CLAT 2026 Exam Date Out—Check Paper Pattern, and Syllabus
The consortium of National Law Universities has officially announced the CLAT 2026 (Common Law Admission Test) exam date. The exam will be conducted on December 7, 2025, from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. The CLAT 2026 examination will be held in the offline mode only. Candidates can submit their applications only online through the official website consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
CLAT 2026 Key Highlights
| Course | Details |
| Exam Name | Common Law Admission Test 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Consortium of National Law Universities |
| Exam Date | December 7, 2025 |
| Exam Mode | Offline (Pen and Paper) |
| Courses Offered | UG and PG law programmes |
CLAT 2026 UG Question Format
| Particulars | Details |
| Maximum Marks | 120 |
| Duration of Exam | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Type of Questions | Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total Questions | 120 questions of 1 mark each |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 mark deducted for each wrong answer |
Exam Syllabus for UG
| Subject Area | Key Topics Covered |
| English Language | Reading passages (approx. 450 words) from fiction/non-fiction; tasks include comprehension, inference, summarising, comparing viewpoints, and vocabulary in context. |
| Current Affairs & General Knowledge | Passages from journalistic/non-fiction sources on: contemporary events (India and world), arts & culture, international affairs, and historically significant events |
| Legal Reasoning | Passages (~450 words) on fact situations, legal/moral/philosophical issues; no prior legal knowledge required; apply principles to scenarios |
| Logical Reasoning | Short analytical passages (approx. 450 words); identify arguments, patterns, relationships, draw conclusions, analogies, contradictions |
| Quantitative Techniques | Basic mathematics (Class 10-12 level), including arithmetic, ratios, proportions, averages, data interpretation, graphs/diagrams. |
Subject-wise Weightage
| Subject Area | Approx. Number of Questions | Weightage (Approx.) |
| 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% |
PG Question Paper Format
| Particulars | Details |
| Maximum Marks | 120 |
| Duration of Exam | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Type of Questions | Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total Questions | 120 questions of 1 mark each |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 mark deducted for each wrong answer |
Exam Syllabus for PG (LLM / Postgraduate Law)
Subject Area |
Key Topics Covered |
| Constitutional Law | Indian Constitution: Preamble, Citizenship, Fundamental Rights & Duties, DPSPs, major Amendments, Centre-State relations, etc. |
| Jurisprudence | Nature and sources of law; schools of jurisprudence; legal rights/duties/powers; theories of punishment; law & morals. |
| Administrative Law | Control over administration; rule of law; natural justice; delegated legislation; judicial review. |
| Law of Contract | Offer & acceptance, consideration, capacity, vitiating factors; breach & remedies; specific contracts like indemnity, guarantee, agency. |
| Torts | General principles, negligence, nuisance, defamation, vicarious liability, absolute/strict liability, and consumer protection. |
| Family Law | Marriage, divorce, adoption, guardianship, succession (as part of PG syllabus). |
| Criminal Law | Offences under IPC, stages of trial (investigation, inquiry, trial), bail, plea bargaining, and vitiation of proceedings. |
| Property Law | Types of property: sale, lease, mortgage, gift, will, actionable claims, etc. |
| Company Law | Corporate governance, incorporation, directors, shareholders, mergers & acquisitions. |
| Public International Law | Sources of international law, relationship with municipal law, treaties, state recognition, dispute settlement, and human rights. |
| Tax Law / Environmental Law / Labour & Industrial Law | Various recent statutes & regulatory frameworks, e.g., Environmental Protection Act, labour codes, social security laws. |
Admit Card
The Admit Card/Hall ticket can be downloaded by the candidate by logging into his/her account. The exact date on which the hall tickets will be made available will be intimated on the website.
Conclusion
The CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is a national-level entrance exam administered to gain admission to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law courses across 25 National Law Universities. The Consortium of National Law Universities organises the exam to provide the highest standards of legal education to make Indian legal education comparable with the most reputed international institutions of legal education.
FAQ
Q1. What is the date of the CLAT exam 2026?
Ans. The date of the CLAT exam 2026 is December 7, 2025.
Q2. Will CLAT be held twice in 2026?
Ans. No, CLAT will be conducted only in 2026. The CLAT 2026 exam shall be conducted on December 7, 2025, and the result shall be applied in admission to the academic year of 2026-27.
Q3. Which NLU is conducting the CLAT 2026 exam?
Ans. The Consortium of National Law Universities organises the CLAT 2026 exam.
Q4. Who is eligible for the CLAT exam 2026?
Ans. To appear for the CLAT exam 2026, you are required to pass 10+2 from a recognised board or college or achieve a minimum of 45% marks.
Q5. What rank is 75 marks in CLAT 2026?
Ans. Marks of CLAT exam vs Rank 2025:
| CLAT Marks | CLAT Rank | Expected NLU |
| 75 – 80 | 2501 – 3500 | 20th to 26th NLUs |
| 70 – 75 | 3501 – 5000 | No NLU |
| 65 – 70 | 5001 – 10,000 | No NLU |
| 60 – 65 | 10,001 – 15,000 | No NLU |
