Counselling - 25 Feb '26 - 6 Mar '26
Are you confused about the benefits of giving the CLAT exam? Here are the top five reasons for you to consider appearing for CLAT 2026.
CLAT 2026: CLAT or the Common Law Admission Test is a national-level Law entrance exam conducted by the Consortium of NLUs every year. The exam is conducted for admission to five-year integrated LLB (BA LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, BCom LLB, etc.) and LLM courses. Through the CLAT exam 2026, you can secure admission to the prestigious National Law Universities (NLUs) and various other private Law schools accepting exam scores. For this, your CLAT result will be considered. The result is expected to be released in the second week of December 2025 at consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026.
Every year, thousands of candidates appear for the CLAT exam. Yet, many candidates find themselves in a fix about whether to appear for CLAT. Many candidates wonder about the benefits of taking the CLAT exam; while many others think of the ways CLAT can help them succeed in their career. However, candidates must ensure they appear for CLAT Exam when they are well prepared.
This article aims to answer all such questions and presents the top five reasons to take the CLAT 2026 exam.
- Provides a chance to get into a top Law school in India
- Accepted by a large number of private Law colleges
- Top-notch placements at top companies
- Helpful in PSU recruitment
- Provides a good start to your career in Law
Provides a chance to get into a top Law school in India
CLAT is the only exam in India that offers you the chance to secure admission to the prestigious NLUs. Considered the IITs of Law, the NLUs are the top-ranked Law colleges in India. The first ever NLU in India was established in 1986, named, National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore. Currently, there are total 24 NLUs in India, out of which admission to 25 NLUs is done through CLAT exam.
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Yes it is very much possible to clear the CLAT Exam in first go. You just need to be consistent and prepare well. Candidates must include attempting mock test and solving past years question paper in their study plan.
As per NIRF ranking 2025, NLSIU Bangalore is the No. 1 ranked NLU colleges in India. The table below has other NLUs in India rankwise.
Top NLUs in India | NIRF 2023 | NIRF 2024 | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1 | |
2 | 2 | 2 | |
4 | 4 | 4 | |
7 | 8 | 5 | |
18 | 21 | 27 | |
24 | 22 | 30 | |
30 | 26 | 15 | |
28 | 27 | 35 |
Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website of the ranking body listed and may vary.
Accepted by a large number of private Law colleges
Apart from the participating 24 NLUs, various private Law colleges also accept CLAT scores to provide admission to candidates to LLB courses offered by them. Every year, many private colleges sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CLAT Consortium under which they reserve some seats only for CLAT aspirants. A total 60 private colleges signed the MoU with the NLU Consortium to offer seats to CLAT aspirants.
Apart from those affiliated with the Consortium, many other private Law schools also accept CLAT scores for admission. However, such colleges may not specifically reserve seats for CLAT aspirants.
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Top-notch placements at top companies
CLAT provides you the opportunity to get top-notch placements at some of the top companies. As per the NLU placement reports, at the end of a Law course, NLU students on average get placement ranging from INR 4-16 lakh per annum. Some of the top Law firms that participate in the NLU placement process include:
- AZB & Partners
- Argus Partners
- Majmudar & Co
- Fox Mandal & Associates
- Khaitan & Co
Some top corporates that participate in the NLU placement process include:
- Ernst & Young
- ICICI Bank
- Times of India
- Tata Sons Ltd.
- Star India
- Deutsche Bank
While it is bit challenging as its syllabus is not defined. Candidates can expect question on CLAT Current Affairs from anywhere. But if you do prepare well your chances to score high in this section also increases. The best way to prepare is to read the newspaper on a daily basis. Rest is to read GK books.
To prepare for this section which cover 10 percent marks of the total CLAT paper it is important to have a right approach. Candidates must note that you can score really well if you study the Class 19 level mathematics properly. Be regular and plan strategically rather than trying to learn advance maths,
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Helpful in PSU recruitment
CLAT scores are used not only for LLB and LLM admissions, but also for recruitment at Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Those who appear for CLAT LLM hold a chance of recruitment in legal positions at top PSUs such as:
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
- Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
- National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
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Provides a good start to your career in Law
Appearing for CLAT is a good first step towards a flourishing career in Law. You can appear for the exam right after Class 12 to secure admission to an integrated-LLB course. Once you graduate with a Law degree, multiple avenues open up. Some of the career paths you can consider after obtaining an LLB degree include:
- Higher education – You can consider appearing for CLAT again, this time to pursue LLM from a prestigious Law college
- PSU recruitment – You can consider giving the CLAT LLM Exam 2026 also to secure a government job at one of the PSUs
- CS – You can consider pursuing a Company Secretary (CS) course
- Job – You can secure a job as a Legal Advisor, Corporate Law Practitioner, etc. at one of the leading corporate or legal firms
- Legal practice – After clearing LLB, you can also enroll yourself with a state bar council and start preparing for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). Once you clear the Bar exam, you can start your Legal practice as an advocate.
- Judicial Services – You can seek a career in Judicial Services to become a Judge. For the same, you need to appear for competitive exams such as PCS (J) and HJS.
- Civil Services – You can also prepare for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams and seek a career in Indian Civil Services or Legal Services
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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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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
Yes, you can join an LLB programme without CLAT at many law colleges in Mumbai. The most common entrance exam is not CLAT, but MHCET Law for 30+ government colleges in Mumbai. Find more about them below.
Note: All info. is from official sites and
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, students do not need CLAT exam score for admission into BA LLB programme. The college offers merit-based admission based on score in Class 12. The students who score atleast 45% marks in Class 12 are eligible to apply for this course.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, you can absolutely get admission to law college without taking the CLAT exam by applying to private colleges with direct/merit-based admission, taking state-level entrance exams, or appearing for university-specific tests like SLAT or AILET for other colleges. Many colleges base admission on Cl
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, you can find some good private law colleges in Chandigarh that do not necessarily require CLAT scores for LLB or related programmes. For instance, you can check Chitkara University's BA LLB course, which has merit-based admissions. without an entrance exam. If you are particularly looking for a
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
The Consortium of NLUs will conduct the CLAT Exam in offline; pen and paper mode. The exam will be conducted from 2 to 4 pm.
N
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
The CLAT 2026 exam will be conducted in over 131 test centres spread across 89 cities in 25 states and 5 union territories throughout India. The exam, conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities, is a pen-and-paper-based test, with these numerous centers providing extensive access to la
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
Candidates can check the allotted CLAT Exam Centre on their admit card. It must be noted that there is no way to know the exam centre except checking the hall ticket.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
Candidates can apply for CLAT Exam by visiting consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Candidates must check the eligibility criteria before applying. CLAT Admission Process is completely online and no offline form will be accepted.
C
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
While filling the CLAT application form 2026, candidates have to select three CLAT centres. Based on the preferences added by the candidate, authorities will allot the exam centre based on the choices added. Candidates must select the districts which are near their permanent or present address and
P
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
The CLAT 2026 exam will be conducted at over 130 test centres spread across 89 cities in India. These centers cover 25 states and 5 union territories. Candidates can select up to three, or sometimes more, test city preferences during the application process, with the exact number of venues subject t
Contributor-Level 10
Though CLAT Preparation takes months of practice, it is still not impossible. You can prepare for the CLAT Exam in one week with a correct and dedicated focus. But you should have at least some understanding of concepts to clear the exam.