CLAT 2027: Application, Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus and Admission Process
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the national-level entrance examination used for admission to participating National Law Universities (NLUs) for five-year integrated undergraduate law degrees and postgraduate LL.M. programmes. This guide explains the CLAT 2027 schedule, eligibility, application process, examination pattern and counselling, followed by the historical CLAT 2018 details.
CLAT 2027 important dates
| Event | Official schedule |
|---|---|
| Online registration opens | 3 August 2026 |
| Last date for online registration and fee payment | 31 October 2026, 11:59 PM |
| CLAT 2027 examination | Sunday, 6 December 2026, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
| Eligible PwD candidates' examination window | 2:00 PM - 4:40 PM |
| Admit card | Release date to be announced on the official portal |
| Counselling | Expected December 2026 / January 2027; consult official announcements |
Dates are subject to revision by the Consortium.
CLAT 2027 eligibility: UG and PG
Undergraduate five-year integrated LL.B.
Candidates must have passed Class 12 (10+2) or an equivalent qualifying examination with at least 45% marks (or equivalent grade); for SC, ST and PwD candidates, the minimum is 40%. Candidates appearing in the qualifying examination in March or April 2027 may apply, but must provide proof of passing at admission. There is no upper age limit.
See the official UG eligibility rules.
Postgraduate LL.M.
Applicants must have an LL.B. or equivalent law degree with at least 50% marks (or equivalent grade), reduced to 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Final-year candidates may apply subject to producing proof of qualification at admission. There is no upper age limit.
See the official PG eligibility rules. Individual NLUs may have additional course, reservation or document requirements.
How to apply online for CLAT 2027
- Visit the official CLAT 2027 portal.
- Register using a personal mobile number and email address.
- Complete the application, programme selection, personal and educational details.
- Upload a recent photograph, signature and relevant category, PwD or BPL certificates, as applicable.
- Pay the fee online and submit the completed form before the deadline.
- Retain the confirmation and download the admit card when it is released.
Application fees are Rs. 4,000 for General/OBC candidates and Rs. 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL/PwD candidates. Previous years' question papers cost an additional Rs. 500 where purchased. Transaction charges may apply. Application fees are non-refundable and non-adjustable. See the official application instructions.
CLAT 2027 examination pattern
| Feature | UG CLAT 2027 | PG CLAT 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum marks | 120 | 120 |
| Questions | 120 multiple-choice | 120 multiple-choice |
| Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Correct answer | 1 mark | 1 mark |
| Incorrect answer | Minus 0.25 mark | Minus 0.25 mark |
Official formats: UG question paper and PG question paper.
CLAT 2027 UG syllabus and section-wise weightage
| Subject | Approximate questions | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 22 - 26 | Reading comprehension, vocabulary in context and inference |
| Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 28 - 32 | Current events, general awareness and interpretation of passages |
| Legal Reasoning | 28 - 32 | Understanding and applying legal principles to factual scenarios |
| Logical Reasoning | 22 - 26 | Arguments, premises, conclusions and critical reasoning |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10 - 14 | Numerical interpretation and Class 10-level mathematics |
The current paper emphasizes comprehension and reasoning rather than the separate grammar, static general knowledge and legal aptitude format described in the CLAT 2018 archive below. Read the official UG syllabus.
CLAT 2027 PG syllabus
The PG examination assesses legal reading comprehension and application of law through extracts from judgments, legislation and related materials. Topics include Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Contracts, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law and Labour and Industrial Law.
Read the official PG syllabus.
Participating NLUs, reservations and counselling
Participating National Law Universities publish their own seat intake, programmes, reservation rules, fee structures and institutional admission requirements. The Consortium's CLAT 2027 UG instructions refer to 26 NLUs. Applicants should consult the current institutional brochures rather than relying on the historical 2018 list. Seat allotment is provisional and depends on rank, preferences, eligibility, applicable reservation rules and document verification.
For NRI or NRI-sponsored seats and foreign-national admissions, consult the relevant NLU directly: the Consortium does not allot NRI/NRI-sponsored seats through its central allocation process. Check the official Consortium website for brochures, counselling instructions and updates.
CLAT 2018 historical archive
The original article concerned CLAT 2018, coordinated by the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi. The following dates, eligibility rules and exam formats are preserved for historical reference only. Do not use them to apply for CLAT 2027.
CLAT 2018 schedule
| Event | 2018 date |
|---|---|
| Online registration began | 1 January 2018 |
| Last date for registration and final submission | 31 March 2018 |
| Last date to print or download application | 12 May 2018 |
| Online fee payment | 1 January - 31 March 2018 |
| Offline challan payment | 1 January - 21 March 2018 |
| Admit card download began | 20 April 2018 |
| Last date to download admit card | 12 May 2018 |
| CLAT 2018 exam | 13 May 2018 |
CLAT 2018 eligibility and tie-breaking
UG: The 2018 minimum was 45% in Class 12 for unreserved/OBC/SAP and other candidates, and 40% for SC/ST candidates. Candidates appearing in their March/April 2018 qualifying examination could apply, subject to producing passing results at admission. The 2018 UG tie-breakers were higher legal aptitude marks, higher age and a computerized draw of lots, in that order.
PG: The 2018 minimum was 55% in an LL.B. or equivalent qualification for unreserved/OBC/SAP and other candidates and 50% for SC/ST candidates. Final-year candidates could receive provisional admission subject to providing results within the institution's prescribed period. PG ties were resolved by higher age, followed by a computerized draw of lots. No upper age limit applied in CLAT 2018.
CLAT 2018 UG syllabus and paper pattern
The five 2018 subjects were English including comprehension and grammar; General Knowledge and Current Affairs; elementary Mathematics up to Class 10; Legal Aptitude, including applying stated legal propositions to facts; and Logical Reasoning, including syllogisms, analogies and sequences. Visual reasoning was excluded.
| 2018 UG subject | Marks |
|---|---|
| English including comprehension | 40 |
| General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 50 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 20 |
| Legal Aptitude | 50 |
| Logical Reasoning | 40 |
| Total | 200 |
The UG examination comprised 200 one-mark multiple-choice questions in two hours, with a deduction of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.
CLAT 2018 PG syllabus and paper pattern
The 2018 PG examination comprised 150 multiple-choice questions in two hours, with one mark for a correct answer and a 0.25-mark deduction for a wrong answer.
| 2018 PG subject | Marks |
|---|---|
| Constitutional Law | 50 |
| Jurisprudence | 50 |
| Other law subjects including Contracts, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law and IPR | 50 |
| Total | 150 |
National Law Universities listed in the 2018 article
NLSIU Bengaluru; NALSAR Hyderabad; NLIU Bhopal; WBNUJS Kolkata; NLU Jodhpur; HNLU Raipur; GNLU Gandhinagar; RMLNLU Lucknow; RGNUL Punjab; CNLU Patna; NUALS Kochi; NLU Odisha; NUSRL Ranchi; NLUJA Assam; DSNLU Visakhapatnam; TNNLS Tiruchirappalli; MNLU Mumbai; MNLU Nagpur; and MNLU Aurangabad. This is a historical list, not the current participating-university roster.
The original CLAT 2018 application address is retained for archival reference only and should not be used for current registration.
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This article is for general educational information. The Consortium's current notifications, brochures and admission instructions prevail in the event of any change.