CLAT 2026 Registration Now Open, Official Notification Out for Aspiring Lawyers

active. This article provides a comprehensive guide on the application process, key dates, exam pattern, and eligibility criteria for aspiring lawyers.

The Consortium of National Law Universities has officially released the notification and commenced the registration process for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026. Contrary to earlier assumptions, the registration window did not open today but has been active since August 1, 2025. This proactive approach by the Consortium provides aspirants with a generous window to complete the application process and focus on a sustained, well-structured preparation plan for the examination, which is scheduled for Sunday, December 7, 2025.

CLAT 2026 is the gateway to admission into a multitude of prestigious law schools across the country, including 24 National Law Universities (NLUs) and numerous other private institutions that accept CLAT scores for their five-year integrated BA LLB and BBA LLB programs, as well as the one-year LLM program. The early release of the notification and the application window is a welcome move for students, as it reduces the anxiety associated with last-minute applications and allows them to meticulously plan their academic year.

Key Dates and Application Details

The online registration for CLAT 2026 is currently underway. All eligible candidates must complete their applications on the official website of the Consortium of NLUs, which is consortiumofnlus.ac.in. It is highly recommended that candidates fill out the form well before the final deadline to avoid any technical difficulties.

Here are the key dates announced by the Consortium:

• CLAT 2026 Registration Start Date: August 1, 2025
• CLAT 2026 Registration End Date: October 31, 2025, up to 11:59 PM
• CLAT 2026 Exam Date: December 7, 2025 (Sunday)
• Exam Timing: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

The application fee for the exam is INR 4,000 for General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI candidates, while candidates from the SC/ST/BPL categories are required to pay a reduced fee of INR 3,500.

Eligibility and Exam Pattern

The CLAT 2026 is open to a wide range of candidates, with no upper age limit for either the undergraduate or postgraduate programs.

For the Undergraduate (UG) program, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Educational Qualification: Must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination.
• Minimum Marks: A minimum of 45% aggregate marks (40% for SC/ST/PwD categories).
• Appearing Candidates: Those who are appearing for their Class 12 examinations in March/April 2026 are also eligible to apply.

For the Postgraduate (PG) program, candidates must have an LLB degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD categories).

The CLAT 2026 will be conducted in an offline, pen-and-paper format. The two-hour exam will consist of 120 multiple-choice questions, with a marking scheme of +1 for every correct answer and a negative marking of -0.25 for every incorrect one. The question paper is divided into five sections, which are designed to test the following skills:

1. English Language: Focuses on reading comprehension and vocabulary.
2. Current Affairs, including General Knowledge: Assesses a candidate's awareness of national and international events.
3. Legal Reasoning: Requires candidates to apply legal principles to given fact scenarios.
4. Logical Reasoning: Evaluates a candidate's ability to analyze arguments and draw conclusions.
5. Quantitative Techniques: Measures a candidate’s skill in interpreting and manipulating data.

With the exam four months away, aspirants are encouraged to use this time to create a focused study plan, practice with previous years' question papers, and take mock tests to improve their speed and accuracy. The CLAT 2026 is a competitive exam, and a well-thought-out strategy is the key to securing a seat in a premier law school.