CLAT Consortium: History, Objectives, Members, Participating Universities, Seats

Common Law Admission Test 2026 ( CLAT )

DeskCalelnderCounselling - 22 Jan '26 - 29 Jan '26

Anupama
Anupama Mehra
Assistant Manager – Content
Updated on Sep 25, 2025 17:39 IST
CLAT Consortium or Consortium of NLUs is the conducting body for CLAT exam. CLAT 2026 is conducted by CLAT Consortium (Consortium of NLUs), its member universities, Know all about Consortium of CLAT 2026 official website, participating law universities, executive and governing body and other details.

CLAT Consortium or Consortium of NLUs is the conducting body for CLAT 2026. Know all about CLAT Consortium, its member universities, CLAT official website & more.

CLAT Consortium: History, Member Universities, Exam, Seat Intake, CLAT 2026 Official Website

The Consortium of National Law Universities commonly known as CLAT Consortium is the exam-conducting body for total of 24 NLUs in India. The NLUs accept CLAT scores for admission to their undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programs. Apart from the NLUs, several private universities and colleges also accept CLAT scores for admission to law courses.

One of the common questions in the back of the candidate's mind is ‘What is CLAT Consortium?’ In this article, candidates will get complete details on the Consortium of NLUs, its objectives, functioning, member universities, and much more. The Consortium of NLUs (aka the CLAT Consortium) will conduct CLAT 2026 on December 7, 2025. CLAT 2026 Exam will be held in offline mode. The official website of CLAT 2026 is -consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

Table of contents
  • What is CLAT Consortium?
  • CLAT Consortium - Governing Body
  • History of CLAT Consortium
  • Participating Universities of CLAT Consortium
  • FAQs for CLAT Consortium

What is CLAT Consortium?

CLAT Consortium or the Consortium of NLUs is the conducting body for the national-level law entrance exam. The governing body of the Consortium includes vice-chancellors of all the 24 participating NLUs.

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Every year, the governing body of the Consortium announces the organizing members of CLAT who are majorly responsible for conducting the exam that year. The governing body of the consortium includes the following members:

CLAT Consortium - Governing Body 

Eversince the consortium has been governed by the members as under:

Governing body - Members Profile 
Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan 

Vice-Chancellor, Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur
President

Prof. (Dr.) Sudhir Krishnaswamy 

Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru

Secretary-Treasurer CLAT Consortium

Prof. Dr. Sri Krishna Deva Rao

Vice-Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law (NALSAR), Hyderabad

Permanent Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) V. Vijayakumar

Vice-Chancellor, The National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal

Permanent Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) N.K. Chakrabarti

Vice-Chancellor. The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Poonam Saxena

Vice-Chancellor, National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan

Vice-Chancellor, Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur

Vice-President, CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar

Director, Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar

Convener, CLAT-2024 

Prof. (Dr.) Subir K. Bhatnagar

Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai

Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Punjab

Member CLAT Consortium

Hon'ble Justice Smt. Mridula Mishra

Vice-Chancellor (In-Charge), Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna

Member CLAT Consortium

Hon’ble Mr. Justice S. Siri Jagan

Acting Vice-Chancellor, National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Ved Kumari

Vice-Chancellor, National Law University Odisha (NLUO), Cuttack

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Kesava Rao Vurrakula

Vice-Chancellor, National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) V.K. Ahuja

Vice-Chancellor, National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) S. Surya Prakash

Vice-Chancellor, Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) V.S. Elizabeth

Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Ukey

Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Vijender Kumar

Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur

President CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) K.V.S. Sarma

Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Aurangabad
Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Nishtha Jaswal

Vice-Chancellor, Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) V. Nagaraj

Vice-Chancellor, Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur (M.P.)

Member CLAT Consortium

Dr. Archana Mishra

Vice-Chancellor, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Haryana

Member CLAT Consortium

Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Pratap Singh

Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, Tripura

Member CLAT Consortium

Also read: 

History of CLAT Consortium

The Consortium of NLUs was established on August 19, 2017, to improve the standard of legal education in the country and make the CLAT exam more effective and organized. Total 16 NLUs came together and became the founding members of the CLAT Consortium. In the later years, more National Law Universities joined and thus, currently, the Consortium includes 26 participating NLUs.

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Currently, all the major National Law Universities across the country are part of the CLAT Consortium, except NLU Delhi which conducts its own exam, named, All India Law Entrance Test (AILET).  

It may be noted that before the Consortium came into functioning, that is, until 2018, the CLAT exam was conducted by all NLUs on a rotational basis.

Participating Universities of CLAT Consortium

Check out the complete list of 26 NLUs (along with their seat intake) that are the member universities of the CLAT Consortium.

Member Universities of CLAT Consortium

Courses-wise Seat Intake

Total Seat Intake

National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru

BA LLB (Hons) – 240 seats

LLM – 100 seats

340 seats

The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata

BA LLB (Hons) and BSc LLB (Hons) – 132 seats

LLM – 100 seats

232 seats

National Law University, Jodhpur

BA LLB (Hons) and BBA LLB (Hons) – 120 seats

LLM – 57 seats

177 seats

Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar

BA LLB (Hons) – 172 seats

LLM - 57 seats

229 seats

Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNLU), Patiala

BA LLB (Hons) – 180 seats

LLM – 60 seats

240 seats

National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi

BA LLB (Hons) – 60 seats

LLM – 60 seats

120 seats

National University of Study & Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi

BA LLB (Hons) – 120 seats

LLM – 50 seats

170 seats

Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam

BA LLB (Hons) – 120 seats

LLM – 60 seats

180 seats

Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai

BA LLB (Hons) – 100 seats

LLM – 50 seats

150 seats

Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad

BA LLB (Hons) – 60 seats

LLM – 60 seats

120 seats

Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur

BA LLB (Hons) – 120

LLM - 50 seats

170 seats

National Academy of Legal Study & Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad

BA LLB (Hons) – 132

LLM – 66 seats

198 seats

National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal

BA LLB  - 134 seats 

BSc LLB – 68 seats

LLM – 60 seats

262 seats

Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur

BA LLB (Hons) – 170 seats

LLM – 90 seats

260 seats

Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow

BA LLB (Hons) – 187 seats

LLM – 31 seats

218 seats

Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna

BA LLB - 69 seats

BBA LLB - 69 seats

138 seats

National Law University Odisha (NLUO), Cuttack

BA LLB (Hons) – 180 seats

LLM – 46 seats

226 seats

National Law University & Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam

BA LLB (Hons) – 60 seats

LLM – 40 seats

100 seats

The Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirapalli

BA LLB (Hons) and BCom LLB (Hons) – 114 seats

LLM – 18 seats

132 seats

Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur

BA LLB (Hons) – 120 seats

LLM – 60 seats

180 seats

Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla

BA LLB - 120 seats

BBA LLB (Hons) – 60 seats

LLM – 80 seats

260 seats

Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University (DBRANLU), Sonipat, Haryana

BA LLB (Hons) – 120 seats

120 seats

National Law University, Tirupura (Admissions on Hold for academic year 2023)

BA LLB (Hons) -120 seats

LLM - 50 seats

170 seats

GNLU Silvassa Campus (w.e.f. 2023)

BA LLB (Hons) - 66 seats

LLM - 33 seats

99 seats

RPNLUP Prayagraj

BA LLB (Hons) - 60 seats

 

60 seats

IIULER Goa

BA LLB (Hons)- 60 seats

BBA LLB (Hons)- 60 seats

120 seats

24 NLUs

Total Seats Intake

4,664 seats

Read More

Here are the commonly asked questions for the exam authority of CLAT 2026 i.e CLAT Consortium: 

FAQs for CLAT Consortium

Q. What is CLAT Consortium?

A. The CLAT Consortium in layman term is a group formed to represent the National Law Universities accepting the Common Law Admission Test for admissions to it undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The consortium is responsible for planning, decision making and conducting events of CLAT exam including application process, arranging test centres, conducting the examination, publishing and rectifying answer key, results, as well as conducting counselling and seat allotment process. 

Q. What is the role of Consortium of NLUs in CLAT admission process?

A. The consortium is responsible for entire admission process of CLAT exam on behalf of the National Law Universities. 

Q. Is the CLAT Consortium responsible for deciding top NLUs in India?

A. No, the CLAT Consortium's main objectives does not include ranking the NLUs in India. The top 3 NLUs in India have been determined by the National Institute of Ranking Framework (NIRF). 

Q. Is Consortium of NLUs a government owned organization?

A. No, the Consortium of NLUs is a private set-up having MOU signed up with 22 national law universities. 

Q. Can Consortium of NLUs revise the seat intake of NLUs?

A. The Consortium can not directly revise the seat intake of NLUs as it will be reviewed and approved by the Bar Council of India only. Also read: The Bar Council of India (BCI): Latest News, Eligibility, Legal regulations, AIBE exam, and more

Q. Which universities are governing body in CLAT Consortium?

A. The following NLUs are the governing members of CLAT Consortium:

  • NLIU Bhopal
  • NLSIU Bangalore
  • NALSAR Hyderabad
  • WBNLU Kolkata
  • NLU Jodhpur
  • HNLU Raipur
  • GNLU Gandhinagar
  • DRMNLU Lucknow
  • RGNUL Punjab 
  • CNLU Patna
  • NUALS Kochi
  • NLUO Cuttack
  • NUSRL Ranchi
  • NLUJA Assam
  • DSNLU Visakhapatnam
  • TNNLU Tiruchirapalli
  • MNLU Mumbai
  • MNLU Nagpur
  • MNLU Aurangabad
  • HPNLU Shimla
  • DNLU Jabalpur
  • DBRANLU Sonepat
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About the Author
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Anupama Mehra
Assistant Manager – Content

She has over 10 years of experience in the education and publishing sectors. She specialises in exam coverage and content creation. At Shiksha, she writes, analyses, and presents information for students preparing f

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