CLAT 2027 Exam: Dates, Admit Card, Syllabus and Pattern

*From CLAT 2011-2026.

What is CLAT Exam?

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is the national-level entrance exam for undergraduate law programmes such as BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB, BSc LLB and BSW LLB at the 27 National Law Universities. The Consortium of NLUs conducts it once a year, and the score is accepted by all participating NLUs. You do not need any legal knowledge to attempt it. The paper tests how well you read passages and reason through them, and even in Legal Reasoning, the passage gives you the principle to apply.

CLAT 2027 Exam Overview

CLAT follows a fixed pattern, marking scheme, and format. Below is a quick overview of the CLAT Exam:

Two hours for 120 questions means you have about one minute per question, so practise reading passages quickly.

CLAT 2027 Important Dates

The Consortium has confirmed the CLAT 2027 exam date. The admit card, answer key, and result dates are tentative, based on earlier cycles.

CLAT 2027 Latest Updates

• The CLAT 2027 registration window has been extended till 7 November 2026. Candidates who have not yet applied can still fill the CLAT 2027 application form.
• Candidates can update their test location preference and make any other correction in the application form on or before 10 November 2026.
• There is no change in the CLAT 2027 syllabus or pattern. Any reforms from the Expert Committee would apply from CLAT 2028 onward, if adopted.
• The Consortium has removed Vellore and Tiruvarur from the list of CLAT 2027 test cities.
• A change in the reservation category has been notified for WBNUJS Kolkata and NLU Meghalaya.
• The Consortium has published a policy for Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates for the conduct of CLAT 2027.

Read these notices on the Consortium's CLAT page before you fill the form, since they affect your category and test city choices, and read the CLAT 2028 reforms guide if you are planning for the next cycle.

CLAT 2027 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must fulfil the CLAT 2027 eligibility requirements prescribed by the Consortium of National Law Universities to apply.

Educational Qualification

Any applicant who has passed the 10+2 or an equivalent examination can apply for the CLAT exam. The minimum marks required for different categories are listed below:

Note: If you will appear for Class 12 in March or April 2027, you are eligible to apply. You must show proof of passing at the time of admission, or you lose your right to be considered for admission.

CLAT 2027 Age Limit

There is no upper age limit for CLAT UG 2027. Candidates of any age who meet the educational qualification criteria can apply.

CLAT 2027 Registration Process

The Consortium of NLUs does not entertain updates to the application form after the closing date, so candidates should fill in every detail correctly the first time. CLAT 2027 registration is open until 7 November 2026, following an extension from 31 October 2026.

How to Fill the CLAT 2027 Application Form

You can finish the form in one sitting if you keep your documents ready. Keep a recent passport-size photograph, your signature, and, if applicable, your category, PwD, or BPL certificate with you.

• Register on consortiumofnlus.ac.in with your mobile number and email ID, then verify the OTP and log in.
• Fill in your personal and academic details, and select your UG programme, category, and test city preferences.
• Upload your photograph, signature, and any category, PwD or BPL certificate in the prescribed format.
• Pay the application fee online and check that the payment shows as successful.
• Review the form, submit it, and download the confirmation page and fee receipt.

Enter your details exactly as they appear on your official documents. For the file size and format of each upload, see our guide to documents required for the CLAT 2027 application form.

CLAT 2027 Application Fees

The application fees depend on your category, and you pay it online while submitting the form.

The fee is non-refundable and non-adjustable, and bank charges, if any, are paid separately.

CLAT 2027 Application Correction Window

The Consortium may open a correction window for submitted applications. If it does, the dates will be announced on consortiumofnlus.ac.in, so check the official website regularly.

Use the time before the window opens to check your application:

• Open your confirmation page and fee receipt, and compare your name, date of birth, category and programme with your official documents.
• Check the test city preferences you selected.
• Note every detail that needs a correction, so you can fix everything in one go once the window opens.

CLAT 2027 Exam Pattern

The pattern decides how you split your 2 hours across all 5 sections. The CLAT 2027 exam pattern has 120 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours, in offline pen-and-paper mode, and it is unchanged from last year.

Current Affairs and Legal Reasoning together make up about half of the paper.

CLAT 2027 Marking Scheme

CLAT 2027 Syllabus: Section-wise Important Topics

Check what each section asks before you plan your study hours, so you do not spend time on topics CLAT doesn't test. The five sections are all passage-based, and the CLAT syllabus has not changed since last year.

You do not need prior legal knowledge for Legal Reasoning, because the passage gives you the principle to apply.

How to Prepare for CLAT 2027

A good CLAT preparation strategy should focus on building strong reading and reasoning skills, staying updated with current affairs and practising regularly. Follow these key steps to make your preparation more effective:

1. Understand the CLAT Syllabus and Exam Pattern

Start by understanding the five sections, question distribution, marking scheme and time limit. This will help you plan your preparation and allocate enough time to each section.

2. Build a Daily Reading Habit

Read newspapers, editorials, and reliable news sources regularly to improve reading speed, comprehension, and vocabulary. Pay attention to the main ideas, arguments, and viewpoints presented in the passages.

3. Stay Consistent with Current Affairs

Follow important national and international events throughout the year instead of leaving GK preparation for the last few weeks. Revise current affairs regularly to retain important information.

4. Practise Section-wise and Topic-wise Questions

Solve questions regularly for each section to strengthen your concepts and identify areas that need more practice. Gradually move from topic-wise practice to full-length papers.

5. Solve Previous Year Papers and Take Mock Tests

Practise CLAT previous year papers to understand the actual question style and difficulty level. Take regular mock tests to improve speed, accuracy, and time management.

6. Analyse Your Performance and Revise

Do not stop at checking your mock score. Analyse your mistakes, identify the topics where you lose marks or time, and revise them regularly. Consistent analysis and revision can make a significant difference to your performance.

CLAT 2027 Mock Tests

Mocks show you where you lose marks before the exam does. Attempt full-length CLAT 2027 mock tests in the 2 PM to 4 PM slot, and finish each within the 2-hour limit. A mock helps only when you review it. For every mock, note the questions you got wrong, the ones that took too long, and the section where your accuracy dropped. As the exam gets closer, increase the number of full-length mocks.

As the exam approaches, gradually increase the frequency of full-length mocks and practise attempting the paper within the two-hour time limit.

CLAT 2027 Admit Card

The CLAT 2027 admit card will be released approximately 15 days before the exam, expected in November 2026, on the official Consortium website. Carrying the admit card to the exam centre is mandatory.

Steps to Download CLAT 2027 Admit Card

1. Go to consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
2. Select CLAT 2027 and log in with your registered mobile number and password.
3. Click the “Download Admit Card” link.
4. Save the PDF and print 2-3 copies on A4 paper.

The admit card contains: Roll number, exam centre name and address, exam timing, and instructions for the day.

CLAT 2027 Exam Centres

The application form asks candidates to select their preferred test cities, and the Consortium discloses the allotted centre only on the admit card. The Consortium has removed Vellore and Tiruvarur from the list of CLAT 2027 test cities. Candidates can select 3 centre preferences. The final centre list will be released by the Consortium in the official notification. Given below is the state-wise list of CLAT 2027 exam centres.

For the city-wise list of CLAT exam centres, check our detailed CLAT 2027 Exam Centres page.

CLAT 2027 Answer Key

The Consortium releases the CLAT answer key in two stages. The provisional key comes first, along with the question booklets. Candidates get a short window to challenge it. The final key follows once the objections are reviewed, and the CLAT result is prepared from it.

Each question booklet series (A, B, C and D) has its own key, so use the one for the series printed on your booklet. Marks are calculated as +1 for each correct answer and -0.25 for each wrong one, with no deduction for unattempted questions. Compare the key with your downloaded response sheet to estimate your score for the 120-mark paper.

CLAT 2027 Result

Your result and All India Rank decide whether you are called for counselling, which is the last stage of admission to the NLUs. The CLAT 2027 result is expected in mid-December 2026 (tentative), within about ten days of the exam, as in the CLAT 2026 cycle. The Consortium releases the result in PDF format right after the final answer key.

Your scorecard in the candidate login shows your sectional marks, total score, and All India Rank, and the Consortium publishes separate merit lists for UG and PG. If two UG candidates have the same score, the tie is broken in this order: higher marks in Legal Reasoning, higher age, and then a computerised draw of lots.

CLAT 2027 Cutoff

The cutoff tells you the rank you need for a particular NLU, so look at the earlier ranks before you decide your preferences. The CLAT 2027 cutoff is not a fixed mark, but the closing All India Rank for each NLU in each counselling round, and no CLAT 2027 cutoff exists yet. It changes every year with the number of seats, the number of candidates, and the difficulty of the paper. The Consortium publishes the closing ranks only through its allotment lists after each counselling round.

CLAT 2027 Counselling & Seat Allotment

Your rank, category, and the order of your NLU preferences together decide which seat you get, so fill your preferences with care. CLAT 2027 counselling is conducted by the Consortium after the result is declared, and only shortlisted candidates take part.

Steps for CLAT 2027 Counselling Process

• Register for counselling and pay the counselling fee.
• Choose and confirm your preferred NLUs and programmes.
• Check the provisional seat allotment, then accept the seat or choose an upgrade, if available.
• Pay the fee, get your documents verified and complete the admission at the allotted NLU, within the deadline.

Check the Consortium website regularly for the counselling schedule and seat allocation rules.

CLAT 2027 Reservation Policy

Reservation in CLAT admissions is governed by the individual policies of participating National Law Universities (NLUs). Categories such as SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwD, and domicile-based reservations may vary across institutions. Candidates are advised to check the reservation matrix published by the respective NLU before participating in the counselling process.

CLAT 2027 Help Desk

If your registration, admit card, or result shows a problem, contact the help desk early, since it works only at fixed hours. The CLAT 2027 help desk of the Consortium of NLUs answers queries on the application form, admit card, result and counselling.