CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank: Key Differences, Merit List Deciding Factors
Common Law Admission Test 2026 ( CLAT )
Counselling - 17 Dec '25 - 27 Dec '25
CLAT 2026 Result out. The CLAT 2026 Exam was conducted on December 7, 2025. In this article, candidates can understand key differences between CLAT ranks and marks, and what is more important to get a seat at NLUs in India. Both CLAT rank and marks are the deciding factors for the merit list.
Difference between CLAT Marks and Ranks
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is conducted for admissions offered at the National Law Universities in India. CLAT Exam was held on December 7, 2025. The consortium released the CLAT Final Answer Key .The Consortium announced the CLAT results on December 16, 2025. The result will be released in the form of marks as well as ranks.
Latest Update:
While CLAT ranks and marks are both helpful in preparing the merit list of a NLU, often candidates ask what exactly is the deciding factor in the final admission/ selection process? In this article, candidates can understand the key differences between CLAT rank and marks, and their role in preparation of a CLAT merit list 2026.
- CLAT 2026 Marks
- CLAT Rank Predictor 2026
- CLAT 2026 Reservation Categories
- Difference between CLAT 2026 Rank and Marks
- CLAT 2026 Marks vs Ranks - Deciding factor for Merit List
CLAT 2026 Marks
The Consortium of NLUs will award marks to a candidate on the basis of their performance in all the five sections of CLAT question paper (undergraduate) as under:
| CLAT Sections |
CLAT total questions per section |
CLAT total marks per section |
CLAT Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28-32 questions |
28-32 marks |
1 mark awarded for each correct answer 0.25 marks deducted for each incorrect answer 0 marks awarded or deducted for no attempts |
|
| 35-39 questions |
35-39 marks |
||
| 28-32 questions |
28-32 marks |
||
| 35-39 questions |
35-39 marks |
||
| 13-17 questions |
13-17 marks |
||
| Total |
120 questions |
120 marks |
Sum of all questions attempted minus incorrect attempts |
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For postgraduate courses as under:
| CLAT LLM Sections |
Total MCQs |
Total Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Sec A – Constitutional Law |
120 questions |
120 marks |
| Sec B - Contract, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, IPR and Jurisprudence. |
||
| Sec C – Law topics and Contemporary issues |
Therefore, the scorecard of the CLAT exam includes scores obtained by candidates in each section, as well as overall scores obtained in the exam.
CLAT Rank Predictor 2026
To shortlist candidates for the final seat allotment process, the exam authority arranges their names in order of merit. The merit ranks of candidates qualifying CLAT 2026 exam are determined based on the following factors:
- Section-wise marks in CLAT
- Overall scores obtained in CLAT
- Age of the candidate
In case there are ties in marks of two or more candidates, then the merit rank will be determined as under:
For undergraduate courses -
- Candidates securing higher marks in the legal aptitude section of CLAT UG question paper will be ranked higher
- In case of further tie, candidates older in age will be ranked higher
- Finally, if the tie still exists, then a computerised draw of lots.
For postgraduate courses -
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- Candidate older in age is ranked higher
- In case of further ties, a computerized draw of lots will determine the ranks of candidates
CLAT 2026 Reservation Categories
CLAT ranks are arranged for each category as under:
- General
- Scheduled Caste
- Scheduled Tribes
- Kashmiri Migrants
- Other Backward Classes
- Persons with Disabilities/ Specially Abled Persons
- J&K candidates
- Economically Weaker Section
Difference between CLAT 2026 Rank and Marks
The major difference between CLAT 2026 ranks and marks is:
- Marks are consolidated scores obtained in the CLAT exam
- Ranks are positioned in each category on the basis of marks and tie-breaking criteria
Therefore, it becomes essential for a candidate to score well in CLAT exam, in order to get a higher rank in the merit list.
CLAT 2026 Marks vs Ranks - Deciding factor for Merit List
Both CLAT rank and marks are the deciding factors for the merit list, as the exam authority allots ranks on the basis of marks obtained by candidates. Further, the qualified candidates are segregated on the basis of category (including horizontal reservations) for all NLUs.
CLAT Cutoff Marks vs Ranks
The cutoff marks for CLAT 2026 means the minimum marks a candidate needs to secure in all the sections as well as the overall question paper. Whereas, CLAT cutoff rank 2026 indicates category-wise rank (last) eligible to get admission in a particular NLU.
CLAT 2026 Marks
Here are the expected cutoff marks for the CLAT exam for reference:
| CLAT Sections |
Difficulty Level |
Expected cut off |
|---|---|---|
| English Language |
Easy |
20+ |
| Current Affairs including GK |
Moderate |
30+ |
| Logical Reasoning |
Moderate |
15+ |
| Legal Reasoning |
Easy to Moderate |
20+ |
| Quantitative Techniques |
Moderate |
10+ |
| Total |
Moderate |
95-115 |
CLAT Cutoff Ranks 2026
The merit list is published for all participating NLUs, and category-wise ranks will be updated once announced. Candidates can check CLAT 2025 data until then below:
CLAT 2024 Cutoff Ranks
Check the CLAT Cutoff rank for CLAT colleges for year 2024 for reference:
| CLAT 2024 Participating NLUs |
Opening Rank |
Closing Ranks |
Download CLAT 2024 1st Merit List |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Law School of India University, Bangalore |
1 | 14349 | |
| NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad |
4 | 8843 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NALSAR |
| The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata |
140 | 30484 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for WBNUJS |
| National Law Institute University, Bhopal
|
159 | 17865 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) |
| 187 | 27435 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NLIU Bhopal (BSc LLB) | |
| National Law University, Jodhpur |
112 | 21623 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NLU Jodhpur |
| Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar |
8 | 12468 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for GNLU |
| Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow |
357 | 20456 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for DRMNLU |
| Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala |
220 | 25988 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for RGNUL |
| Chanakya National Law University Patna
|
322 | 29492 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for CNLU Patna - BA LLB |
| 1051 | 32469 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for CNLU Patna - BBA LLB | |
| National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi |
231 | 28315 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NUALS Kochi |
| National Law University Odisha, Cuttack |
591 | 52970 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NLUO |
| National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi |
637 | 48856 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NUSRL |
| National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam |
1344 | 35236 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NLUJAA |
| Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU),Visakhapatnam |
656 | 34502 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for DSNLU |
| The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli |
806 | 38376 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for TNNLS - BA LLB |
| 821 | 30795 | ||
| Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai |
99 | 30958 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for MNLU Mumbai |
| Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur
|
491 | 42857 | |
| 611 | 46792 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for MNLU Nagpur (BBA-LLB) | |
| Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad |
945 | 41238 | |
| 681 | 47604 | ||
| Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla |
885 | 34169 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for HPNLU Shimla - BA LLB |
| 284 | 33143 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for HPNLU Shimla - BBA LLB | |
| Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur |
1060 | 34721 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for DNLU Jabalpur |
| Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University Sonipat, Haryana |
503 | 23930 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for DRBNLU Haryana |
| Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur |
413 | 44306 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for HNLU Raipur |
| National Law University, Tripura |
1716 | 51586 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for NLU Tripura |
| GNLU Silvassa Campus |
593 | 35911 | CLAT 2024 First Merit List for GNLU Silvassa |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
No, you don't have to take the CLAT 2026 exam to get admission in Chandigarh University. Instead, you must take the university's own entrance examination, the CUCET (Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test), which is very simple to pass. The best thing is that if you score well in CUCET, you can
J
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 5 days ago
Hi.
Level: Comparable overall. NLET may be slightly more analytical/legal-reasoning oriented.
Preparation Overlap: Preparing for CLAT will largely cover NLET syllabus, but you may need extra practice on complex legal reasoning questions for NLET.
Difficulty: Both are competitive; CLAT is high due to la
h
Scholar-Level 18
Answered 5 days ago
Hi...
Colleges You Can Get With Your CLAT Rank (General Guide)
Since you didn’t mention your exact CLAT rank, here’s a helpful list of law colleges that accept CLAT scores, including National Law Universities (NLUs) and good non‑NLU options, including options for mid to higher ranks. All these accept
h
Scholar-Level 18
Answered a week ago
To raise grievances on the CLAT 2026 Result, log in to your account on the Consortium of NLUs website (consortiumofnlus.ac.in), find the 'Submit Grievance' button, detail your issue (score/rank discrepancy, conduct) with supporting proof within the specified time, and submit online; accepted grievan
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can. Candidates can raise their grievances by sending an email. Candidates can follow the steps given below
- Go to the consortiumofnlus.ac.in
- Login using your email
- Enter your password
- Click on the grievance option
- Submit
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can get admission based on CLAT Score. Apart from that you can also appear for ULSAT Exam conducted by the university.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can absolutely prepare for CLAT and UPES ULSAT together, as they share significant syllabus overlap (Legal/Logical Reasoning, GK, English, Quant), making integrated preparation efficient; focus on core areas for both but tailor extra practice for ULSAT's specific GK/current affairs and CLAT
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
You should understand that once you opt to get out of the counselling process you can not go back. You will get option to either freeze your seat or choose to let it go and participate in next round. You can anytime exit the whole process too.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
There is no restriction as such for the CLAT exam. Thus, one can give CLAT any number of times they want to. Candidates should not feel bad if they are not able to clear the CLAT exam in first time.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
No you can not get admission to 24 participating NLUs without clearing CLAT Exam. For admission to NLU Delhi, you need to clear AILET Exam.
A
Contributor-Level 7
CLAT Notifications
It totally depends on you that when you should start preparing for CLAT. If you want really good marks in board exams, focus on that at first and then prepare for CLAT. If you can manage boards and CLAT preparation side by side then go for it, but do not affect your board scores.