CLAT 2024 Exam: Application Form (Out), Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Cutoff, Admit Card, Sample Papers, Syllabus

CLAT 2024 - The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has released the second sample paper for CLAT 2024 on September 3. The CLAT application form 2024 is currently open on its official website - consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The last date to fill CLAT 2024 application form is November 03, 2023. This year, eligible candidates must also fill CLAT 2024 NLU preferences before submitting the application. The consortium has also revised syllabus of CLAT 2024. The number of questions in CLAT 2024 has been reduced from 150 to 120. CLAT exam 2024 will be conducted offline on December 3, 2023. The law entrance exam will be held in over 127 exam centres across the country. The exam duration will be two hours.
Also Read | What is a good score in CLAT?

CLAT 2024 Syllabus Revised

The Consortium of NLUs has reduced the total number of questions asked in the CLAT exam. The total number of questions in the CLAT exam has been cut down to 120, which was earlier 150. The section-wise distribution of questions is given below.

CLAT 2024 exam date 

What is CLAT Exam?

The Common Law Admission Test, also known as CLAT is a national-level law entrance exam conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLUs). The CLAT scores are accepted for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programs offered by 24 national law universities and over 61 affiliated colleges. The Common Law Admission Test or CLAT exam is conducted across the country, in offline, pen and paper format.

CLAT 2024 exam events

CLAT Highlights: Registered candidates, intake, NLUs (Updated)

Being a national-level law entrance exam, CLAT is attended by thousands of candidates every year. It is one of the most competitive law entrance exams in India at present. Mentioned below are the details of the CLAT exam in the previous three years.

CLAT Exam Highlights

How was CLAT last year?

The consortium conducted CLAT 2023 exam on December 18, in offline mode. According to the CLAT exam analysis provided by students and experts, the exam was moderately difficult and a lengthy paper. Comparatively, the English section was the easiest of all the sections. The CLAT question paper had comprehension-based questions, each paragraph followed by 4-5 multiple choice type questions. A total of 150 questions were asked in the examination. 

Also read - LSAT Abroad

History of CLAT

The inception of CLAT as the common test has its roots in the 2007 case, Varun Bhagat v. Union of India when a parent of law aspirant argued for a centralized test. Following this, the first Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) was organised in 2008 for seven national law universities. 

In 2014, seven other national law universities joined CLAT. The exam was conducted online this time. However, a permanent secretariat for the CLAT consortium was still elusive.

2015 - A PIL was filed by Professor Shamnad Bashir seeking an institutionalized system with a permanent secretariat for the conduct of CLAT. The case eventually led to the setting up of the CLAT Consortium in Bengaluru in 2018. The mode of the CLAT exam was also changed from online to offline. 

Earlier, the CLAT was being conducted by national law universities on a rotation basis. Now, with a permanent secretariat, CLAT is conducted by a seven-member executive committee consisting of a convenor, president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer and other members.

As of 2023, CLAT scores are accepted by 24 out of 26 national law universities. NLU Delhi and the recently established NLU Meghalaya are conducting separate entrance exams. NLU Delhi conducts the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET), whereas NLU Meg organises MEG-UAT and MEG-PAT for admissions to UG and PG programs.

Candidates who wish to appear in CLAT 2024 should meet the eligibility criteria as prescribed by the Consortium of National Law Universities. CLAT is conducted for both UG and PG law programmes, so candidates should meet the eligibility criteria of the programme they have selected. The details of CLAT eligibility criteria are as mentioned below.

UG CLAT 2024 eligibility criteria

Candidates should have passed Class 12 with at least 45% marks (40% in the case of SC and ST students) from a recognized board or institution.

Candidates who will appear in Class 12th board exams in April-May 2024 are also eligible to appear in the exam. However, the admission of such students will be subject to fulfilling the required eligibility criteria.

PG CLAT eligibility criteria 2024

Candidates should have passed graduation in Law (3-year LLB or 5-year LLB) from a recognized university. They must have obtained at least 50% marks (45% in the case of SC and ST candidates) in the qualifying examination.

Further, candidates appearing in the final year of the LLB degree programme are also eligible.

CLAT 2024 age limit

There is no age limit for appearing in CLAT 2024. Further, there are no restrictions on the number of attempts also.

Mode of Application : Online

Mode of Payment : Net Banking | Credit Card | Debit Card | Paytm | BHIM

The CLAT 2024 application form has been released on July 1, 2023. Eligible candidates who wish to appear in CLAT 2024 can register online and fill out the application form, by visiting the official website - consortiumofnlus.ac.in till November 03, 2023.

Registered candidates who will complete the fee payment can also edit their test centre preferences before the closing of the application form.

How to fill CLAT Application Form 2024?

Candidates can follow the steps mentioned below to fill out the application form of CLAT 2024.

• Registration: To register, enter your name, email id, mobile number, and other details. 
• Fill in relevant details: Here enter personal, academic, and contact details. You will also be required to select the program of study (UG or PG), and enter preferred NLUs in the order of priority from the drop-down menu.
• Upload documents: Scanned copies of signature, photograph, and other documents in the prescribed specification (refer to the table below) have to be uploaded.

Document Required for CLAT 2024 application form                   

• Application fee: Depending on the category of the candidate, the application fee may vary as shown in the table below.

CLAT Application Form 2024: Important points to remember

• During the document verification process of CLAT counselling 2024, all details entered in the form will be verified. Exam officials will demand originals of all essential documents to be produced before them. In case of any inconsistency in the information shared in the application form, the candidate may be disqualified.
• Also, simply meeting the eligibility criteria is no guarantee for admission, as the final CLAT seat allotment will be based on the merit rank of the candidate in the online exam. 

Watch - How to fill CLAT application form 

Application Fees

Sometimes the candidate may need a little assistance in their CLAT exam preparation to get over the line. Like the candidate may want to know about some tools that can assist them to improve accuracy or improve speed. 

CLAT 2024 Preparation Tips 

• Candidates need to be well-versed with the exam pattern and syllabus.
• Practice sufficient mock tests and sample papers to edify learning and to hone problem-solving skills.
• CLAT aspirants are also advised to follow a proper timetable for preparation.
• Candidates should choose books that are easy to follow, meet quality standards, and contain lots of practise material to prepare for the exam.
• Regular revision is the key to scoring good marks in exams.
• Maintaining equanimity is crucial for effective preparation. To achieve that stay in the moment, instead of flying into the future or pondering the past. 

CLAT 2024 last-week and exam-day tips

• Solve sample papers: The last most should involve extensive solving of CLAT sample papers 2024. While in the preliminary phases of the CLAT exam preparation one may solve one sample paper a week, the number in the last month and weeks can be increased. One may solve as many sample papers as possible.
• Mock test: The idea of CLAT mock tests 2024 is to get an exam-like experience, which may include a pressure-cooker situation. Considering the exam will be now conducted in online mode, mock tests will help the candidate to understand navigation, how questions are presented, how questions can be answered, and manage time. Note that there will be 150 multiple choice questions that have to be answered in 120 minutes. This means speed and accuracy will be important qualities for success in the exam.
• Don't study new topics close to the exam: Unless you are thoroughly done with what you have already taken up, better don't get entangled in new topics, because it will eat into your last phase of exam preparation. Remember the last phase is all about acceleration, which includes doing fast revision, solving sample papers, and taking mock tests. But if you bring in new topics, you will break the flow; also note that new topics will take more time to master, which you can ill afford at this stage.  
• How to answer the CLAT question paper 2024: The questions asked in the CLAT exam 2024 can be placed in three groups: easy, moderate, and difficult. It is recommended that the candidate starts with easy questions, before answering moderate and difficult questions. Also, if one gets stuck with a difficult question, better not spend too much time on it, but instead move on to the next question.
• Stay composed even in difficult situations during exams: Sometimes the question paper may turn out to be more difficult than expected, or you may not be able to answer an easy-looking question. In those situations, it is important to keep one's cool and not get rattled. Take a deep breath and move on to the next question.
  Also read | Last minute preparation tips to ace CLAT 2024 exam

CLAT UG Sample Papers - Based on new CLAT exam pattern

Download CLAT subject wise sample papers                                                                           

CLAT 2024 best books for exam preparation 

When preparing for CLAT exam 2024, it is important to have dependable and high-quality study material. The CLAT best books 2024 will be those that are easy to understand, and contain few to no errors, including problem sets and instructions. 

CLAT Exam Reference Books

CLAT 2024 toppers

The CLAT toppers are announced along with the result. In the previous session, Abhinav Somani topped CLAT exam at the undergraduate level. The list of previous year toppers of CLAT exam has been given below:

CLAT UG 2023 Toppers

CLAT 2022 Toppers

CLAT LLM topper 2022

CLAT 2021 toppers interview, rank, marks

CLAT 2020 toppers interview

Candidates preparing for CLAT 2024 should be well versed with the exam pattern and syllabus. The CLAT exam pattern informs the candidates about the test structure, number of questions and their types, marking scheme and several other test modalities.

As per the CLAT 2024 exam pattern, the test will be held in offline mode, with OMR sheets and question papers. There will be 120 multiple-choice type questions in CLAT UG and 120 questions will be in CLAT LLM. All questions will be based on comprehension passages. The details of the exam pattern are mentioned below.

CLAT Exam Pattern 2024

Watch - CLAT syllabus for UG Law

Candidates appearing in CLAT 2024 should solve a good number of mock tests during their preparation. There are multiple benefits of taking the CLAT mock test 2024:

• Mock tests contain similar types of questions to those asked in the exam. So, solving these problems will help candidates judge the difficulty level of CLAT 2024 and plan accordingly.
• The success in mock tests can be indicative of exam readiness or lack of it. If readiness is lacking, one may need to pull up one's socks and try harder.
• Doing well in mock tests would also give the candidate lot of confidence to carry to the actual exam.
• CLAT mock tests will teach the candidate time management skills and also how to wriggle out of a tricky problem by keeping a cool head.
• Effective prioritizing of questions is an art that can be cultivated by solving the CLAT mock test. Students who master this art will be able to lock down all the sure-shot questions first, before moving on to tricky and not-so-sure questions.

How to take CLAT 2024 mock tests?

• Click on the mock test link ( Click here )
• A login window will open
• Enter user id and password
• On login, a dashboard will be displayed
• Click on the mock test link to start the test
• Go through all the instructions, and terms and conditions
• Take the mock test.

Candidates by solving CLAT question papers can strengthen their conceptual understandings and improve problem-solving skills.

CLAT previous year's papers

Candidates should also solve all previous year's CLAT papers, especially those based on the new exam pattern. The CLAT previous year's question papers would also be helpful in understanding the type of questions asked in the examination and topics that appear frequently in the test paper. While registering for CLAT, candidates may purchase the question papers on payment of Rs 500. However, the official question papers of CLAT at FREE of COST are provided below.

According to Consortium of NLUs, candidates who have registered successfully for CLAT 2024 will be able to download their CLAT 2024 admit card from the last week of November 2023. CLAT admit card is a mandatory document for appearing in the examination.

Further, the admit card mentions various details such as candidate roll number, application number, exam centre name, address, CLAT exam reporting time and instruction. One must download and take a printout of the admit card to the designated CLAT exam centre on the exam day.

How to download CLAT admit card 2024?

Candidates can follow the steps mentioned below to download their admit card of CLAT 2024.

• Visit the official website of the CLAT consortium
• A login window will open
• Enter your registration or application number and password
• Enter your NLUs preferences (minimum five), and click on update NLUs preferences
• The CLAT admit card will be displayed on screen in downloadable pdf format
• Download the admit card and take a printout

CLAT admit card login window

CLAT 2024 Exam Guidelines

As per the CLAT 2024 exam guidelines, the candidate has to report to the CLAT 2024 exam centre at least one hour before the commencement of the exam. Also, after 15 minutes after the commencement of the CLAT exam, no candidate will be allowed fresh entry.

To take the test, the candidate has to display a printout of the admit card and a valid and original photo ID proof.

No baggage counter

There will be no baggage counter at the exam venue and candidates will be solely responsible for the safe keep of their belongings. So, it is advisable not to carry non-essential items to the centre.

If the candidate wants, they may visit the exam centre to check out the location, travel route, distance and traffic situation. However, no candidate will be allowed beyond the main entrance gate, except on exam day and that too is only on producing the admit card and photo ID.

Important items to carry to the CLAT exam hall

• Blue/Black Ball Pen

• Admit Card

• Any original photo ID proof issued by the Government.

• Transparent water bottle.

• Own mask, gloves and personal hand sanitiser.

• Self-health declaration

• Disability certificate for PWD candidates

CLAT exam day 2024 - Things to avoid

• Electronic/communication devices such as mobile phones

• Any kind of watch, calculator, headphones, etc.

• Sheets of paper including blank sheets are not allowed inside the examination hall.

Candidates may also note that the consortium or the security staff at the exam centre will not be held responsible for the loss and damage of any property/gadgets of candidates.

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will release the CLAT 2024 answer key tentatively on December 03, on its official website - consortiumofnlus.ac.in. First, the consortium will release the provisional answer key of CLAT 2024. The answer key of CLAT 2024 can be used to calculate the marks in the examination.

Further, in case of any discrepancies in the answer key or question papers, candidates will have the opportunity to raise objection against it. The objections will be reviewed by the expert committee of CLAT 2024. In case raised objections are found to be valid, necessary changes to the answer key will be made and result will be prepared accordingly. The final CLAT 2024 answer key will be released after reviewing the objections raised by the candidates.

How to download CLAT 2024 answer key?

• Open the CLAT examination portal - consortiumofnlus.ac.in
• Click on the master question paper and answer key links
• The CLAT answer key will be displayed on the screen
• Download and calculate your answers

How to calculate marks using CLAT answer key 2024

As per the official marking scheme of CLAT 2024, every correct answer will fetch 1 mark, while for an incorrect answer 0.25 marks will be deducted. Use the following formula to calculate probable scores.

For e.g. If the number of correct answers is 100 and incorrect answers is 40 then the total marks will be calculated as-

Total CLAT Marks = (100*1) - (40*0.25)

Therefore; Total marks = 100 - 10 = 90

How to raise objections against CLAT 2024 answer key?

Candidates will be given around two days to raise their objections against the key. The CLAT objection fee is Rs. 1000 per question. In case of the objections are accepted, the objection fee will be refunded.

Steps to raise objections against CLAT answer key 2024

• Visit CLAT 2024 official examination portal
• Login using your mobile number and password
• Click on the "Raise" objection option
• Select the type of objection - about the question or about answer key
• Select the question ID and add a comment
• Submit the objection

CLAT Question Paper & Answer Key - Previous Year's

The CLAT 2024 exam analysis will be updated in this section after the conclusion of the exam. The exam analysis of CLAT 2024 will contain details like difficulty level of the exam, section-wise difficulty, memory based topics and more. Moving on the previous year exam analysis of CLAT exam, as per the experts and candidates who appeared in the exam CLAT 2023 was easy to moderate. However, the test was lengthy. There were around 28-30 passages in the test paper. Check the CLAT analysis for the UG paper.

CLAT 2023 exam analysis

The result of CLAT 2024 will likely be declared in the second week of December 2023.  Candidates can download their result from the official website of the NLU Consortium. They will need the application number and date of birth to download the admit card. 

CLAT result is provided in the form of individual scorecards. Along with the result, an invite list is also released for counselling purposes.  

How to download CLAT result 2024?

• Visit the official website of CLAT 2024
• Click on the result link 
• In the CLAT login window, enter the registration/application number and date of birth
• The CLAT result 2024 would be displayed on the screen
• Download and take a printout of the result

Details mentioned on the CLAT 2024 result

• Name of the candidate
• Roll number
• Category under which admission is sought
• Program of study (UG / PG)
• CLAT score 
• CLAT All India Rank (AIR)
• CLAT 2024 category rank (CR)

CLAT 2024 Merit List

The merit list of CLAT 2024 mentions the roll number, marks and merit rank of the candidates. The CLAT merit rank is important as it is referred to for inviting the candidates for counselling and seat allotment.

CLAT Merit List 2024 - Tie-breaking procedure

• The candidate who has a higher score in the “Legal Aptitude” section of CLAT 2024 will be placed higher in the merit list
• If this step, the candidate who is senior in age will get a higher rank
• If the tie is still undecided, a computerized draw of lots will be used to decide the merit rank of such candidates.

The CLAT 2024 cut off will be the minimum marks required for admission to a national law university participating in the counselling. CLAT cut off will be different for each NLU, depending on the number of seats offered by NLU, number of applicants and reservation policy. 

In order to secure admission to a desired NLU, candidates must clear the cut-off. Meanwhile, candidates can check the NLU-wise cut-off trends of previous years to know about the expected cut offs for this year. Mentioned below are the details of the previous year's cut-off of CLAT exam with the details like opening rank and closing rank.

CLAT previous year cut-offs (Year - 2021)

*only state categories

CLAT LLM cut off 2021

*cut-offs under state category

Previous years' CLAT cut-offs - 2019, 2018

What is a good score in CLAT 2024?

To decide what is a good score you have to first identify the NLU you want to get admission into. And the last rank (or cutoff rank) for which admission is offered in that institute can be considered to be a good score. That said the cutoff fluctuates depending on a host of parameters like seat intake, the performance of candidates in CLAT 2024 total applicants, and the CLAT merit rank of these applicants. So, you will be in the safe zone only if you score a little higher than the past year's cutoff rank.

CLAT 2024 expected cut-off marks

Mode of Counselling: Online

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will release the CLAT merit list 2024 on the basis of scores of candidates. Candidates included in the merit list of CLAT 2024 will be eligible for admission to the allotted National Law Universities. The consortium will likely start the CLAT 2024 counselling in the last week of December 2023. The counselling of CLAT 2024 will be conducted in five rounds, in online mode. After each round, the consortium will release the seat allotment for all national law universities participating in the common admission process. Around 15, 000 candidates in CLAT UG and 3,000 candidates are expected to be invited for CLAT counselling 2024.

CLAT counselling fee 2024

The counselling fee of CLAT 2024 is Rs. 30,000. For SC and ST candidates, the counselling fee is Rs 20,000. Candidates can pay the counselling fee online while registering for the counselling. The counselling fee will be adjusted with the NLU course fee. 

CLAT Seat Allotment 2024

The allotment of CLAT seats is made on the basis of the merit rank of the candidate and NLU preference selected. The seat allotment of CLAT 2024 will be announced for each law school, in five rounds. After each round of seat allotment, candidates will have the following options;

• Accept the seat allotment and complete the admission process
• Apply for upgrade and submit NLU fee
• Exit the admission process

Post Round 5 seat allotment, the candidate has two options before him:

• Accept the allotted seat
• Exit the admission process.

To accept a seat, the candidate will have to pay the NLU fees and complete admission formalities. However, if the candidate is unhappy with the allotted seat, they may exit the admission process without paying the admission fee.

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