CLAT 2027 exam guide: dates, eligibility and pattern

01

CLAT 2027 exam guide: dates, eligibility and pattern at a glance

CLAT 2027 will be held on Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, in offline mode. The UG paper has 120 multiple-choice questions of one mark each, with 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer. Applicants need a Class XII pass with 45% marks (40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates), and there is no upper age limit. The application window was 3 August to 31 October 2026. CLAT 2028 dates are not yet announced as of 31 October 2026.

02

CLAT 2027 dates and schedule

The cycle name can confuse readers. CLAT 2027 is the exam for the 2027 admission cycle, and it is held in December 2026. The next cycle, CLAT 2028, has no dates yet.

The Consortium's press release says further details on the admission process will follow in due course. Its UG instructions page adds that the exam time is subject to revision in case of necessity.

03

Eligibility for UG

The UG eligibility page sets three conditions. A candidate must have passed Class XII or an equivalent exam with at least 45% marks, or 40% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. There is no upper age limit. Candidates appearing for the qualifying exam in March or April 2027 can apply, but they must show proof of passing at admission or lose their right to be considered.

The page lists no stream or subject requirement and does not state a cap on attempts. Indian nationals, NRIs, PIO card holders and OCI card holders can appear. Foreign nationals cannot sit CLAT and must approach each university directly. NRI and NRI-sponsored seats also go through the university, not the Consortium.

The application fee was Rs 4,000 for General and OBC candidates and Rs 3,500 for SC, ST, BPL and PwD candidates, paid online, with bank charges extra. Previous years' papers cost Rs 500 separately.

04

UG exam pattern

The Consortium's question format page gives the paper structure. The question counts per section are approximate.

Each question carries one mark, and each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. The syllabus page calls the paper a test of aptitude and skills rather than prior knowledge. Most sections are passage-based, with passages of about 450 words.

• English Language tests comprehension, inference, summary, comparing viewpoints and word meaning in context, using passages a Class XII student can read in about five to seven minutes.
• Current Affairs, including General Knowledge, draws on news and journalistic passages about contemporary events in India and the world, arts and culture, international affairs and historical events of continuing significance.
• Legal Reasoning needs no prior knowledge of law. It asks candidates to find the rules in a passage and apply them to fact situations.
• Logical Reasoning covers arguments, premises and conclusions, and how a change in the facts strengthens or weakens a conclusion.
• Quantitative Techniques uses short sets of numerical information and Class 10 mathematics: ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration and statistical estimation.

<!-- cta -->

05

How to prepare

The pattern points to volume of reading. A paper of 120 questions in 120 minutes leaves about a minute per question, and most of those questions sit behind passages of around 450 words. The Consortium calls the paper a test of aptitude and skills rather than prior knowledge, so reading speed and accuracy under time matter more than memorised facts.

Start with the largest sections. Current affairs and legal reasoning each carry about a quarter of the paper. For current affairs, read a daily newspaper and keep short notes on events, institutions and places. For legal reasoning, practise passages that state a rule and then change the facts, because the questions ask how the answer shifts.

English and logical reasoning take about a fifth each. Build the habit of stating the main point of every passage in one sentence before reading the questions. Students in Hyderabad can find approved English tutors for comprehension and writing, and social studies tutors for the history and world affairs background that current affairs questions draw on.

Quantitative Techniques is the smallest section, at 10 to 14 questions, and it stays at Class 10 level. Steady practice on ratios, algebra and data sets covers it, and approved maths tutors can help a student who is rusty. Since a wrong answer costs a quarter of what a right one earns, guess only after ruling out options.

Take full timed papers in the final weeks, using the previous years' question papers that the Consortium sells.

06

CLAT PG in brief

CLAT PG is the same exam cycle's route into LL.M. programmes at the member universities. For CLAT 2027 it shares the date and time slot with UG, and applicants choose UG or PG when they register. The choice cannot be changed after submission. The PG eligibility page asks for an LL.B. or equivalent degree with 50% marks, or 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates, with no upper age limit. The PG instructions page lists the same fees as UG.

Students who want more than one route into law can read about other law entrance exams.

07

Hyderabad and Telangana

NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad is one of the 26 National Law Universities. Its CLAT 2027 brochure lists the five-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) and reserves 25% of seats for resident students of Telangana, on top of CLAT eligibility and its own residency rules. Seats, fees and reservations are set by each university, so read each brochure before ranking choices.

08

Common mistakes

The first is reading "2027" as a 2027 exam date. The test is on 6 December 2026. Another is assuming an online test, when the Consortium has set offline mode. Candidates also miss that names of the student and parents must match the certificates exactly, since the Consortium says any change may disqualify the candidature. Once an application is submitted and paid, the programme and category cannot be changed. Finally, many students skip the university brochures, even though the Consortium itself tells applicants to check each one for intake, reservations and fees.

<!-- cta -->

09

Next steps

10

Official sources

• Consortium of NLUs: home page
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 press release
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 UG question format
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 UG syllabus
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 UG eligibility
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 UG instructions
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 PG eligibility
• Consortium of NLUs: CLAT 2027 PG instructions
• NALSAR University of Law: CLAT 2027 brochure