Tag: CLAT UG exam pattern

Last updated: 18 October 2026

Short answer: CLAT 2027 for the five year integrated LL.B. programmes will be held on Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (2:00 pm to 4:40 pm for eligible PwD candidates), in offline mode. The UG paper has 120 multiple choice questions across five sections, with 1 mark for each correct answer and a deduction of 0.25 for each wrong answer. Applications close on 31 October 2026. You need to have passed Class 12 with 45 per cent marks (40 per cent for SC, ST and PwD candidates), students taking their board exams in March or April 2027 can apply, and there is no upper age limit. The fee is Rs 4,000, or Rs 3,500 for SC, ST, BPL and PwD candidates.

This guide is built from the Consortium of National Law Universities’ press release of 22 July 2026, its CLAT 2027 UG eligibility, UG syllabus, UG question paper format and UG instructions pages, and the CLAT 2027 information brochures of individual NLUs. Where the official pages do not give a figure, we say so instead of filling the gap with an estimate.

CLAT 2027 UG at a glance

The Consortium’s Executive Committee and Governing Body fixed the date and the application window at meetings held on 18 July 2026, and the press release followed on 22 July. A few websites have described CLAT 2027 as a computer based test. The Consortium’s own UG instructions say the examination will be in offline mode, so prepare for a printed question booklet and an OMR sheet.

Eligibility for the five year LL.B. through CLAT 2027

• Qualifying examination: Class 12 (10+2) or an equivalent examination.
• Minimum marks: 45 per cent or an equivalent grade; 40 per cent or an equivalent grade for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
• Class 12 students: candidates appearing in the qualifying examination in March or April 2027 can apply. You will have to show proof of passing with the required marks at the time of admission.
• Age: there is no upper age limit for the UG programme.
• Reservation and domicile: each NLU applies its own reservation policy, including State domicile seats. Check the brochure of every university you list as a preference.

CLAT 2027 UG exam pattern: the five sections

The UG paper is a two hour test of 120 questions carrying 1 mark each. The Consortium describes it as a test of comprehension and reasoning rather than of prior knowledge. Almost every question is set on a passage, and the question paper format page for CLAT 2027 gives the following approximate distribution:

The ranges are what the Consortium publishes. The exact count in each section is known only when you open the paper, so do not plan your attempt around a fixed number.

What each section actually tests

• English Language: passages of about 450 words, which the Consortium says should take five to seven minutes to read. Questions ask for the main idea, inferences, the author’s argument, summaries and the meaning of words in context.
• Current Affairs, including General Knowledge: passages of up to 450 words drawn from news, journalistic sources and other non fiction. Questions cover Indian and world affairs, arts and culture, international affairs and historical events, and may touch on the legal side of the news in the passage.
• Legal Reasoning: passages of around 450 words on fact situations, public policy questions or moral and philosophical issues. You must identify the rule or principle set out, apply it to facts, and see how a change in the rule changes the outcome. The Consortium states that no prior knowledge of law is needed, though general awareness of legal and moral issues helps. Our guide to CLAT 2027 legal reasoning works through two sample passages.
• Logical Reasoning: short passages of about 450 words with questions on arguments, premises and conclusions, assumptions, inferences, analogies and contradictions.
• Quantitative Techniques: short sets of facts, graphs or tables, with questions that need Class 10 level mathematics: ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration and statistical estimation.

What negative marking means for you

With four options and minus 0.25 for a wrong answer, a completely blind guess has an expected value of zero: over many such guesses, the marks gained and lost cancel out. Once you can rule out one option with confidence, the odds move in your favour, and after ruling out two, answering is clearly worth it. The working rule for CLAT UG is simple: never guess blind, but do not leave a question just because you are not certain.

How to apply before 31 October 2026

1. Register on the CLAT 2027 page of consortiumofnlus.ac.in using your own mobile number and e-mail address, and verify the registration through the OTP.
2. Log in, choose the UG programme and fill in your personal and academic details, category, test centre preferences and NLU preferences.
3. Upload the documents asked for. If you claim a reservation, keep the certificate ready, because originals are checked at the university at the time of admission.
4. Pay the fee online. Bank and gateway charges are borne by the candidate, and the fee is not refunded.
5. Submit the form and save the confirmation page. Do not wait for the last evening, when the portal is at its busiest.

UG seats at NLUs: what the 2027 brochures say

The Consortium does not publish one all India seat figure on its UG pages, and the totals quoted on many websites do not cite an official source. Seats, programmes and reservation are set out in each NLU’s own CLAT 2027 brochure, and universities reserve the right to change them. The table below gives the figures stated in four brochures.

Fees vary just as widely. NLSIU’s brochure, for instance, states a total B.A. LL.B. fee of Rs 5,38,000 for the General category for the year, including refundable deposits and subject to approval. Read every brochure before you fix your preference order, because seats are allotted in the order of preference you give.

What to do with the weeks left

• Submit the application first. Nothing else matters if the form is not in by 31 October.
• Follow a week by week plan with regular full length mocks. Our CLAT 2027 last 50 days strategy lays one out, with a method for analysing each mock.
• Give Current Affairs and Legal Reasoning the most time, since together they are about half the paper. See our guide on how to prepare current affairs for CLAT 2027.
• Do not ignore Quantitative Techniques. It is the smallest section, but the questions are often the quickest marks in the paper.

Frequently asked questions

When is CLAT 2027 UG?

On Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Eligible PwD candidates have until 4:40 pm. The Consortium has said the timing may be revised if necessary, so check its website before the exam.

What is the last date to apply for CLAT 2027?

31 October 2026. The application window opened on 3 August 2026.

Can I apply for CLAT 2027 while in Class 12?

Yes. Students appearing in the Class 12 examination in March or April 2027 are eligible, but must show at admission that they passed with 45 per cent (40 per cent for SC, ST and PwD candidates).

Is CLAT 2027 online or offline?

Offline. The Consortium’s UG instructions state that the examination will be held in offline mode at notified test centres.

Do I need to know law for the Legal Reasoning section?

No. The Consortium says no prior knowledge of law is required. Every principle you need is given in the passage. General awareness of legal and moral issues helps you read the passages faster.

How are ties broken in CLAT UG?

By higher marks in the Legal Aptitude section, then by higher age, and finally by a computerised draw of lots.

*This article is general information, not legal advice. Lexfolio is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with the Consortium of National Law Universities or any NLU. Always confirm dates and rules on the official CLAT website.*