CLAT 2026: Exam date announced

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 schedule has been released by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). The CLAT is the national entrance exam for undergraduate (UG) and graduate (PG) law programs at all 24 member NLUs. The notification states that CLAT 2026 would be held in an offline, pen-and-paper mode on Sunday, December 7, 2025. The application window will commence on August 1, 2025, and run through October 31, 2025, giving prospective applicants three months to finish registering.

According to the notice posted on the consortium website, "the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 shall be conducted on Sunday, December 7th, 2025, from 2 PM-4 PM, as decided by the Executive Committee and the Governing Body of the Consortium of National Law Universities (the "Consortium") at their Meetings held on July 20th, 2025."

It is anticipated that the CLAT website will soon issue the official notification for CLAT 2026, which will contain detailed details like the syllabus, exam pattern, marking scheme, application fee, eligibility requirements, and other important information.

This year's CLAT, which took place on December 1, 2024, was the subject of legal disputes regarding a few exam questions and their appropriate responses. The Supreme Court expressed "deep anguish" in a ruling earlier this month "about the callous and casual manner in which" the Consortium of NLUs has been framing questions for CLAT, "an examination on the basis of which meritorious candidates get entry into the prestigious National Law Universities across the country." The matter has brought attention to the exam's conduct and question framing.