Introduction: The Final Week to Secure Your CLAT 2026 Slot
The clock is ticking for Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 aspirants! Registration for the UG and PG programs began on August 1, 2025, and the final application deadline is strictly October 31, 2025. Don't miss your chance to apply for a seat at the prestigious National Law Universities (NLUs). This article provides a crucial, last-minute checklist of eligibility criteria, required documents, and the mandatory online application steps to ensure your submission for the December 7, 2025, exam is successful. Apply online through the Consortium of NLUs official website today.
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 registration window is rapidly closing. Aspiring legal minds aiming for admission to the premier National Law Universities (NLUs) for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programs have less than ten days to complete their applications.
The Consortium of NLUs officially commenced the registration process on August 1, 2025, and has set a firm deadline of October 31, 2025. This final week is critical, not just for submitting the application, but for ensuring all documents and fee payments are accurately processed online via the official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The pen-and-paper based exam for CLAT 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, December 7, 2025. Missing the application deadline means forfeiting the chance to appear for this year's test. Given the high stakes, aspirants must prioritize final checks of all submission requirements immediately.
Key Eligibility and Application Fee Checklist
Aspirants must strictly adhere to the eligibility criteria set by the Consortium to avoid outright rejection during the scrutiny phase. Both UG (5-year LLB) and PG (1-year LLM) programs have distinct requirements, but share the common feature of no upper age limit, which is a significant relief for candidates of all age groups.
- Undergraduate (UG) Eligibility Criteria (5-Year LLB):
- Educational Qualification: Candidates must have passed the Class 12 (10+2) examination or an equivalent from a recognized board.
- Minimum Marks Requirement: A minimum of 45% marks in the qualifying exam is required for General, OBC, PwD, NRI, PIO, and OCI candidates.
- Minimum Marks Requirement (Reserved): Candidates belonging to the SC/ST categories require a minimum of 40% marks.
- Appearing Candidates: Students who are appearing for their Class 12 board examination in March/April 2026 are also eligible to apply, but must provide proof of passing at the time of NLU admission.
- Postgraduate (PG) Eligibility Criteria (1-Year LLM):
- Educational Qualification: Candidates must possess an LL.B. Degree or an equivalent degree from a recognized university.
- Minimum Marks Requirement: A minimum of 50% marks is necessary for General, OBC, PwD, NRI, PIO, and OCI candidates.
- Minimum Marks Requirement (Reserved): SC/ST candidates need to secure a minimum of 45% marks.
- Final Year Students: Those in the final year or semester of their LL.B. degree can also apply provisionally.
- Application Fee Structure: The fee is non-refundable and must be paid online:
- General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI Candidates: ₹4,000/-
- SC/ST/BPL Category Candidates: ₹3,500/-
The Mandatory Online Application Process: Step-by-Step
The entire CLAT 2026 application process is strictly online. Aspirants should approach the process systematically to ensure a flawless submission before the October 31st deadline. The official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in, is the only platform for registration.
- Registration and Profile Creation (Step 1):
- Visit the official Consortium website.
- Click on the registration link and enter your name (must match official Class 10/12 documents), active mobile number, and email ID.
- An OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number for verification and to generate the unique login credentials (Mobile Number and Password).
- Filling the Application Form (Step 2):
- Log in to the portal using the generated credentials.
- Fill out the application form with personal details (Name, DOB, Parents' Names, Communication Address), academic details (Class 10/12 marks), and select the program (UG or PG).
- Select your three preferred Test Centre cities for the examination.
- Crucially, select your preference order for all participating NLUs; this is a mandatory and non-editable step post-submission.
- Document Upload and Final Submission (Step 3):
- Upload the mandatory documents, ensuring they meet the specified format and size guidelines:
- Recent Passport-size Photograph: JPEG/JPG format, preferably with a plain background (Max 500 KB).
- Scanned Signature: In black or blue ink on white paper (Max 100 KB).
- Category/PwD/Domicile/BPL Certificates: Mandatory for claiming reservation benefits (PDF format, Max 1.5 MB).
- Class 10th and 12th Mark Sheets/Certificates: (For UG) and LL.B. Mark Sheets/Degree (For PG).
- Review the entire form multiple times for any spelling errors, particularly in names and dates, as core details are non-editable after payment.
- Proceed to the payment gateway to pay the application fee using Debit Card, Credit Card, or Net Banking.
- Download and print the final confirmation page and the submitted application form for your records.
- Upload the mandatory documents, ensuring they meet the specified format and size guidelines:
CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern and Preparation Focus
With the exam scheduled for December 7, 2025, aspirants are entering the final intensive preparation phase. The UG-CLAT follows a comprehension-based format, testing aptitude and skills crucial for legal education, rather than rote memorization. The entire test duration is 120 minutes with a total of 120 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
- CLAT UG 2026 Exam Structure:
- English Language (Approx. 20%): Focus on reading comprehension, inferences, and understanding the core idea of passages.
- Current Affairs, including General Knowledge (Approx. 25%): Covers contemporary and historically significant events, Arts, Culture, and International Affairs.
- Legal Reasoning (Approx. 25%): Passages followed by questions that test the application of general legal principles to given fact scenarios (no prior legal knowledge is required).
- Logical Reasoning (Approx. 20%): Assesses critical thinking, recognition of arguments, premises, and conclusions within short passages.
- Quantitative Techniques (Approx. 10%): Based on short sets of facts, graphs, or numerical data, requiring the application of basic 10th standard mathematics (e.g., ratios, proportion, basic algebra).
- Crucial Exam Details:
- Total Marks: 120 marks.
- Marking Scheme: +1 mark for every correct answer.
- Negative Marking: A deduction of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer.
- Tie-Breaking: Ties are broken by the candidate with higher marks in the Legal Reasoning section, followed by age.
Conclusion
The deadline of October 31, 2025, for CLAT 2026 registration marks the point of no return for all law aspirants. The combination of a strict deadline, a completely online process, and mandatory document submission requires candidates to act decisively this week. Ensure your personal details, academic qualifications, NLU preferences, and category certificates are all correctly entered and uploaded before the window slams shut. A smooth application submission is the first, vital step towards the examination on December 7, 2025, and a career in law.
