CLAT 2026 Application Process Begins from June 1
The Consortium of National Law Universities opens the registration window on June 1. Here is everything worth settling before you sit down with the form.
Ananya Menon
Academic Head, Lawtest
The Consortium of National Law Universities has confirmed that the CLAT 2026 application window opens on June 1, 2026 and closes on October 31, 2026. The examination itself is scheduled for the first Sunday of December, keeping the familiar offline, pen-and-paper format across roughly 130 test cities.
Very little about the paper pattern has changed. What has changed is the documentation the form expects, and that is where most first-time applicants lose a weekend. Assemble the files below before you open the portal and the whole process takes under thirty minutes.
Key dates at a glance
Mark these in your calendar now. The Consortium has historically extended the closing date only once, and never the correction window.
| Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration opens | June 1, 2026 | Online only, via the Consortium portal |
| Last date to apply | Oct 31, 2026 | Fee payment must clear the same day |
| Correction window | Nov 5–9, 2026 | Category and photograph cannot be changed |
| Admit card release | Nov 22, 2026 | Download from your dashboard |
| Examination day | Dec 6, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, offline |
Who is eligible
For the five-year integrated programme, candidates need 45% in Class 12 (40% for SC/ST). There is no upper age limit. Students appearing for their board examinations in 2027 may apply, provided they produce the result at the time of admission.
Documents to keep ready
- Passport-size photograph — JPEG, 20–50 KB, white background, taken within the last six months.
- Signature on white paper — JPEG, 10–20 KB, black ink only.
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS) in the current financial year’s format.
- PwD or state-domicile certificate, where you intend to claim the relevant seat.
- A working email address and mobile number — every future communication goes there.
“The correction window will not let you change your category. Candidates lose reserved seats every year over a certificate they had not collected in June.”
— Ananya Menon, Academic Head
Application fee
The fee is ₹4,000 for the general category and ₹3,500 for SC, ST and BPL candidates. Past year question papers are an optional add-on of ₹500. Fees are non-refundable, so confirm your NLU preferences before paying.
What to do between now and December
Six months is enough time if the plan is honest about the reading load. The paper is comprehension-driven across all five sections, so daily editorial reading matters more than any shortcut sheet. Build the habit in June, add sectional tests from August, and move to full-length mocks in October.
Key highlights
Window open June 1 – October 31, 2026
Exam on December 6, 2026, offline
No change to the 120-question pattern
Category certificate cannot be corrected later
Written by
Ananya Menon
Academic Head at Lawtest. Twelve years of teaching legal reasoning and current affairs to CLAT and AILET aspirants, and the author of our annual current affairs compendium.
