CLAT 2028: Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus & Registration

CLAT 2028: Key Highlights

All figures for CLAT 2028 are projected from recent CLAT cycles and will be confirmed only once the Consortium releases the official notification.

CLAT 2028 Important Dates

CLAT has consistently been held on a Sunday in early December over the last several years, and CLAT 2028 is expected to follow the same pattern. Here's how the full cycle:

CLAT 2028 Eligibility Criteria

Students appearing for Class 12 boards in 2028 can apply for CLAT 2028, but they'll need to submit proof of having passed the qualifying exam at the time of document verification. There's no restriction on the number of attempts and no upper age limit either - so droppers and gap-year candidates remain fully eligible.

CLAT 2028 Exam Pattern

The exam pattern has stayed largely consistent over the past several cycles, and CLAT 2028 is expected to follow the same structure: five sections, 120 questions, 2 hours.

The paper is entirely passage-based; every section tests comprehension and application rather than rote recall, so reading speed and accuracy matter more than memorised facts. No section requires prior legal knowledge; the Legal Reasoning passages give you all the principles you need within the question itself.

CLAT 2028 Syllabus

Based on the Consortium's official CLAT syllabus framework, here's what each section is expected to cover for CLAT 2028:

Every section is passage-based by design; the exam isn't testing what you already know as much as how well you can read, reason, and apply information given to you on the spot. This is exactly why comprehension speed, built over months of consistent reading, matters more for CLAT 2028 than last-minute topic cramming.

CLAT 2028 Registration Process

Registration for CLAT 2028 will open only after the Consortium releases the official notification, expected around July 2027. The entire process runs online through the Consortium's portal, and candidates can expect it to unfold roughly like this:

1. Create your registration on the portal with a mobile number and email address; this becomes your login for the rest of the process.
2. An OTP will be sent to confirm the number is active and correctly entered.
3. Once logged in, complete the form with your academic background, personal details, and contact information.
4. Choose the exam centres you'd prefer, keeping in mind that popular cities tend to get booked out faster.
5. Upload a recent photograph, your signature, and any category or disability certificates that apply, matching the size and format specified.
6. Complete the fee payment through the available online options.
7. Go through every section one more time before hitting submit - several fields lock once the fee is paid, so this last check matters.

Since the notification itself is still some time away, the most useful thing to do now is keep your documents and certificates ready in advance, so the actual registration window doesn't turn into a scramble.

CLAT 2028 Application Fee

The application fee is paid online at the time of registration, through the payment options available on the Consortium's portal - net banking, debit/credit card, or UPI. The fee once paid is generally non-refundable, so candidates should confirm all details in the form before making the payment.

These figures are based on the fee structure followed in recent CLAT cycles. The Consortium will confirm the exact CLAT 2028 application fee in the official notification.

How to Start Preparing for CLAT 2028

CLAT 2028 aspirants have a real advantage: time. Whether you're in Class 10, 11, or planning a drop year, here's how to use it well.

Class 10/11 students: Focus on building reading speed and comprehension habits early; this is the single biggest differentiator over a 2-year timeline. Students who read consistently through Class 10 and 11 walk into Class 12 with a real head start on the English and Legal Reasoning sections, where speed under passage-heavy conditions matters more than anything else.

Newspaper reading: Read editorials daily to strengthen both Current Affairs and English comprehension together. This one habit, sustained over two years, does more for CLAT readiness than any last-minute GK cramming ever will.

Quant fundamentals: Get Class 10-level maths concepts solid early so you're not relearning basics closer to the exam. Quantitative Techniques carries the lowest weightage in CLAT, but it's also the section where a shaky foundation costs the most time under pressure.

Mock tests: Start with sectional tests once the basic syllabus is covered, then move to full-length CLAT-pattern mocks as your preparation matures. Regular mock analysis - not just attempting mocks- is what actually improves accuracy and speed over time.

Structured guidance: A well-planned CLAT 2028 coaching program, whether online or classroom-based, helps convert this early start into consistent, trackable progress instead of scattered self-study. With close to two years available before the exam, structured guidance also means fewer wasted months on topics that don't move the needle.

CLAT 2028 Preparation Books

With almost one and a half years in hand, CLAT 2028 aspirants have a real chance to build strong fundamentals through the right books instead of last-minute cramming. Subject-wise best books for CLAT 2028 preparation are as follows:

GKP's CLAT UG series covers the exam's current pattern comprehensively and remains fully relevant for CLAT 2028 preparation since the core structure doesn't change year to year. Pair any book with CLAT PYQs and regular mock tests rather than relying on books alone; that combination is what actually builds speed and accuracy under exam conditions.

CLAT 2028 Counselling Process

Counselling comes into play only once the CLAT 2028 result is announced, which puts it well ahead on the calendar, but understanding how it works now helps you think more clearly about NLU choices as the exam approaches. Broadly, here's the sequence:

1. A separate login and registration are required specifically for counselling, apart from your exam registration.
2. You'll be asked to rank the NLUs you're interested in, from most to least preferred.
3. Based on your rank, category, and the preference order you submitted, seats are allotted in the first round.
4. Confirming your seat means paying an acceptance fee within a set window; missing this deadline can cost you the seat.
5. Once accepted, you'll need to visit the allotted NLU in person to complete document verification and finish admission formalities.
6. If any seats open up later, either unfilled or given up by other candidates, further rounds follow the same rank-based process.

Reservation rules aren't identical across NLUs - categories like SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD, along with domicile-based quotas, are decided independently by each university. Because of this, the same rank can play out very differently depending on which NLUs you've prioritised, so it's worth going through the reservation matrix of your target universities well before this stage arrives.

Key Takeaways

• CLAT 2028 is expected to be held in the first week of December 2027, with the official notification likely around July 2027.
• Eligibility is straightforward: Class 12 pass with 45% (40% for SC/ST), no upper age limit, open to all streams.
• The exam will have 120 questions across 5 sections in a 2-hour, passage-based format - no prior legal knowledge required.
• CLAT 2028 aspirants have a genuine head start, time to build reading speed, strengthen Quant fundamentals, and stay consistent with current affairs, rather than compressing prep into a few final months.
• All dates, fees, and figures on this page are projections based on recent CLAT cycles and will be confirmed once the Consortium releases the official CLAT 2028 notification.