The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT UG) is a national-level entrance examination for admission to five-year integrated undergraduate law programmes. The examination is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). CLAT scores are used for admission to participating NLUs across India.
The Consortium has announced CLAT UG 2027 for 6 December 2026, with applications closing on 31 October 2026. The examination will contain 120 objective questions across five subjects.
Candidates preparing for CLAT UG 2027 should understand eligibility, application requirements, examination pattern, syllabus and counselling procedures before applying.
This guide provides verified information from the Consortium’s official examination portal, updated as of 25 October 2026.
CLAT UG 2027: Examination Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination name | Common Law Admission Test (CLAT UG) |
| Current examination cycle | CLAT 2027 |
| Conducting authority | Consortium of National Law Universities |
| Examination level | National |
| Purpose | Admission to five-year integrated undergraduate law programmes |
| Participating universities | 26 National Law Universities, as stated by the Consortium |
| Academic session | 2027–2028 |
| Application mode | Online |
| Examination mode | Offline, pen-and-paper |
| Examination date | 6 December 2026 |
| Examination timing | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Total questions | 120 |
| Maximum marks | 120 |
| Negative marking | 0.25 marks per incorrect answer |
| Official website | consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
The examination assesses comprehension, legal aptitude, analytical reasoning, current affairs awareness and basic quantitative ability.
Candidates can check official updates through the CLAT 2027 examination portal.
What is CLAT UG and Who Should Apply?
CLAT UG provides an admission pathway to participating National Law Universities offering integrated undergraduate legal education.
The five-year integrated law programme combines legal studies with subjects from another academic discipline. Depending on the institution, available programmes may include B.A. LL.B., B.B.A. LL.B. and other approved integrated degrees.
The exact courses offered vary between universities. Applicants should examine individual university brochures before finalising their admission preferences.
CLAT UG is suitable for candidates who wish to pursue legal education after Class 12. It is particularly relevant for students interested in advocacy, judicial services, corporate law, legal research, policy work and other law-related careers.
Unlike a conventional recruitment examination, CLAT does not directly offer government employment. It provides admission opportunities for undergraduate legal education.
CLAT UG 2027 Notification and Important Dates
The Consortium has published the examination schedule and application instructions for CLAT 2027.
| Event | Date or status |
|---|---|
| Application registration begins | 3 August 2026 |
| Last date for registration | 31 October 2026 |
| Final submission deadline | 31 October 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Admit card release | To be announced |
| CLAT UG examination | 6 December 2026 |
| Examination timing | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
| Result declaration | Official date not yet verified |
| Admission counselling | December 2026/January 2027, according to the official FAQ |
| Academic session | 2027–2028 |
The announced examination date remains subject to revision if necessary.
Eligible candidates entitled to additional examination time have a scheduled examination window extending until 4:40 PM.
Applicants should consult the official CLAT UG 2027 instructions for any subsequent changes.
The Consortium has also published notices concerning certain university reservation categories and examination centres. Candidates should review these notices before submitting their applications.
CLAT UG 2027 Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility requirements primarily concern educational qualifications, minimum qualifying marks and nationality.
Educational Qualification
Candidates must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent qualifying examination from a recognised educational board.
The prescribed minimum marks are:
| Category | Minimum qualifying marks |
|---|---|
| General and other categories not covered by the relaxation | 45% |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 40% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 40% |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwD) | 40% |
Equivalent grades are accepted according to the applicable qualifying examination rules.
Can Class 12 Appearing Students Apply?
Yes. Candidates appearing in their qualifying examinations during March or April 2027 are eligible.
However, eligibility to appear in CLAT does not guarantee admission.
Such candidates must produce proof of passing their qualifying examination when required during admission. Failure to satisfy this requirement may result in the loss of admission eligibility.
Candidates awaiting board examination results should monitor instructions issued by the concerned NLU.
Age Limit
There is no upper age limit for CLAT UG 2027.
Consequently, applicants are not disqualified merely because they exceed a particular age.
They must still satisfy the prescribed educational eligibility requirements.
Nationality
The official instructions permit Indian nationals, NRIs, PIO card holders and OCI card holders to appear for CLAT 2027.
Foreign nationals cannot appear through CLAT and must approach the relevant universities directly.
Admissions against NRI or NRI-sponsored seats follow the concerned institution’s admission rules. The Consortium does not allot seats under these categories.
Candidates should consult the official eligibility criteria before applying.
CLAT UG 2027 Application Form: How to Apply
Candidates must submit their applications online through the Consortium’s official website.
The prescribed registration procedure involves the following steps:
- Visit consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
- Open the CLAT 2027 registration portal.
- Register using a personal mobile number and email address.
- Verify the mobile number through the OTP authentication process.
- Log in using the registered credentials.
- Select the undergraduate programme and applicable category.
- Enter personal, educational and other required details.
- Upload the prescribed documents and certificates.
- Pay the applicable application fee through the online payment gateway.
- Complete final submission before the prescribed deadline.
Candidates should ensure that their names and their parents’ names match official certificates.
The Consortium does not permit changes to programme, category and BPL status after final submission and payment.
Applicants should therefore review every entry carefully before paying the examination fee.
Documents Required for CLAT UG Registration
The official instructions specify these documents, wherever applicable:
- Recent front-facing passport-size photograph with a plain background.
- Candidate’s signature.
- SC, ST or OBC category certificate, where applicable.
- PwD certificate issued by the competent authority, where applicable.
- BPL certificate issued by the competent authority, where applicable.
Candidates should follow the prescribed document-upload formats and technical requirements.
Original supporting documents will be required during admission according to the concerned university’s instructions.
CLAT UG 2027 Application Fees
The application fees differ according to the candidate’s category.
| Category | Application fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC | ₹4,000 |
| SC / ST / BPL / PwD | ₹3,500 |
| Previous-year question paper purchase | Additional ₹500, if selected |
The previous-year paper purchase charge is separate from the examination application fee.
Applicable bank transaction charges are also payable by candidates.
The Consortium states that examination application fees are non-refundable and non-adjustable.
Payment must be completed online through the authorised application portal.
CLAT UG 2027 Examination Pattern
CLAT UG 2027 will follow an objective, passage-based examination format.
The examination is designed to assess whether candidates can understand information, interpret arguments and apply reasoning appropriately.
| Examination component | Details |
|---|---|
| Question type | Multiple-choice questions |
| Total questions | 120 |
| Maximum marks | 120 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Correct answer | +1 mark |
| Incorrect answer | −0.25 marks |
| Unanswered question | No deduction |
| Examination mode | Offline |
The Consortium has prescribed five subject areas with approximate section-wise weightages.
Section-wise Distribution of Questions
| Subject | Approximate questions | Approximate weightage |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 22–26 | 20% |
| Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 28–32 | 25% |
| Legal Reasoning | 28–32 | 25% |
| Logical Reasoning | 22–26 | 20% |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10–14 | 10% |
| Total | 120 overall | 100% |
These figures represent the Consortium’s prescribed approximate distribution. Actual subject totals may vary within these ranges.
Current Affairs and Legal Reasoning together represent approximately half the examination.
However, no subject should be neglected. A competitive performance requires both reading accuracy and balanced preparation.
The official CLAT UG question paper format provides the controlling examination pattern.
CLAT UG 2027 Detailed Syllabus
The official syllabus emphasises reading comprehension and reasoning rather than memorisation alone.
1. English Language
The English Language section contains passages of approximately 450 words.
Passages may be selected from contemporary or historically significant fictional and non-fictional works.
Questions examine the candidate’s ability to:
- Understand the central argument and supporting ideas.
- Identify the author’s perspective and reasoning.
- Draw inferences from the passage.
- Summarise the information presented.
- Compare different viewpoints.
- Interpret words and phrases within their context.
Candidates should regularly practise comprehension-based questions rather than relying exclusively on isolated grammar exercises.
2. Current Affairs, Including General Knowledge
This section contains passages of up to approximately 450 words.
The passages may be drawn from news reports, journalistic writing and other non-fiction material.
The official syllabus covers:
- Important national and international developments.
- Contemporary events affecting India and other countries.
- Arts, culture and related developments.
- International affairs.
- Historical events with continuing significance.
Candidates should understand the background and consequences of important developments.
The Consortium does not prescribe a fixed date range for current affairs.
Therefore, restricting preparation to an assumed six-month or twelve-month period may leave gaps.
Aspirants should also understand significant constitutional developments, major judgments and public policy issues where relevant.
3. Legal Reasoning
Legal Reasoning assesses the candidate’s ability to identify and apply legal principles.
Passages may involve legal disputes, public policy problems or moral and philosophical questions.
Candidates are expected to:
- Identify legal rules and principles contained in a passage.
- Apply those principles to hypothetical situations.
- Distinguish relevant facts from irrelevant facts.
- Understand the effect of changing factual circumstances.
- Select the conclusion supported by the stated legal principles.
Prior formal knowledge of law is not required under the official syllabus.
Nevertheless, familiarity with basic legal terminology and constitutional concepts can improve reading confidence.
The stronger preparation method involves practising principle-based application rather than memorising statutory provisions without context.
4. Logical Reasoning
Logical Reasoning tests how accurately candidates understand and evaluate arguments.
This section generally involves short passages followed by analytical questions.
Important abilities include:
- Identifying premises and conclusions.
- Recognising the structure of arguments.
- Evaluating the strength of reasoning.
- Identifying assumptions and inconsistencies.
- Drawing logical inferences.
- Assessing how additional information strengthens or weakens an argument.
- Understanding analogies and relationships.
Candidates should practise distinguishing conclusions supported by a passage from conclusions that merely appear plausible.
5. Quantitative Techniques
Quantitative Techniques evaluates the interpretation and application of numerical information.
Questions may contain tables, short factual statements or other numerical representations.
The official syllabus expects candidates to:
- Extract relevant numerical information.
- Perform calculations based on supplied data.
- Apply ratios and proportions.
- Understand basic algebra.
- Use elementary mensuration.
- Apply statistical estimation and related mathematical operations.
The expected mathematical foundation broadly corresponds to Class 10.
Aspirants should prioritise data interpretation, calculation accuracy and speed.
The complete subject-wise requirements are available in the official CLAT UG 2027 syllabus.
Participating National Law Universities and Courses
CLAT UG scores are accepted for undergraduate law admissions at participating National Law Universities.
The Consortium identifies 26 participating NLUs for the CLAT 2027 cycle.
Prominent participating institutions include:
- National Law School of India University, Bengaluru.
- NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.
- National Law Institute University, Bhopal.
- West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.
- National Law University, Jodhpur.
- Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur.
- Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar.
- Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow.
- Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab.
- National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi.
The participating university list also includes several newer institutions and campuses.
Candidates should consult each institution’s brochure for available programmes, reservation policies, fees and intake.
Admission-related conditions may differ significantly between institutions.
The official participating universities directory provides institutional websites and brochures.
CLAT UG 2027 Counselling and Admission Process
The admission process begins after the examination results become available.
The Consortium conducts centralised counselling for seats covered by its admission process.
Candidates should monitor subsequent instructions concerning counselling registration, university preferences, allotment rounds and fee payment.
A candidate’s examination rank alone does not guarantee admission to a preferred university.
Relevant considerations include the applicable admission rules, available seats, reservation category and candidate preferences.
The Consortium has clarified that admission offers are provisional.
Participating institutions may revise their intake and reservation distribution before final allotment.
Candidates must complete institutional requirements and produce the prescribed original documents.
Reservation and Category Requirements
Participating NLUs may apply different reservation policies according to their governing provisions.
Categories and eligibility conditions should therefore be verified university-wise.
Applicants claiming reservation benefits must produce certificates issued by the competent authority.
A category entered in the application form does not independently establish entitlement to reservation benefits.
Tie-breaking Rules
The Consortium has prescribed the following order for resolving equal CLAT 2027 scores:
- Higher marks in the Legal Aptitude component.
- Higher age.
- Computerised draw of lots.
Candidates should refer to the latest official counselling instructions when released.
CLAT UG Previous-Year Question Papers (PYQs) and Answer Keys
Previous-year question papers help candidates understand the actual examination format and its application.
Official question booklets are particularly useful because they reflect the questions administered during previous examinations.
The following resources provide access to CLAT UG question papers and related answer keys.
| Examination year | Question paper | Answer key or related source |
|---|---|---|
| CLAT UG 2026 | Official Consortium question booklets, Appendix I | Official answer keys and objections notification |
| CLAT UG 2025 | 2025 question paper, AglaSem archive | 2025 paper and answer key directory |
| CLAT UG 2024 | 2024 question paper, AglaSem archive | 2024 paper and answer key directory |
| Earlier years | CLAT previous-year paper archive | Year-wise available keys and related materials |
Important: The official CLAT 2026 compilation includes multiple UG and PG sets. Candidates should select the undergraduate booklet and its corresponding answer key.
The Consortium’s notification dated 16 December 2025 stated that the CLAT UG 2026 evaluation would be out of 119 marks. This historical adjustment must not be confused with the prescribed 120-mark CLAT UG 2027 examination pattern.
The official CLAT 2026 notification and papers remain valuable for understanding the recent examination.
How to Use Previous-Year Papers Effectively
Candidates should initially attempt recent papers without time restrictions to understand their structure.
Subsequently, attempt full papers under a strict two-hour time limit.
After each attempt, examine incorrect answers and identify the reasoning mistakes involved.
Maintain a record of weak subjects and frequently recurring error types.
Where an official final answer key exists, prefer it over an unofficial coaching answer key.
Older examinations may follow different formats. Candidates should not automatically assume that historical question distribution remains applicable.
CLAT UG 2027 Preparation Strategy
Preparation should reflect both the prescribed section weights and each candidate’s existing strengths.
Build Strong Reading Skills
Reading comprehension influences English, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and parts of Current Affairs.
Candidates should develop a daily reading habit using quality newspapers, explanatory articles and non-fiction writing.
Reading should focus on identifying arguments, understanding context and drawing supported conclusions.
Give Consistent Attention to Current Affairs
Current Affairs carries approximately 25% weightage under the official examination scheme.
Prepare concise notes covering significant national developments, international affairs, legal events and historical background.
Revise regularly instead of attempting to memorise extensive material immediately before the examination.
Practise Legal Reasoning Through Application
Legal Reasoning requires accurate application of supplied principles.
Practice questions should involve different factual situations and possible legal outcomes.
Candidates must learn to follow the rule provided in the question, even where their assumptions differ.
Improve Logical Reasoning Accuracy
Practise assumption-based, inference-based and argument-evaluation questions.
Understand why incorrect options fail.
This approach develops judgment and improves performance in unfamiliar passages.
Revise Basic Mathematics
Quantitative Techniques should not be ignored because of its relatively smaller weightage.
Practise ratios, percentages, basic algebra, statistical calculations and data interpretation.
Focus on reducing calculation errors while maintaining reasonable solving speed.
Attempt Regular Mock Examinations
Timed mock examinations improve question selection, reading speed and time management.
Analyse every mock systematically.
An increased number of attempted questions is useful only when accuracy remains sufficiently high.
Because incorrect answers attract negative marking, candidates should avoid unsupported guessing.
A Practical Weekly Preparation Framework
| Activity | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|
| Reading comprehension | Daily |
| Current affairs preparation | Daily |
| Legal Reasoning practice | Daily |
| Logical Reasoning practice | Four to five days weekly |
| Quantitative Techniques | Three to four days weekly |
| Timed mock test | Based on preparation stage |
| Mock analysis and revision | After every mock |
This framework is a suggested preparation method, not an official Consortium timetable.
Candidates should adjust their practice according to diagnostic test results and remaining preparation time.
Frequently Asked Questions About CLAT UG 2027
1. What is the CLAT UG 2027 examination date?
The examination is scheduled for 6 December 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, subject to any official revision.
2. What is the last date to apply for CLAT UG 2027?
The Consortium has prescribed 31 October 2026 at 11:59 PM as the final submission deadline.
3. Can a Class 12 student apply for CLAT UG 2027?
Yes. Students appearing for their qualifying examinations in 2027 can apply, subject to producing proof of passing during admission.
4. Is there an age limit for CLAT UG 2027?
No. The official eligibility rules prescribe no upper age limit.
5. What is the minimum percentage required in Class 12?
The minimum is 45% generally, with a reduced threshold of 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
6. Is legal knowledge compulsory for CLAT UG?
The official Legal Reasoning syllabus does not require prior formal knowledge of law. Candidates must demonstrate comprehension and application of principles.
7. Is there negative marking in CLAT UG?
Yes. Candidates receive one mark for each correct answer, while 0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer.
8. Does qualifying CLAT guarantee admission to an NLU?
No. Admission depends upon rank, available seats, category-specific rules, preferences and completion of the prescribed admission process.
Official CLAT UG 2027 Resources
Candidates should consult the following primary sources for accurate examination information:
- Consortium of National Law Universities
- CLAT 2027 Examination Portal
- CLAT UG 2027 Eligibility Criteria
- CLAT UG 2027 Application Instructions and Fees
- CLAT UG 2027 Examination Pattern
- CLAT UG 2027 Official Syllabus
- CLAT 2027 Participating Universities
- CLAT 2027 Official FAQs
Official contact: clat@consortiumofnlus.ac.in
Official helpline: 08047162020
Candidates preparing for CLAT UG 2027 should complete registration within the prescribed deadline and follow all subsequent official notices. Consistent comprehension practice, careful revision and examination-focused reasoning can build a stronger foundation for admission to an integrated law programme.
Last updated: 25 October 2026. Examination dates, procedures and admission requirements remain subject to subsequent official notifications.
