CLAT Eligibility for UG Law Admission

CLAT eligibility at a glance

PwD candidates are often assumed to get the lower bar, but the Consortium groups them with the 45% rule; only SC and ST applicants get 40%. EWS candidates have no separate figure in the reported rules, so plan on 45% and check the brochure.

Any stream works. Science, commerce and arts students all qualify, and there is no subject requirement such as English or maths in Class 12.

Age limit and attempts

The Consortium fixes no maximum age for the undergraduate programme, so a working professional or a graduate can take CLAT UG and join the five-year LL.B. There is also no cap on the number of attempts. Many students take the test once in Class 12 and again a year later to improve their rank.

If you are still in Class 12

Candidates appearing in the Class 12 exam in March or April of the admission year can apply and sit CLAT. At admission you must produce proof that you passed with the minimum marks; without it, you lose your claim to the seat even if one has been allotted.

• Fill your expected board details honestly in the form.
• Keep your board admit card ready as proof that you are appearing.
• If a compartment or supplementary exam is involved, check with the allotted NLU whether it accepts the result in time.

Reservation, domicile and special seats

CLAT is a common test, but each NLU fills its seats under its own reservation policy, usually linked to the law of its state.

• Central and state categories: SC, ST, OBC and EWS quotas vary between universities.
• Domicile seats: many NLUs keep a share of seats for students from their own state, which needs a valid domicile certificate.
• Women, PwD and other horizontal quotas: available at several NLUs under their rules.
• NRI and NRI-sponsored seats: offered by a number of NLUs, with their own documents and fees.
• Foreign nationals: seats for them are generally filled by the NLUs separately, not through the CLAT rank list. Ask the university directly.

Documents to keep ready for counselling

• Class 10 certificate and Class 12 mark sheet
• Category certificate in the format required, for your reserved category (SC, ST, OBC or EWS), issued on the form each NLU prescribes
• Domicile certificate if you claim a state quota
• Disability certificate for PwD seats
• NRI or OCI documents if you apply for those seats
• Your CLAT admit card and a photo identity proof

Certificates must usually be valid on the date the brochure specifies. Get any new category or domicile certificate issued well before the counselling round opens, since processing can take weeks.

CLAT PG eligibility in brief

For the one-year LL.M. through CLAT PG, you need an LL.B. or equivalent degree, scoring at least 50% (General, OBC, PwD, NRI, PIO and OCI) or 45% (SC and ST), as reported for recent cycles. Final year LL.B. students can usually apply. The subjects are different too; see the CLAT PG syllabus. Law schools outside the Consortium are listed with their own tests in our entrance exams section.