CLAT FAQs on this page cover the Common Law Admission Test for the 5-year integrated LL.B. and the 1-year LL.M. at participating National Law Universities for classes that start in 2027–28.
The Consortium of NLUs conducts CLAT 2027. Application forms are available online only on consortiumofnlus.ac.in from August 3, 2026, to October 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. The exam is offline on Sunday, December 6, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (till 4:40 p.m. for eligible PwD candidates).
The CLAT application fee is ₹4,000 for General/OBC and ₹3,500 for SC/ST/BPL/PwD, and it is not refundable. Counselling for participating NLU seats is run by the Consortium in December 2026 / January 2027. Affiliate colleges that use the score and NRI or foreign-national seats are outside that allotment.
This article by Hitbullseye lists the top CLAT FAQs and answers them from official Consortium information. Check consortiumofnlus.ac.in before you pay a fee or lock a preference.
CLAT FAQs
Q. When was the CLAT 2027 notification released?
A. The Consortium of NLUs issued the CLAT 2027 notification on July 22, 2026. The CLAT exam is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities. The Vice-Chancellor of WBNUJS, Kolkata, serves as the Convenor for CLAT 2027. The application process for CLAT 2027 started on August 3, 2026, and will close on October 31, 2026, on the official website at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The offline exam will be conducted on December 6, 2026, from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Q. Is CLAT 2027 for the 2027–28 academic year?
A. Yes. All admissions to the 5-year integrated LL.B. and 1-year LL.M. Programs commencing in the academic year 2027-28 at 26 participating NLUs shall be through CLAT 2027. Some affiliate universities and organizations also use the CLAT score.
Q. How do I register for CLAT 2027?
A. Register only on the Consortium website at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The application process is completely online. The window opened on August 3, 2026, and will close on October 31, 2026, at 11:59 P.M. Incomplete or unpaid forms will not be accepted.
Step-by-step
- Open https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in and go to the CLAT 2027 registration or new registration link.
- Enter your name, mobile number, and email ID and create a password.
- Verify with the OTP sent to your registered mobile (and email, if asked).
- Log in and fill the form: personal details, category, qualifying exam (Class 12 for UG/LL.B. for PG), communication address, and test-city preferences.
- Fill NLU preference order carefully. After final submission, changes can be made only if the Consortium opens a correction window.
- Upload documents and pay the online application fee
- Click on the ‘Final Submit’ tab, then download/print the confirmation page and payment receipt.
Use your own mobile number and email. The admit card, key, result, and counselling messages will be sent to the registered mobile number and email address.
Q. What is the CLAT 2027 application fee?
A. The CLAT 2027 application fee is INR 4,000 for General/OBC and INR 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL/PwD candidates. The fee is payable online only, through the payment gateway on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Modes shown on the gateway are credit card, debit card, net banking, and UPI. Bank charges are extra and are displayed before you pay. The Consortium states that the application fee is non-refundable and non-adjustable. No cash, demand draft or offline payment is accepted.
Q. Are previous-year papers included in the application fee?
A. No, the previous year's paper is not included in the registration fee, you have to pay INR 500 for it. Additionally, CLAT UG and PG are separate entrance exams, each with their own fee. Candidates cannot apply for both CLAT UG and PG in a single form.
Q. Can I change programme, category or BPL after paying the fee?
A. No. Once the form is submitted and the fee is paid, you cannot change the programme (UG/PG), category, or BPL field. Requests to change programme or category are not entertained, and updates are not accepted after the closure date (October 31, 2026, 11:59 P.M.). Choose these fields correctly before payment. If the category on the form does not match the certificate produced at admission, the reserved-category claim is dropped and the candidate is considered only without that reservation in later counselling rounds.
Q. Which documents must I upload in the CLAT 2027 form?
A. Upload these documents on the online form (certificates in PDF only; photo and signature need not be attested):
- Front-facing recent passport-size photograph, plain background. JPG/JPEG. Commonly accepted up to 500 KB; a clear file of about 20–50 KB uploads more reliably. Face must be visible. Not attested.
- Signature in black or blue ink on white paper, handwritten. JPG/JPEG. Commonly accepted up to 100 KB. Not attested.
- SC/ST/OBC category certificate, if you claim that category.
- PwD certificate from the competent authority, if you claim PwD.
- BPL certificate from the competent authority, if you claim BPL.
The originals are submitted later to the allotted NLU at admission, in the form specified by the NLU. Name and parents’ names on the form must match the certificates, mark sheets and identity proof. A mismatch can disqualify the candidature.
Q. Can I apply without a reservation certificate and submit it later?
A. Yes. The Consortium allows you to apply now and produce the certificate at admission. If you do not submit the relevant Government of India or State Government certificate required by that NLU at admission, you are not eligible for that reserved seat. A mismatch between the category selected on the form and the document produced can cancel the reservation claim.
Q. What if I submit two CLAT application forms?
A. Only the last submitted form is considered. The fee paid on any earlier form is not refunded. The application fee is non-refundable and non-adjustable in any case.
Q. Is there an age limit for CLAT UG?
A. No. There is no upper age limit for the UG programme in CLAT 2027.
Q. What Class 12 percentage is required for CLAT UG 2027?
A. Candidates must have passed 10+2 or an equivalent examination with:
- 45% marks, or an equivalent grade, in the general case
- 40% marks, or an equivalent grade, for SC, ST and PwD candidates
Some NLUs have a higher qualification criteria. HPNLU, for example, has stated 50% (45% for SC/ST) without a compartment. Read that NLU’s CLAT 2027 brochure before finalizing your preference.
Q. Can I apply for CLAT UG if I am appearing for Class 12 in March 2027?
A. Yes, candidates appearing for the qualifying examination in March/April 2027 can apply and appear for CLAT 2027. You must produce proof of passing with the required percentage at admission. If you do not, you lose the right to be considered for admission.
Q. Can Science and Commerce students apply for CLAT UG?
A. Yes, the Consortium does not restrict CLAT UG by stream. Arts, Science, and Commerce students are eligible if they have passed or are appearing in the Class 12 Board Exam or an equivalent examination and meet the marks criteria.
Q. I have 47% in Class 12. Can I get an NLU if my CLAT rank is high?
A. Yes, 47% meets the Consortium UG minimum of 45% for General, OBC, EWS, NRI, PIO, and OCI candidates. A good rank can get you a seat only if that NLU’s own brochure also accepts 47%. It does not waive a higher percentage fixed by a particular NLU, and admission still depends on All India Rank, category, domicile, and the seat matrix.
Q. I have a 3-year diploma. Can I apply for CLAT UG?
A. Yes, a three-year diploma is considered valid for CLAT 2027 eligibility, provided the course is officially recognized as equivalent to Class 10+2.
Q. How do NRI / NRI-sponsored seats work in CLAT?
A. The Consortium does not allot NRI or NRI-sponsored seats. Those seats are handled by the individual NLUs. Check the NLU’s e-brochure and website, and then apply to the university directly for this category. An NRI, PIO or OCI candidate who wants a regular (non-NRI) seat can still appear for CLAT 2027.
Q. How much extra time do PwD candidates get?
A. PwD candidates get 40 minutes extra. The official UG instructions schedule CLAT 2027 from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and from 2:00 P.M. to 4:40 P.M. for eligible PwD candidates. That is 40 minutes extra. The Consortium’s PwD policy also states that eligible candidates receive 40 minutes of compensatory time, including candidates who use a scribe or reader.
Q. Did the CLAT 2027 syllabus or pattern change?
A. No, the Governing Body, at its meeting on July 18, 2026, resolved that there will be no changes to the syllabus and pattern/sections of the UG and PG papers in CLAT 2027. The Convenor and paper setters may adopt feasible suggestions from the Expert Committee Report on question format and quality. The same press release says further reform is being considered for CLAT 2028, not for 2027.
Q. How many questions are there in CLAT UG 2027?
A. The official UG syllabus page says UG-CLAT 2027 is a 2-hour test with 120 multiple-choice questions carrying 1 mark each, and a negative marking of 0.25 is applicable for each wrong answer. The five subjects named on the official website are English Language, Current Affairs, including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. The Consortium has not published a fixed question count per section for CLAT 2027. The paper is 120 MCQs across five sections. Recent papers have used these ranges, and a mock can follow them. They are not an official 2027 split.
|
Section
|
Usual range
|
|
English Language
|
22–26
|
|
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge
|
28–32
|
|
Legal Reasoning
|
28–32
|
|
Logical Reasoning
|
22–26
|
|
Quantitative Techniques
|
10–14
|
|
Total
|
120
|
Q. When will the CLAT 2027 admit card be released?
A. CLAT 2027 Admit Card is tentatively scheduled for the fourth week of November 2026. The UG instructions say you can download the hall ticket by logging into the candidate’s account and that “the exact date on which the hall tickets will be made available will be intimated on the website.”
Q. How do I download the CLAT 2027 admit card?
A. Log in to your CLAT account on consortiumofnlus.ac.in with the registered mobile number and the password set at registration, then download the hall ticket. The instructions do not name any other download route. The link will work only after the Consortium intimates that hall tickets are available. The admit card will be available for download only in online mode. Only registered candidates will be issued the admit card.
Q. What details are printed on the CLAT 2027 admit card?
A. The admit card is downloaded from your login on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. NLU Delhi-style fields do not apply; use only the Consortium card. It usually carries:
- Your name, photograph, and roll number
- Date of birth and the programme (UG or PG)
- Exam date and time: December 6, 2026, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (till 4:40 p.m. if PwD extra time is granted)
- Test centre name and address
- Reporting time and exam-day instructions
The release date for the CLAT 2027 admit card has not been fixed on the Consortium site. Check the login once the notice is posted. Carry a printout. A phone copy is often not accepted. If the name or photo is wrong, write to the Consortium helpdesk before exam day. The centre on the card is final unless the Consortium shifts it.
Q. Can the Consortium change my test city?
A. Yes, the UG instructions say that if unforeseen incidents lead to cancellation of a test city or centre, or if too few or too many candidates opt for a centre, the Executive Committee can cancel that city or centre and shift the applicant to another city or centre. The city on the admit card is the one that counts.
Q. In how many cities will CLAT 2027 be conducted?
A. The city list is on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Vellore and Thiruvarur have been removed for CLAT 2027. Candidates who had picked either city were asked to change the preference. Published lists put the exam at about 89 cities and about 130 test centers. Check the Consortium list for the final count. You choose city preferences on the form. The center address is printed only on the admit card. The Consortium can shift a city if a center is cancelled or numbers do not match.
Q. What should I carry to the CLAT exam center?
A. Carry what the admit card lists. At minimum:
- A printout of the CLAT 2027 admit card. A phone copy is often not accepted.
- An original government photo ID, such as Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, or driving license. The name must match the form.
- A recent passport-size photograph, the same as the one uploaded, if the admit card asks for it.
- A blue or black ballpoint pen.
- PwD or scribe documents, if that support was granted.
Do not carry a calculator, notes, or a smartwatch. Leave the bags outside the exam hall. Reach by the reporting time mentioned on the card. Late entry is not guaranteed.
Q. When will the CLAT 2027 result be declared?
A. The result is expected to be declared in the second half of December 2026, after the provisional answer key and the objection window. The exam is on December 6, 2026. For CLAT 2026, the exam was on December 7, 2025. The provisional answer keys were released on December 10, and the result followed once objections were closed. Treat a mid-to-late December 2026 result as the working timeline. The final date will be the notice on consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Q. Where do I download the CLAT 2027 scorecard?
A. The CLAT 2027 scorecard is expected to be released in the third week of December 2026. The 2027 scorecard link will be provided on the Consortium site after the result notice. As of now, previous year candidates can download their scorecard by selecting the year and entering the credentials.
Q. How do I object to the CLAT 2027 answer key?
A. The CLAT 2027 provisional answer key is expected in the second week of December 2026, a few days after the exam on December 6. The objection process is completely online on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Email and phone objections were not accepted last year. Objections can be filed only after the Consortium releases that notice. A fee or refund rule copied from an earlier year is not a 2027 rule until it appears in the 2027 notification.
Q. When will CLAT 2027 counselling start?
A. The CLAT 2027 counselling for admissions is likely to be held in December 2026 or January 2027. A day-wise counselling calendar (registration window, allotment rounds, fee deadlines) has not been published yet. Check Notifications on consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Q. Is there central counselling for all NLUs?
A. Yes, for the NLUs that participate in CLAT. The Consortium runs the admissions counseling, including later rounds of allotment. CLAT 2027 covers the 5-year integrated LL.B. and 1-year LL.M. seats that start in 2027–28 at those universities.
Affiliate universities and organisations that accept a CLAT score conduct their own admission or recruitment process. That is not a Consortium allotment.
NRI and NRI-sponsored seats are not allotted by the Consortium. Apply to that NLU directly. Foreign nationals cannot appear for CLAT and must also apply to the NLU directly.
Q. Can I fill NLU preferences in the CLAT form?
A. No, the published CLAT 2027 form instructions do not ask for an NLU preference list. They cover programme (UG or PG), category, test city and personal details.
After you submit and pay, you cannot change programme or category. No form updates will be accepted after October 31, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
Seat preference is filled later, in the Consortium admissions counselling. The 2027 notice for how and when to fill that list has not been published yet. Check consortiumofnlus.ac.in after the result.
Q. Is the CLAT seat allotment provisional?
A. Yes, the UG instructions say the allotment of seats and the offer of admission under CLAT 2027 are provisional and do not create a right to admission. Participating NLUs may also change the total seats and the category break-up before the final allotment.
Q. What if my Class 12 or LL.B. result is not out when counselling starts?
A. You can still apply if you are appearing for the qualifying exam in April or May 2027. The NLU will direct you on how to submit the result during the admission process. You must show proof that you have passed. If you do not, you lose the seat. The same rule applies to Class 12 for UG and to the LL.B. result for PG.
Q. What if my category documents do not match the form?
A. If any detail in the form is false, or if it does not match the certificates produced at admission, the provisional offer is cancelled. If the mismatch is only about a reservation category, you can be considered in later counselling rounds without that category. You may apply before the certificate is ready, but you must submit the certificate the NLU asks for at admission. If you do not, you are not eligible for that reserved seat.
Q. Does every NLU follow the same reservation and fee?
A. No. Seats, reservations, courses, and fees are in the Consortium information brochure and on each NLU website. The brochure is only a summary, so check the NLU site. Reservation can change if the state government changes it. For CLAT 2027, the Consortium has already notified reservation-category changes for WBNUJS Kolkata and NLU Meghalaya.
Q. When do NLU classes start for 2027–28?
A. Each NLU fixes its own start date. Confirm it on that NLU’s website. CLAT 2027 is for the 5-year integrated LL.B. and LL.M. programmes that begin in the 2027–28 academic year. After you take admission at an NLU or a CLAT participating institute, that institute sends the detailed class schedule, orientation date and reporting instructions to the email and phone you used on the form.
Q. Do private law colleges use CLAT 2027 scores?
A. The Consortium does not counsel private colleges. Some affiliate universities and organisations use the CLAT score for their own admission or recruitment. Cut-off and process are set by that institution, not by Consortium allotment.
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