raw scores. Once the raw scores are calculated, the Consortium will prepare the merit list.

Correct Answer Incorrect Answer Unattempted Question
+1 Marks -0.25 Marks 0 Marks

The formula to calculate the score is as follows:

Total Score = 1*(Total number of correct answers) - 0.25*(Total number of wrong answers)

CLAT Marking Scheme

Must Read: CLAT Top Colleges, Placements, Ranking, and Fees

In case two or more candidates score the same marks in CLAT 2026, the consortium will follow the sequence given below to decide the merit rank:

CLAT Tie Breaker
CLAT 2026 Exam Tie-breaker Rule
CLAT UG The tie will be decided in the following sequence:
  • Higher marks in the legal aptitude section of CLAT 2026
  • Higher age
  • Computerized draw of lots.
CLAT PG The tie will be decided in the following sequence:
  • Higher age
  • Computerized draw of lots

CLAT 2026: NLUs Seat Matrix

This matrix is crucial for aspirants as it helps them understand the distribution of seats across different NLUs and plan their strategies accordingly. By examining the seat matrix, candidates can assess the competition and make informed decisions about their preferred institutions. There are a total of 25 National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. The list of NLUs along with their UG seat matrix is given below:

CLAT UG NLUs Seat Matrix

CLAT UG Seat Matrix

Name of the college UG Seat Intake
NLSIU Bengaluru 310 (revised from 240)
WBNUJS Kolkata 132
NLU Jodhpur 120
GNLU Gandhinagar 172
RGNLU Patiala 180
NUALS Kochi 60
NUSRL Ranchi 120
DSNLU Visakhapatnam 120
MNLU Mumbai 100
MNLU Aurangabad 60
DNLU Jabalpur 120
NALSAR Hyderabad 132
NLIU Bhopal 202 ( 134 - BA LLB, 68 - BSc LLB)
HNLU Raipur 170
RMLNLU Lucknow 187
CNLU Patna 138 (69 seats for BA LLB, 69 for BBA LLB)
NLUO Cuttack 180
NLUJA Assam 60
TNNLU Tiruchirapalli 114
HPNLU Shimla 180 (120 BA LLB + 60 BBA LLB)
DBRANLU Haryana 120
GNLU Silvassa Campus 66
Total (excluding supernumerary, NRI, extra, and FN seats) 3,451 seats

CLAT PG NLUs Seat Matrix

CLAT PG Seat Matrix

Ques: How many seats are there in CLAT?

Ans: There are a total of 3,451 seats for CLAT UG and 1,436 seats for CLAT PG across the participating National Law Universities (NLUs).

Ques: Which NLU offers the highest number of seats for CLAT?

Ans: The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore, offers the highest number of seats in CLAT, with 310 seats for UG and 120 seats for PG programs.

Ques: Which is the best NLU in India?

Ans: The best NLU in India is considered to be NLSIU Bangalore. After this, NLU Delhi and NALSAR Hyderabad are considered the best.

Trends in CLAT Result

We have mentioned a few trends in CLAT results that will help you understand the top score and top percentile for the last few years. NLSIU Bangalore has consistently maintained the highest cut-offs, reflecting its premier status among NLUs. The CLAT trends are:

CLAT Result Trends

Year Registered Candidates Top Rank Score NLU with Highest Cut-off
2025 Around 75000 103.5 NLU Bangalore
2024 71243 108 NUSRL Ranchi
2023 54,253 116.75 NLSIU Bangalore
2022 60,895 117.75 NLSIU Bangalore
2021 70,277 125.5 NLSIU Bangalore

NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad are considered top colleges. These consistently rank among the most competitive, with closing ranks below 250 across all three years. These institutions are highly preferred due to their academic excellence and placement records.

Mid-Tier NLUs:

  • Universities like NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar, and MNLU Mumbai maintain a strong preference with cutoffs below 600. These NLUs attract aspirants looking for robust opportunities in corporate and litigation careers.

Emerging NLUs:

  • Institutes like TNNLU Tiruchirappalli and NLU Assam have shown improving demand over the years, reflecting their growing reputation.

Lower-Tier NLUs:

  • Newer institutions like DSNLU Visakhapatnam and NLU Nagpur have relatively higher closing ranks, but their ranks are improving gradually as they establish themselves.

Also Read:

CLAT 2026 Expected Rank

The following table provides an expected CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank analysis for admissions in 2026, based on past trends and extrapolated data. This estimation helps aspirants understand their expected ranks based on the marks scored in the exam.

Marks (Out of 120) Expected Rank Range Analysis
115+ 1 – 10 Top scorers; likely to secure admission at NLSIU Bangalore.
110 – 114 11 – 50 Excellent performance; chance for NALSAR Hyderabad or WBNUJS Kolkata.
100 – 109 51 – 200 High rank; likely admission to top NLUs like NLU Jodhpur or GNLU Gandhinagar.
90 – 99 201 – 500 Good score; opportunities at mid-tier NLUs such as RMLNLU Lucknow and MNLU Mumbai.
80 – 89 501 – 1000 Moderate rank; admissions at HNLU Raipur or DSNLU Visakhapatnam possible.
70 – 79 1001 – 2000 Below-average; options at emerging NLUs like TNNLU Tiruchirappalli.
60 – 69 2001 – 4000 Low rank; may secure admission at lower-tier NLUs.
50 – 59 4001 – 6000 Marginal score; tough competition for seats at NLUs.
Below 50 6000+ Unlikely to secure an NLU seat; may explore private law schools.

Also Read:

Ques: Which rank is good in CLAT 2026 to get admission in the top NLUs?

Ans: A rank between 1 and 200 in CLAT 2026 is good for securing admission in the top NLUs.

Ques: Is 82 a good score for CLAT 2026?

Ans: Yes, it is a moderate score. You can still get admission in HNLU Raipur or DSNLU Visakhapatnam with this score.

Ques: Can I get admission in NLUs if I have got 5000 rank in CLAT?

Ans: With a CLAT rank of 5000, it is very difficult to get admission in the top NLUs due to tough competition for limited seats. You may consider private law universities instead.

CLAT Result: Previous Year Topper’s List

We have shared the CLAT 2025 topper’s list here.

CLAT Topper 2025 All India Rank in CLAT 2025 Scores
Saksham Gautam AIR 1 103.5
Anirudh Pathak AIR 2 To be announced
Ananya Tamaskar AIR 3 To be announced
Yash Jarwal AIR 3 91
Nikhilesh Mukherjee AIR 6 To be announced
Shantanu Dwivedi AIR 8 100.5
Vidit Rawat AIR 9 100
Vardaan Chawla AIR 11 To be announced
Naffi AIR 12 To be announced
Rehan Khan AIR 19 To be announced
Pooja Rawat AIR 20 98.25
Siddhi Sandeep Ladda AIR 22 97.75
Akshat Shraff AIR 23 To be updated
Nikhil Devnani AIR 24 To be announced
Moksh Singh AIR 26 97.75
Shreyansh Singh AIR 30 To be announced
Aarav Paliwal AIR 35 97.5
Shreya Agarwal AIR 43 97.2
Dushyant Singh AIR 44 97.25
Raghav Jain AIR 50 97
Chetas Doi AIR 58 87.25
Naman Singh AIR 60 96.5
Abhay Singh Rathod AIR 66 To be updated
Devansh Agarwal AIR 70 96
Kulbhushan Dubey AIR 73 To be updated
Vedant Rahul Oka AIR 80 To be updated
Vinayak Kedia AIR 85 96
Pragya Vijay AIR 95 95.25
Aman Balhwan AIR 97 95.35
Utkarsh Tripathi AIR 109 94.75
Komal AIR 110 94.75
Sharadhi NR AIR 128 95.25
Anirban Dutta AIR 135 94
Priyank Sinha AIR 138 94
Vristi Garg AIR 141 94
Neel Dhillon AIR 142 94
Madhav Krishna Agnihotri AIR 155 93.75
Rahul Gulati AIR 194 93
Chinmay Nayak AIR 207 To be announced
Tarnjot Kaur AIR 487 89.25

What After CLAT Result 2026 Declaration?

Once the CLAT result 2026 is released, the colleges with start CLAT Counselling. The next steps after CLAT results are released are provided below:

  • Counselling Process: Candidates listed in the merit list must register for the counselling process on the official CLAT website.
  • Registration Fee: A non-refundable fee of INR 30,000 (General) or INR 25,000 (Reserved categories).
  • Seat Allotment Rounds: Typically conducted in 3–5 rounds.
  • Document Verification and Seat Locking: For verification, attend the counselling session with all required documents, including your CLAT scorecard.
  • Institutional Admission: Candidates complete the admission process at the allotted NLU once the seat is locked.

Grievance Redressal After CLAT Result 2026

If you have any grievance related to your CLAT 2026 result, you can submit a complaint to the Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLU). Here are the steps you must follow to register a grievance after CLAT Result 2026:

  • Log in to the official website, which is https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026/.
  • Click the 'Submit Grievance' option on the portal.
  • Ensure that you have valid proof to support your claims, such as a discrepancy in the score or rank.
  • Attach all necessary documents and evidence to support your claim and click SUBMIT.
  • If your grievance is accepted, the committee may take appropriate action, such as rectifying the error in the result or providing a new rank/scorecard.

CLAT Previous Year Result State-wise

The CLAT results are studied for each state to understand how candidates from different regions perform. This state-wise study helps students compare their scores with others from their state and know their chances of getting admission to National Law Universities (NLUs).

CLAT UG Result Stats

The table below shows the result statistics for CLAT UG 2025. This will help the students in understanding the last year's result trend of the CLAT exam.

Percentile Total Numbers Gender Numbers State-wise Numbers
99.997 2 Male-2 Haryana -1
Madhya Pradesh -1
99.995 1 Male - 1 Chhattisgarh - 1
99.993 1 Male - 1 Maharashtra - 1
99.99 2 Female -1 Delhi -1
Male - 1 West Bengal- 1
99.988 1 Male -1 Haryana -1
99.987 1 Male- 1 Uttar Pradesh-1
99.982 3 Male-3 Karnataka-1
Punjab- 1
Uttar Pradesh-1
99.98 1 Female- 1 Punjab -1
99. 979 1 Female- 1 Haryana -1
99.975 2 Female-1 Maharashtra – 1
Male - 1 Uttar Pradesh -1
99.974 1 Female – 1 Punjab – 1
99.97 2 Male- 2 Karnataka -1
Maharashtra -1
99.967 2 Female-1 Karnataka -1
Male - 1 Rajasthan- 1
99.965 1 Female- 1 Karnataka -1
99.954 7 Female- 2 Madhya Pradesh -1
Male - 5 Maharashtra – 3
Rajasthan – 2
West Bengal -1
99.936 11 Female- 4 Delhi -1
Male - 7 Jharkhand -1
Karnataka – 3
Kerala – 2
Madhya Pradesh – 1
Maharashtra -1
Uttar Pradesh -2
99.919 10 Female- 6 Jharkhand -1
Male - 4 Kerala -2
Maharashtra -1
Rajasthan -2
Tamil Nadu- 1
Telangana -2
West Bengal – 1
99.909 6 Female- 1 Jharkhand -2
Male – 5 Punjab – 1
Rajasthan -1
Uttar Pradesh – 2
99.904 3 Female -3 Delhi -1
Rajasthan -1
West Bengal -1

CLAT PG Result Stats

Students can check the table to understand the last year's CLAT PG Result:

Percentile Total Numbers Gender wise Numbers State-wise Numbers
99.993 1 Female – 1 Odisha – 1
99.986 1 Female -1 Uttar Pradesh -1
99.98 1 Male -1 Uttar Pradesh -1
99.973 1 Male -1 Uttar Pradesh -1
99.966 1 Female -1 Uttar Pradesh -1
99.959 1 Male -1 Madhya Pradesh -1
99.953 1 Male -1 Madhya Pradesh -1
99.946 1 Male -1 Madhya Pradesh -1
99.932 2 Male- 2 Bihar- 1
Karnataka -1
99.926 1 Female- -1 Madhya Pradesh -1
99.919 1 Male- 1 Uttar Pradesh -1
99.905 2 Female -1 Uttar Pradesh -2
Male- 1
99.892 2 Male -2 Punjab -1
Uttar Pradesh -1

CLAT Previous Year's Cutoff

Previous year cut-offs help in understanding the ranks and competition level, which is increasing every year. This will help the students understand the competency level. The table mentioned below shows the previous year's rank from 2024 to 2021 for UG and PG courses:

CLAT UG Previous Year Rank

Here is the comparison of the closing ranks from the previous years (2024-2021) for UG courses:

NLUs 2024 2023 2022 2021
NLSIU Bangalore 102 114 85 83
NALSAR Hyderabad 167 177 162 172
WBNUJS [BA LLB] 279 260 257 241
WBNUJS [BSc LLB] 1010 - - -
NLIU Bhopal [BA LLB] 452 463 451 378
NLIU Bhopal [BSc LLB] 1047 - - -
NLU Jodhpur 379 383 378 356
HNLU Raipur 791 805 837 765
GNLU Gandhinagar 464 462 430 375
RMLNLU Lucknow 764 749 756 676
RGNUL Punjab 1250 1307 1184 1075
CNLU Patna [BA LLB] 1358 1541 1498 1312
CNLU Patna [BBA LLB] 1552 2183 - -
NUALS Kochi 1136 1461 1315 1144
NLU Odisha 1205 1207 1193 1207
NUSRL Ranchi 1594 1895 1729 1507
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli [BA LLB] 1628 2045 2024 1834
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli [BCom LLB] 1711 2385 -
DSNLU Vishakhapatnam 1390 2083 1797 1473
MNLU Mumbai 590 590 548 453
MNLU Nagpur [BA LLB] 1587 2102 1657 1448
MNLU Nagpur [BBA LLB] 1685 2226 - -
MNLU Aurangabad [BA LLB] 1832 2655 2275 2022
MNLU Aurangabad [BBA LLB] 2115 2818 - -
NLUJA Assam 1704 2569 1979 1659
HPNLU Shimla [BA LLB] 2102 2816 2477 2009
HPNLU Shimla [BBA LLB] 2150 2873 - -
MPDNLU Jabalpur 1824 2698 2399 1996
DBRANLU Sonepat 2050 2713 2481 2040
GNLU, Silvassa 1060 1820 - -

CLAT PG Previous Year Rank

The table mentioned below shows the closing rank of PG courses from the year 2024-2021:

NLU 2024 Closing Rank 2023 Closing Rank 2022 Closing Rank 2021 Closing Rank
NLSIU Bangalore 239 200 114 153
NALSAR Hyderabad 298 230 240 170
WBNUJS Kolkata 620 787 579 418
NLIU Bhopal 382 494 379 222
NLU Jodhpur 638 909 666 434
HNLU Raipur 1094 1606 1012 742
GNLU Gandhinagar 627 766 514 240
GNLU Silvassa 1267 2179 - -
RMLNLU Lucknow 277 101 127 81
RGNUL Patiala 987 1645 769 528
NUALS Kochi 1707 1799 1440 944
NLU Odisha Cuttack 1358 1997 1333 796
NUSRL Ranchi 1623 1513 1314 938
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli (C&S Laws) 1578 1918 - -
TNNLS Tiruchirappalli (IP Laws) 1011 1830 1535 1143
TNNLS Tiruchirappalli (NR Laws) 2246 2757 - -
DSNLU Visakhapatnam 2033 2583 1929 1134
MNLU Mumbai 727 679 735 544
MNLU Nagpur 1808 2488 1561 990
MNLU Aurangabad 2250 2780 1955 1148
NLUJA Guwahati 2195 2621 1721 943
HPNLU Shimla 2132 2362 1524 829
MPDNLU, Jabalpur 2278 2322 1832 -
NLUT, Agartala 2530 - - -

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques: What was the final judgment of CLAT?

Ans: The final judgment for CLAT 2025 confirmed the revised result released in May 2025 as official and final.

Ques: How many students are selected in CLAT 2025?

Ans: More than 1 lakh students have appeared for the CLAT 2025 exam. Out of which only 10923 candidates were selected for admission into NLUs and other colleges.

Ques: What is the cutoff of CLAT?

Ans: For CLAT 2025, approximate cutoffs for top NLUs were:

  • NLSIU Bangalore (UG): Rank 1–10
  • NALSAR Hyderabad / WBNUJS Kolkata (UG): Rank 11–50
  • NLU Jodhpur / GNLU Gandhinagar (UG): Rank 51–200

Ques: What is the passing rank for CLAT?

Ans: There is no fixed “passing rank” in CLAT. Admission depends on your rank relative to other candidates and the number of seats available in each NLU.

Ques: How many marks are required for NLSIU Bangalore?

Ans: To secure admission into NLSIU Bangalore through CLAT 2025, candidates in the General category were required to achieve a minimum score of 95–98 marks, with the closing rank for the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) program is being around 112 in the final round of allotment.

For reserved categories, the required scores were lower:

  • OBC: 92–95 marks, closing rank around 1,541
  • SC: 86–90 marks, closing rank around 3,000
  • ST: 82–86 marks, closing rank around 8,000
  • EWS: 94–96 marks, closing rank around 600
  • PwD: 78–80 marks, closing rank around 5,000

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