CLAT Exam 2026 Guide: Syllabus, Pattern & Tips

On November 9, 2025, the Consortium of NLUs terminated the CLAT 2026 application and repair window. The CLAT 2026 examination date is December 7, 2025. All registered applicants will now receive their CLAT admission cards about 15 days before the exam. The hall ticket can be retrieved from the official login portal using the credentials you created during registration.

Candidates who take the exam will be eligible for admission to BA LLB, BCom LLB, BBA LLB, and LLM programs provided by National Law Universities across India. All applicants must bring their CLAT admit card along with a valid photo ID to the examination centre. Entry to the exam hall is not permitted without these documents.

The CLAT 2026 Application Form was only available on the Consortium's official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The application process involved several phases, including online registration, filling out personal and academic information, uploading documents, selecting preferred NLUs, paying the application price, and finally submitting.

The sections below provide extensive information on the CLAT 2026 Admit Card, entire exam schedule, current exam pattern, section-by-section syllabus, and expert-backed preparation advice to help candidates perform well in the examination.

What is meant by CLAT?

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national admission exam administered by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). It is the primary entry point for admission to undergraduate (BA LLB) and postgraduate (LLM) legal programs at 24 participating NLUs across India, including NALSAR Hyderabad, NLSIU Bangalore, and NLU Delhi (however NLU Delhi administers AILET independently).

CLAT is notable for assessing students' comprehension, reasoning, and analytical skills rather than rote memorisation. Over the last few years, the exam has shifted to a concentration on application-based learning, measuring students' ability to comprehend passages, analyse legal issues, and debate rationally.

CLAT Exam 2026 Dates & Schedule

Clat Exam Application Process

The CLAT 2026 application procedure is entirely online and consists of several phases, such as registering, completing the application, uploading required papers, paying the fee, and submitting the completed form. August 2025 marked the official start of the procedure, and early November 2025 was the deadline for submitting the form. Shortly after, there was a window for application corrections. This is a detailed guide to the CLAT 2026 application procedure that includes pertinent information for candidates:

Step 1: Register online

Go to the official CLAT Consortium website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Click on the registration page to set up your candidate account.
Fill up your basic information, including your complete name, mobile number, and email address, and create an account password.
An OTP (one-time password) is delivered to your mobile device for validation.
You will have access to the application form once your verification is complete.

Step 2: Complete the Application Form.

Log in using your mobile number and password.
Choose the program you wish to apply for: Undergraduate (5-year combined BA LLB) or postgraduate (1-year LLM) studies.Fill out your personal information, including your date of birth, parent's names, gender, nationality, category (General, SC/ST, OBC), and PwD/BPL status if applicable.
Enter communication information, such as current and permanent addresses.
Fill up the academic details: qualifying examination (Class 12 result or equivalent for UG), board/university name, year/month of passing, and percentage attained.
Choose your desired exam centres (typically three options).

Step 3: Add Documents

Make scanned copies of the following documents in JPG or JPEG format according to the recommended sizes, then upload them:
Current passport-sized photo (up to 500 KB in size)
Signature (up to 100 KB in size)
Certificate of category (if applying under a reserved category)
PwD or BPL certification, if relevant
Certificate of state domicile (if necessary)
Verifiable photo identification (passport, PAN, Aadhaar, etc.

Step 4: Submission and Fee Payment

You may se a debit card, credit card, or net banking to pay the application cost online. The cost varies depending on the category: roughly INR 3,500 for reserved categories and INR 4,000 for general categories. Make sure there are no mistakes by carefully checking every detail after payment.

Accept the declarations and fill out the form.

For future use, print and save the payment receipt and confirmation page.

Step 5: Window for Application Correction

Candidates may have a brief window (early November 2025) following submission to make corrections to specific fields, such as test city preferences or reservation category data.
Only a few fields may be changed; program or category modifications may not be accepted after submission.

Important Tips for a CLAT Exam Application Process

Fill out the form using a desktop or laptop computer and a reliable internet connection.
Prior to beginning, prepare scanned documents in the appropriate format and size.
To prevent last-minute delays or website crashes due to high traffic, complete the form well in advance of the deadline.
Because inconsistencies in paperwork during counselling could result in disqualification, double-check all entered information.
For any modifications or news of extensions, frequently check the Consortium website for official information.

CLAT Exam Admit Card

The third week of November 2025, or roughly fifteen days prior to the exam date of December 7, 2025, is when the CLAT 2026 Admit Card is anticipated to be made available. After completing the CLAT 2026 application process, candidates can download their admission cards online at consortiumofnlus.ac.in, the official website of the Consortium of NLUs.

Candidates must log in with their registered mobile number (or application/registration number), password, or date of birth in order to download the admission card. Important information including the candidate's roll number, the name and address of the exam centre, the exam day and time (2 PM to 4 PM), and particular directions to be followed on exam day will all be included on the admit card.

In order to access the exam centre, you must bring the printed admission card and a legitimate photo ID. All applicants must make sure they download and print their own admit cards because no physical ones are mailed.

Candidates should get in touch with the CLAT Consortium right away to request adjustments if any inconsistencies are discovered on the admit card. Additionally, since the admit card will be needed throughout the entire admissions process up until the final seat allocation, it is crucial to keep it secure.

CLAT Exam Eligibility Criteria

The undergraduate (UG) and graduate (PG) programs have different CLAT 2026 qualifying requirements. The specific requirements for both are as follows:

CLAT 2026 UG Program Eligibility Requirements (5-year Integrated BA LLB)

Educational Requirement: Applicants must have passed the Class 12 or equivalent test administered by an accredited board or organisation (CBSE, ICSE, State Boards, etc.). Candidates from Science, Commerce, or the Arts are equally eligible; there is no stream restriction.Candidates who are General, OBC, NRI, PIO, or OCI must receive at least 45% of the possible points or an equivalent grade. Candidates in the SC/ST/PWD categories must have an aggregate score of at least 40% or an equivalent grade.

Age Restrictions: The UG program has no upper age restriction.

Appearing Prospects: Students who are scheduled to take their Class 12 or equivalent exam in March or April of 2026 are eligible to apply, but they will need to show proof of passing when they are admitted. You will be disqualified if you can't provide this proof.

Tie Breaker Rule: In the event of a tie in scores, candidates who scored higher in the Legal Aptitude part are given preference first, followed by older candidates, and if the tie continues, a computerised draw of lots is used.

CLAT 2026 PG Program Eligibility Requirements (1-Year LLM)

Educational Requirements: Applicants must hold an LLB degree or a comparable degree from an accredited university.
Minimum Scores: Candidates who are General, OBC, NRI, PIO, or OCI must receive at least 50% of the possible points or an equivalent grade.
A minimum of 45% aggregate marks or an equivalent grade is required for SC/ST/PWD candidates.
Age Restrictions: CLAT PG candidates are not subject to age restrictions.
Appearing Candidates: Final-year LLB students who will be taking their qualifying exam in April or May of 2026 are eligible to apply, but they will need to present proof of passing at the time of admission.
Tie Breaker Rule: Older applicants are given preference when scores are deadlocked. If a tie continues after that, a computerised lottery is utilised.

CLAT 2026 Syllabus

The five main elements of the CLAT 2026 syllabus are intended to evaluate candidates' proficiency in language, logic, general knowledge, and legal comprehension. The test assesses comprehension, problem-solving, and passage-based skills necessary for law school. This is a thorough explanation of the syllabus:

Highlights of the Detailed Syllabus

English Language

Reading comprehension in the English language involves analysing and interpreting passages to determine themes, tone, and key concepts.
Vocabulary includes base terms, synonyms, antonyms, and one-word alternatives.
Grammar: active/passive voice, prepositions, modals, and tenses.
Cloze and Para Jumbles Tests: Coherence and sequencing tests.

Current Affairs and General Knowledge

Recent significant developments in science, sports, politics, and the economy.
significant constitutional and legal advancements.
general information on the ecology, geography, and history.

Legal Reasoning

This section assesses knowledge of the law without requiring prior legal education:
Basics of the Indian Constitution: Emergency clauses, Directive Principles, and Fundamental Rights.
Offer, acceptance, breach, and remedies under contract law.
IPC fundamentals, including offences and defences, are covered in criminal law.
Family law: inheritance, divorce, and marriage.
Tort law: defamation, negligence, and nuisance.
Basics of Evidence Law.
Human rights legislation, treaties, and international law.
using fact patterns to apply legal principles.

Logical Reasoning

Questions involving both inductive and deductive thinking.
Critical analysis of claims and conclusions.
Sequences, puzzles, and syllogisms.
Analytical thinking about directions, coding-decoding, and blood linkages.

Quantitative Techniques

Basic math and arithmetic principles are important for understanding data.

Issues with profit and loss, ratios, averages, and percentages.
Calculations of time, speed, and distance.
Probability and mensuration for fundamental problem solving.

Exam PAper Overview

There are a total of 120 multiple-choice questions.
Time: 120 minutes, or two hours
Marking Scheme: -0.25 indicates a negative mark for an improper response, and 1 indicates a correct response.

The purpose of the question paper is to assess comprehension and thinking abilities rather than just memorisation or computation capabilities.

Study Tips based on Syllabus

Concentrate on improving your reading and comprehension abilities, particularly when it comes to long English passages and legal reasoning.
Use apps with monthly GK compilations or publications like The Hindu to stay up to date on current events every day.
Use puzzles, syllogisms, and critical reasoning sets to practise logical thinking questions on a regular basis.
Review fundamental math principles from high school and use them to practise quantitative reasoning.
Through simplified materials and practice exams, gain an understanding of the principles of the Indian legal system, constitutional rights, and important laws.

In conclusion, the well-rounded CLAT 2026 syllabus includes knowledge of current events, critical legal thinking, logical problem-solving, English language proficiency, and fundamental quantitative aptitude. This framework seeks to assess the general ability necessary for success in law school.