The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLUs) for admission to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programmes offered by participating National Law Universities. For thousands of law aspirants, CLAT serves as one of the principal routes to pursuing legal education at the National Law Universities.
CLAT 2027: Important Dates
The Consortium has officially announced that CLAT 2027 will be conducted on Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The online application portal is scheduled to open on 3 August 2026, with 31 October 2026 as the last date for submission of applications.The application process will therefore begin on 3 August 2026 and remain open until 31 October 2026. Candidates should ensure that their applications are completed within the prescribed period.The Consortium has further stated that additional details regarding the admission process and CLAT 2027 will be notified subsequently.
Undergraduate Programme: Eligibility.
Under the eligibility framework published for the preceding CLAT cycle, candidates seeking admission to the five-year integrated undergraduate law programme must have passed the 10+2 or an equivalent examination. The minimum qualifying marks are generally 45%, with a relaxation to 40% for candidates belonging to the SC/ST/PwD categories.Candidates appearing for their qualifying examination may also apply, subject to fulfilling the eligibility requirements at the time of admission. There is no prescribed upper age limit.These requirements should, however, be read as the latest published eligibility framework and not as the final CLAT 2027 eligibility criteria until the Consortium issues its detailed notification.
Undergraduate Programme: Syllabus and Examination Pattern
The latest published UG framework assesses a candidate primarily through comprehension, reasoning and aptitude-based questions. The examination framework includes five principal areas:
1. English Language
2. Current Affairs, including General Knowledge
3. Legal Reasoning
4. Logical Reasoning
5. Quantitative Techniques
Postgraduate Programme: Eligibility
The PG-CLAT is intended for candidates seeking admission to postgraduate law programmes. Under the latest published eligibility framework, candidates must possess an LL.B. degree or an equivalent qualification.The general minimum qualifying requirement is 50% marks, while the minimum requirement for candidates belonging to the SC/ST/PwD categories is 45%. Candidates appearing for their qualifying examination may also apply, subject to fulfilling the prescribed requirements.As with UG eligibility, these requirements represent the existing published framework and should not be treated as the final CLAT 2027 eligibility criteria until officially notified.Postgraduate Programme: Syllabus and Examination Pattern
The previously published pattern consisted of 120 multiple-choice questions, carrying one mark each, to be attempted within two hours, with negative marking for incorrect answers.The English Language section evaluates reading comprehension, inference, summarisation and understanding of arguments and language in context.Current Affairs and General Knowledge tests awareness of significant national and international events, contemporary issues, arts and culture, and historically important developments.Legal Reasoning focuses on the ability to understand legal principles and apply them to factual situations. Prior formal legal education is not necessarily required for this section.Logical Reasoning evaluates a candidate’s ability to identify arguments, draw conclusions, recognise patterns and analyse relationships.Quantitative Techniques tests the application of basic mathematical concepts and interpretation of quantitative information.
Postgraduate Programme: Eligibility.
The PG examination is substantially focused on a candidate’s understanding of core areas of law. The latest published framework covers subjects including Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law, and Labour and Industrial Law.The examination has previously consisted of 120 objective-type questions, carrying one mark each, with a duration of two hours and negative marking for incorrect answers.
A distinctive feature of the PG examination is its reliance on extracts from judgments, statutes and other legal materials. Candidates are therefore expected not merely to recall legal provisions but also to comprehend legal reasoning, identify issues and apply principles to the material presented.CLAT 2027 and the Examination ReviewAn important aspect of CLAT 2027 is the Consortium’s ongoing review of the examination framework. The Consortium has undertaken an expert-level review of the UG and PG examination structure, including aspects relating to the question paper, syllabus and overall examination framework.Consequently, aspirants should be cautious about relying exclusively on the previous year’s pattern.
The existing syllabus and eligibility criteria provide a useful preparation framework, but the final CLAT 2027 notification should be treated as authoritative once issued.Preparing for CLAT 2027For UG aspirants, preparation should focus on developing strong reading comprehension, logical reasoning, legal reasoning, quantitative ability and awareness of current affairs. Consistent reading and regular practice are particularly important because several sections assess the ability to understand and analyse passages rather than merely recall information.
For PG aspirants, preparation should be centred on core law subjects, important statutory provisions, leading judicial decisions and recent legal developments. Since the examination involves legal extracts, candidates should also develop the ability to read and analyse judgments and statutory provisions efficiently.
Conclusion
CLAT 2027 is an important opportunity for students seeking admission to participating National Law Universities. The Consortium has officially scheduled the examination for 6 December 2026, with applications opening on 3 August 2026 and closing on 31 October 2026. For both UG and PG aspirants, early preparation is essential. At the same time, candidates should remain attentive to official notifications because the Consortium’s review of the examination structure may bring changes to the existing framework. The official CLAT 2027 notification and subsequent updates from the Consortium should therefore be treated as the final authority on eligibility, syllabus, examination pattern and admission procedures.
for more details : https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2027/
