CLAT 2026 Recruitment , Exam Pattern, and Eligibility Criteria

CLAT 2026 Recruitment

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2026) will be held on 7 December 2025 (2 p.m.–4 p.m.) for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes by participating NLUs. CLAT PG scores are widely used for recruitment by public-sector undertakings like ONGC, Coal India, and the Indian Army’s JAG branch, giving law graduates career opportunities beyond university entry. To be eligible for CLAT PG, candidates must have completed an LL.B. degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST)

1. 🔎 Overview: CLAT 2026 – Purpose and Conducting Body

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the central national-level entrance exam conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) in India, held annually for admissions to UG (5-year integrated L.L.B.) and PG (1-year L.L.M.) law programs at participating NLUs and select law institutes.
CLAT PG scores are also increasingly used for recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings (e.g., ONGC, Coal India, Indian Army JAG) .

2. 📅 Important Dates & Application Schedule

The official CLAT 2026 exam is scheduled for Sunday, 7 December 2025, from 2 PM to 4 PM in offline, pen‑and‑paper mode.
The application window opens on 1 August 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025 .
Key dates such as admit card release (mid-November 2025), provisional/final answer keys (immediately after the exam), results (early December), and start of counselling (around mid-December) will follow shortly after the exam date.

3. 🎓 Eligibility Criteria

3.1 Undergraduate (UG) – Integrated Law Programmes (BA LLB, BCom LLB, etc.)

Education: Pass or appear in Class 12 (10 + 2) or equivalent from a recognized board. Final year students appearing in March/April 2026 are eligible to apply, but must provide proof of passing at admission time.
Minimum Aggregate:
- General, OBC, PWD, NRI/PIO/OCI candidates must have 45% aggregate in Class 12.
- SC, ST candidates have a 5% relaxation, i.e., 40% minimum.
Age Limit: No upper or lower age limit is prescribed for UG CLAT.
Nationality: Indian citizens, NRIs/PIO/OCI are allowed. Foreign nationals should check specific institute norms .

3.2 Postgraduate (PG) – L.L.M. Programmes

Education: Must hold a 3‑year or 5‑year LLB degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university. Final‑year LLB students can apply provided they pass before the admission deadlines.
Minimum Aggregate:
- General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI: 50% aggregate in LLB.
- SC/ST: 45% aggregate (i.e. 5% relaxation) .
Age Limit: There is no upper age limit for CLAT PG.

4. 📝 Exam Pattern: What to Expect

4.1 Mode & Format

Mode: Offline pen-and-paper test only. No online computer‑based format.
Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours).
Question Type: Multiple‑Choice Questions (MCQs), all passage-based, no descriptive answers .
Total Questions: 120 questions, 1 mark each, making the exam out of 120 marks.
Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each incorrect response.

4.2 Section‑Wise Breakdown & Weightage

The CLAT UG exam comprises five sections, approximate weightage range based on previous years:

Section	No. of Questions	Approx. % of Paper
English Language	22–26	~20%
Logical Reasoning	22–26	~20%
Legal Reasoning	28–32	~25%
Current Affairs & General Knowledge	28–32	~25%
Quantitative Techniques (Basic Maths)	10–14	~10%
Total	120	100%

English Language: Reading comprehension passages (~450 words), vocabulary, grammar, usage.
Logical Reasoning: Analytical reasoning, puzzles, patterns, syllogisms .
Legal Reasoning: Hypotheticals on statutes, case law, legal propositions .
Current Affairs & GK: National and international current events, static GK, politics, economy, science.
Quantitative Techniques: Elementary mathematical problems; arithmetic, algebra, basic data interpretation.

CLAT PG: Also 120 MCQs in 120 minutes; the test covers legal domains such as Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Criminal Law, Contract Law, Torts, Company Law, Labour Law, Environmental Law, etc. There is +1 for correct, –0.25 for wrong answers.

5. 📋 Application Process & Fees

Online Registration: Through the CLAT official portal (consortiumofnlus.ac.in) starting 1 August 2025, closing 31 October 2025.
Application Steps:
1. Register using email/mobile.
2. Verify OTP.
3. Fill form, select programme (UG or PG).
4. Upload scanned documents (photo, signature, certificates).
5. Pay fee and submit.
6. Review details; edit if within correction window.
Correction Window: Likely similar to previous years—small window to modify personal test centre preferences, programme choice, or category before final submission .
Fee Structure:
- General/OBC/NRI: ₹ 4,000
- SC/ST/PWD/BPL: ₹ 3,500 per application .
Final admit cards are expected to be released on November 2025, approx three weeks before the exam day.

6. 🎯 Tie-breaking & Other Rules

In cases of tied scores, tie-breakers are typically applied in the following order:
1. Higher marks in the Legal Reasoning section.
2. Older candidate (higher age).
3. Draw of lots (random computerised).
Scorecards include total marks, CLAT rank, and category-wise rank.
After the results, counselling and seat allotment is done based on the preferences filled and available seats in each NLU.

7. 🧠 Recruitment & Career Scope

While CLAT is primarily for admissions, its PG exam score is increasingly used for recruitment by various organizations:

Central PSUs (e.g., ONGC, Coal India, BHEL).
Indian Army (Judge Advocate General branch) uses CLAT PG scores for JAG recruitment.
Some top law firms and corporations may consider CLAT PG rankings for lateral hiring or internships.

Thus, CLAT recruitment, especially in PG scores can open doors into government legal services and corporate legal roles.

8. 📥 Summary Snapshot & Tips

Eligibility Summary

UG: 10+2 pass/appearing; 45% (General/OBC/others) or 40% (SC/ST/PwD); no age limit.
PG: LLB completed or appearing; 50% (General/OBC/others) or 45% (SC/ST); no age limit.

Exam Pattern

120 MCQs, 2 hours, offline mode, –0.25 negative marking.
Sections: English, Logical, Legal, GK/Current Affairs, Quantitative.

Timeline (absolute dates)

Registration: 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Oct 2025.
Exam Day: 7 Dec 2025, 2 PM–4 PM.
Admit Card: ~mid‑Nov 2025.
Answer Key & Results: early to mid‑Dec 2025.
Counselling begins: mid‑Dec 2025.

Exam Strategy Tips

Simulate full-length test (120 Qs in 120 minutes).
Focus on Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs, as they carry the most weight.
Practice comprehension and logic puzzles daily.
Keep up with current affairs (especially last 6–12 months).
Revise basic quant and vocabulary regularly.
Review tie-breaker rules: Scoring high in Legal Aptitude can help in tie situations.

9. ⚖️ Final Thoughts

CLAT 2026 is designed to assess legal aptitude, reasoning skills and general awareness rather than rote memorization of law. The eligibility criteria permit a wide range of aspirants—from school-leavers to working professionals—to participate, provided they meet academic thresholds. While age is not a barrier, strong preparation, time‑management, and sound strategy—especially in high‑weight sections—are essential for cracking CLAT.

For recruitment using CLAT PG scores, candidates should check the involvement of PSUs and the Indian Army JAG posts in advance and map their scores/ranks to minimum cut‑offs posted by those institutions.

Candidates are advised to regularly scan the official website (consortiumofnlus.ac.in) for updates, sample papers, official syllabus, and any changes in pattern, dates or eligibility.

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CLAT 2026 Recruitment , Exam Pattern, and Eligibility Criteria