What is CLAT? Know all about Common Law Admission Test: Gateway to Prestigious National Law Universities
  • Law Exams
  • CLAT Exam
  • What is CLAT? Know all about Common Law Admission Test: Gateway to Prestigious National Law Universities

What is CLAT? Know all about Common Law Admission Test: Gateway to Prestigious National Law Universities

Ongoing Event

CLAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 31 Oct' 25

Shubham BhakuniUpdated on 01 Dec 2024, 12:27 PM IST

The Common Law Admission Test, popularly known as CLAT is a national level law entrance exam in India. The CLAT exam is considered a gateway to prestigious national law universities (NLUs) and other prominent law schools in India. Every year, over 60,000 candidates take the CLAT exam. Most of them compete for 5-year integrated LLB courses offered by NLUs, while around 10,000 participate for LLM admissions.
Also Read | CLAT 2025: Latest News, Exam on December 1

This Story also Contains

  1. Overview of CLAT Exam
  2. Who can apply for CLAT exam?
  3. CLAT registration and fees
  4. CLAT syllabus and pattern
  5. NLUs participating in CLAT exam
  6. How many candidates appear in CLAT every year: Past trends
  7. CLAT vs Other Law Entrance Exams (OLET) comparison
What is CLAT? Know all about Common Law Admission Test: Gateway to Prestigious National Law Universities
What is CLAT

The CLAT exam is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). The exam is held in December every year. The scores of CLAT are accepted by 24 NLUs, an off-campus of GNLU Gandhinagar in Silvassa and over 60 law schools across the country.

Overview of CLAT Exam

Full name

Common Law Admission Test

Exam date

First week of December every year

Conducting body

Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLU)

Courses offered

5-year integrated LLB and LLM courses

Participating NLUs

24

CLAT affiliated colleges

60+

Number of test takers for CLAT

60,000+

Who can apply for CLAT exam?

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is essentially for law aspirants looking to pursue LLB or LLM courses. However, going beyond the admission scenarios, the CLAT exam can also be used to find jobs in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and the Indian Army. In short, candidates should apply for CLAT with the following objectives.

  • To seek admission in 5-year integrated LLB courses offered by NLUs and affiliated law schools

  • Jobs offered by PSUs based on CLAT PG scores

  • For Indian Army JAG recruitments

Since CLAT is conducted at two levels - CLAT UG and CLAT PG, candidates applying for the exam should meet the following conditions.

CLAT Eligibility

Candidates must meet the CLAT eligibility criteria before filling up the application form. The eligibility criteria vary depending on the course selection. The details of course-wise eligibility criteria are explained below.

CLAT for LLB courses

  • Candidate must have passed class 12th from a recognised board with at least 45% marks (40% in the case of SC/ST candidates).

ICFAI-LAW School BA-LLB / BBA-LLB Admissions 2025

Ranked 1 st among Top Law Schools of super Excellence in India - GHRDC | NAAC A+ Accredited | #36 by NIRF

CLAT Cut-offs

Understand previous year cut-off trends as well as expected cut-offs for current year. Get the Ebook

CLAT for LLM course, Indian Army JAG and PSU Recruitments

  • Candidates must have completed an LLB course (3-year LLB or 5-year LLB) with at least 50% marks (45% in the case of SC/ST candidates) from a recognized university.

CLAT Sample Paper 2026 with Answer Key- Careers360
Download the CLAT Sample Paper 2026 PDF featuring the latest exam pattern with descriptive-type questions for effective preparation.
Download EBook

CLAT for 3-year LLB?

Many students wonder if CLAT scores can be used for getting admission to 3-year LLB courses. However, the CLAT exam is not conducted for 3-year LLB. The 3-year LLB falls at the postgraduate level, however, it is still equivalent to a 5-year LLB, not an LLM which requires knowledge of various laws.

The CLAT UG is conducted for Class 12th students and therefore cannot be applied for 3-year LLB admissions.

CLAT registration and fees

The consortium releases the CLAT application form in the first week of July every year. The CLAT registration website is consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Candidates need to fill in personal and communication details, exam centre preferences, reservation status and NLU preferences while filling out the application form for the CLAT exam.

The CLAT registration fee is Rs. 4,000 for General/OBC/PWD/NRI candidates and Rs. 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL candidates. The CLAT registration fee is generally much higher than many other law entrance exams and therefore, often seen as a barrier by underprivileged candidates willing to study law in NLUs.

CLAT syllabus and pattern

Reading, critical thinking and analytical skills are considered essential for a successful career in Law. Therefore, the CLAT syllabus is designed to test these skills. The CLAT UG has five sections;

  • English and comprehension

  • Legal aptitude

  • Logical reasoning

  • Maths

  • General knowledge and current affairs

VGU, Jaipur | Law Admissions 2026

NAAC A+ Grade | Admissions open for 5 year Integrated LLB & LLB programs | Approved by Bar Council of India

All about LSAT India

Complete information around exam dates, application process, participating institutes, etc. Get the Ebook

Unlike many other law entrance exams, the CLAT UG syllabus is vast and as a result, the question paper turns very lengthy. 120 multiple choice type questions are asked from comprehension-based passages and thus require a lot of reading and analysis of paragraphs.

Since CLAT is not conducted in vernacular languages, English becomes a dominant factor in the entrance exam. This also leads to the criticism that CLAT favours candidates who have previously studied in English medium. The state board students or those who study in regional languages remain at a typical disadvantage as they have to go the extra mile by working on the English language and vocabulary.

CLAT LLM syllabus covers almost every aspect of the LLB course. The subjects in CLAT LLM are taken from the subjects of LLB courses. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a decent understanding of various laws, constitutions, and current legal affairs. The CLAT LLM question paper too has comprehension-based questions. The topics covered in CLAT LLM are mentioned below;

  1. Constitutional Law

  2. Jurisprudence

  3. Administrative Law

  4. Law of Contract

  5. Torts

  6. Family Law

  7. Criminal Law

  8. Property Law

  9. Company Law

  10. Public International Law

  11. Tax Law

  12. Environmental Law

  13. Labour & Industrial Law

NLUs participating in CLAT exam

The CLAT exam is accepted by all National Law Universities (NLUs) except NLU Delhi and NLU Meghalaya. There are 24 NLUs and GNLU’s off-campus that are part of the CLAT consortium and participate in the admission process. The list of such NLUs is given below.

State-wise distribution of NLUs participating in CLAT

S No.

States

NLUs

1

Karnataka

NLSIU Bengaluru

2

Telangana

NALSAR Hyderabad

3

West Bengal

WBNUJS Kolkata

4

Madhya Pradesh

NLIU Bhopal

5

Rajasthan

NLU Jodhpur

6

Chhattisgarh

HNLU Raipur

7

Gujarat

GNLU Gandhinagar

8

Dadra and Nagar Haveli

GNLU Silvassa Campus

9

Uttar Pradesh

RMLNLU Lucknow

10

Punjab, India

RGNUL Patiala

11

Bihar

CNLU Patna

12

Kerala

NUALS Kochi

13

Odisha

NLUO, Odisha, Cuttack

14

Jharkhand

NUSRL Ranchi

15

Assam

NLUJA Assam, Guwahati

16

Andhra Pradesh

DSNLU Visakhapatnam

17

Tamil Nadu

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli

18

Maharashtra

MNLU Mumbai

19

Maharashtra

MNLU Nagpur

20

Maharashtra

MNLU Aurangabad

21

Himachal Pradesh

HPNLU Shimla

22

Madhya Pradesh

DNLU Jabalpur

23

Haryana

DBRANLU, Sonipat, Haryana

24

Tripura

NLUT Agartala

25

Uttar Pradesh

RPNLU Prayagraj

How many candidates appear in CLAT every year: Past trends

As mentioned above, CLAT witnesses the participation of over 60,000 candidates every year. These students are grouped into two categories - 5-year LLB through CLAT UG and LLM through CLAT PG. Over 50,000 candidates opt for CLAT UG alone, whereas around 10,000 candidates appear for CLAT LLM.

CLAT Registrations over the years: Data

How many candidates appear in CLAT every year: Past trends

CLAT vs Other Law Entrance Exams (OLET) comparison

Undoubtedly, CLAT is the most popular law entrance exam in India. However, over 40 law entrance exams are conducted in India. These include university, state and national-level law entrance exams. The major law entrance exams include AILET for NLU Delhi, MH CET Law for Maharashtra law colleges, TS LAWCET for Telangana law colleges, LSAT India for 15+ private law colleges, and CUET law for central universities and 100+ private law schools.

The CLAT exam is very different from OLETs. It is one of the most comprehensive law entrance exams. One major difference between CLAT and OLETs is that most of the OLETs have straightforward objective-type questions whereas CLAT requires reading comprehension passages before answering any question.

Seats offered by NLUs through CLAT

The NLUs offer a combined intake of over 3,300 seats through the CLAT exam. Most of the NLUs offer around 120-180 seats. Among CLAT participating NLUs, NLSIU offers the highest 300 seats in BA LLB. NLIU Bhopal also offers 202 seats. The remaining NLUs offer less than 200 seats. Apart from this, NLUs also offer around 238 seats for NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates. For the LLM programme, the NLUs offer around 1300 seats with a wide range of specializations. Around 55 seats are offered to NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates in LLM courses.

Domicile reservation in NLUs

NLUs also offer domicile reservations at both UG and PG levels. Domicile reservation in CLAT NLU is as per the rules laid down by state governments. Due to this, there is no uniformity in the domicile reservation given by NLUs. It ranges from 25-62% of their intake. For example, NLUs in Maharashtra offer domicile reservation up to 62% of their intake, whereas NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad and NLU Jodhpur reserve 25% of their intake for domicile candidates. There are NLUs such as NLIU Bhopal, HNLU Raipur, and CNLU Patna that reserve 50% of seats for domicile candidates.

You may also check - CLAT Full Form

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Does 12th marks matter for CLAT?
A:

Yes, to be eligible for CLAT, general category candidates are required to secure at least 50% marks in Class 12, and for reserved category candidates the minimum required marks in 45%.

Q: Who is eligible for CLAT exam?
A:

Students who have completed their Class 12 with at least 50% marks from a recognised board are eligible to appear for CLAT entrance.

Q: What is the CLAT exam used for?
A:

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is conducted every year to offer admission to 26 National Law Universities (NLUs) in India.

Articles
|
Certifications By Top Providers
Sociology in India
Via Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi
Introduction to Econometrics
Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Data Analysis for Social Science Teachers
Via University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad
Sociological Perspectives on Modernity
Via Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Swayam
 162 courses
Edx
 129 courses
Futurelearn
 74 courses
NPTEL
 74 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

It is always better to take the CLAT exam right after Class 12 if your goal is to build a career in law, because CLAT UG is specifically designed for admission into integrated five-year law programs like BA LLB, BCom LLB, or BBA LLB. Appearing after Class 12 saves you time, as you complete both graduation and law together in a single course. On the other hand, if you first complete graduation and then plan for law, you will not be eligible for CLAT UG but instead for CLAT PG, which is meant for admission into LLM programs. This path takes longer, because you first spend three or four years on graduation and then add another three years in an LLB program if you choose not to go for an integrated course. So, if you are already sure about pursuing law as your career, writing CLAT right after Class 12 is the smarter and time-saving option, while writing it after graduation makes sense only if you are considering higher studies in law or a shift in career later.

For CLAT, the most important topics are from  Legal Reasoning, Current Affairs & GK, the Indian Constitution, English Language, Quantitative Techniques and Logical Reasoning. For a brief detail you can go through the following link: https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-important-topics

Thank You.

Hi dear candidate,

Both the colleges Maharaja Agrasen (MAIMS) or Gitarattan (GIBS) are affiliated to IP University and allows admission either by CLAT or IPU CET Law. Without either of these exams, your admission is NOT accepted there. You can try looking for management quota seats in these colleges if you have got good marks in 12th class.

BEST REGARDS

Hi dear candidate,

You can easily register yourself for CLAT exam by visiting the Consortium of NLUs official website and follow these steps:

  • Register yourself with your EMail ID, phone number and password.
  • Log in using OTP
  • Complete application form by entering details, selecting program (UG/PG) and uploading required documents mentioned there.
  • Then at last, review the application and pay the registration fees.
  • Download your confirmation slip.

Know the complete process at:

CLAT Registration 2026 (Started): Documents Required, Application Fee, Link, Steps to Apply

BEST REGARDS

Right now there is no official e-guide for CLAT 2026 released by the Consortium of NLUs. They usually provide sample questions and model papers closer to the exam, but not a complete guide at this stage.

You can still prepare using free study material available online. Many websites provide free downloadable PDFs, mock tests, and previous year papers that will help you understand the pattern and practice important topics.

If you want a structured book, there are two good options. The Oswaal CLAT & AILET guide has past year solved papers, topic-wise questions, and mock tests. The Arihant CLAT Conqueror book has more than 3000 practice questions with solutions. Both are helpful depending on whether you prefer solved papers or more practice questions.