CLAT 2021 Registration (Open), Application, Syllabus, Pattern & Preparation Tips

CLAT application form 2021 filling process is currently underway. Candidates can fill the CLAT application form on the official website of the exam latest by March 31. The CLAT 2021 exam will be conducted on June 13 from 2:00-4:00 PM. 

What is CLAT?

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national level entrance exam for admissions to candidates in undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law courses offered at 22 NLUs and other colleges/universities accepting exam scores. Some public organisations such as ONGC and BHEL also use CLAT-PG scores for recruitment. 

Till 2018, the exam was conducted by NLUs on a rotational basis. However, from 2019 onwards it is being conducted by a permanent body formed by the universities, i.e. The Consortium of NLUs. The consortium has its headquarter at NLSIU Bangalore and comprises:

• An Executive Committee

• The CLAT Convenor of the last year

• The CLAT Convenor of the following year 

• Two co-opted Vice-Chancellors of NLU

Professor (Dr) Vijender Kumar, Vice-chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur (MNLU Nagpur) has been elected as the Convenor of CLAT 2021. On the other hand, Professor Faizan Mustafa who is the Vice-Chancellor of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) has been elected as the president of the Consortium for CLAT 2021.

Latest Update:

• February 14, 2021: CLAT 2021 to be conducted on June 13, last date to submit application form is March 31. Read More

CLAT Eligibility 2021

CLAT eligibility criteria is different for UG and PG courses as mentioned below: 

CLAT Eligibility for UG courses:

To appear for CLAT exam for UG course admissions, candidates need to fulfill the below-mentioned eligibility criteria:

• Candidates should complete Class 12 or equivalent examination from national or state board of education
• Candidates should obtain minimum 45 per cent aggregate if belonging to General/Other Backward Class (OBC)/Specially-abled category and 40 per cent aggregate if belonging to Scheduled Class (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) category
• There is no upper age limit to apply for CLAT 2021 as the Bar Council of India (BCI) has removed the upper or lower age limit criteria for admissions to law courses

CLAT Eligibility for PG courses:

To appear for CLAT exam for PG course admissions, candidates need to fulfill the below-mentioned eligibility criteria:

• Candidates should obtain an LLB degree from a recognised university
• Candidates should obtain minimum 50 per cent aggregate if belonging to General/OBC/Specially-abled category and 45 per cent aggregate if belonging to SC/ST category
• There is no upper age limit to apply for CLAT

Also Read: CLAT 2021 Eligibility Criteria, Minimum Marks, Age Limit 

CLAT 2021 Dates and Events

CLAT application process 2021 is currently underway. Check complete CLAT exam dates 2021 below:

How to Fill CLAT Application Form 2021?

Candidates can apply online for CLAT 2021 on the official website of the exam. Candidates can apply for the exam in four steps - registration, application, document uploading and payment of application fee. Check out some quick steps to fill the CLAT 2021 application form below:

• Visit the official website of the exam - https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2021/
• Click on the Register button
• Fill and submit the CLAT registration form 2021
• Once registered, enter mobile number and OTP on the displayed window to activate the account
• Login to the registered account using mobile number and password
• Click on the Apply button and fill the CLAT application form
• Preview the filled-in online form and click on the Submit button to submit the form
• Upload scanned photo, signature and category certificate (if valid) as per the prescribed specifications
• Pay CLAT application fee in online (debit card/credit card/internet banking) or offline (bank challan) mode

CLAT Application Fee 2021

CLAT application fee varies as per the categories of candidates as mentioned below:

Check complete details on CLAT application form 2021. 

CLAT 2021 Admission Process 

Candidates seeking admissions to NLUs or law schools accepting CLAT scores have to follow the process as under: 

Step 1: Fill online CLAT 2021 application form

The CLAT consortium opens the application window in online mode on the official website of the exam. Candidates seeking admission through the CLAT exam have to apply before the last date of application after completing each step including, registration, filling up the form, uploading documents and fee payment. 

Step 2: Download CLAT admit card

The candidates who successfully fill and submit the application form for CLAT are issued an admit card to appear for the examination. The CLAT admit card 2021 will mention details about the test-taking candidate, exam centre name and location and test schedule.

Step 3: Appear for CLAT exam

Candidates have to appear for the entrance exam at the allotted test centres for CLAT 2021. The test timings for CLAT 2021 are 2:00-4:00 PM, however, candidates should report to their test centre by 1:00 PM. They should carry their admit card for CLAT exam and a valid photo ID proof to the allotted test centre.

Step 4: Check CLAT results

The consortium announces result for CLAT on the official website along with a provisional merit list for each NLU. 

Step 5: Take part in CLAT counselling 

The counselling process of CLAT 2021 will begin in online mode with provisional seat allotment on the basis of the first merit list. The candidates have to confirm their seats after document verification and payment of counselling-cum-admission fee. 

The National Law Universities (NLUs) in India (except for the NLU Delhi) and other top law colleges offer admissions to five-year integrated LLB courses, as well as LLM courses on the basis of CLAT scores. The courses offered are:

• BA LLB (Bachelor of Arts LLB)
• BSc LLB (Bachelor of Science LLB)
• BCom LLB (Bachelor of Commerce LLB)
• BBA LLB (Bachelor of Business Administration LLB)
• BSW LLB (Bachelor of Social Work LLB)
• LLM (Master of Laws)

Keep a track of latest news and updates on CLAT 2021 here.

Colleges accepting CLAT 2021 scores

CLAT is conducted for admissions to 22 NLUs and more than 50 private law colleges in India. Below is the list of colleges participating in CLAT Scores:

Read More: List of colleges accepting CLAT scores with seat intake and other details. 

CLAT Preparation 2021

Check out quick CLAT preparation tips to crack the law entrance exam with flying colours:

CLAT Preparation Tips for UG Course Admissions

• Have a proper section-wise CLAT preparation strategy in place
• The aim should be to score well in each section of CLAT question paper 2021
• Stay abreast of news and current affairs by regularly reading quality newspapers and periodicals
• Focus on your time management skills and improving speed of answering questions on quantative techniques by studying Class 10 Mathematics  
• Solve as many CLAT mock tests, sample papers and previous years' question papers as possible to know your strong and weak areas for the exam

Check complete CLAT preparation 2021 for UG courses. 

CLAT Preparation Tips for PG Course Admissions

• Know the CLAT syllabus and exam pattern for LLM well 
• Read and refresh your knowledge of important judgements
• Ensure you have complete awareness about important constitutional and legislative provisions
• Practice writing essays with clear presentation of issues, facts, arguments and conclusions

CLAT Exam Analysis 

CLAT exam is usually of moderate difficulty level. On the day of the exam, many law exam experts provide paper analysis along with expected cut off for CLAT. Click on the links below to know the difficulty level and paper pattern of CLAT conducted in previous years: 

• CLAT 2020 Student Reactions
• CLAT Exam Analysis 2019 by Expert
• CLAT 2019 paper analysis by students

CLAT Exam Day Guidelines 2021

Candidates appearing for the exam should carefully check the exam day instructions mentioned below:

• Candidates should report at their allotted test centres at least an hour before the exam timings
• Candidates should carry the admit card for CLAT as well as one photo ID proof and a recent passport size photograph.
• Candidates should also carry one HB pencil and at least two pens (ballpoint and black/ blue coloured ink).
• Moreover, candidates must not carry study material, valuable items, or electronic devices with them as mobile phones, calculators, smartwatches or tablets are banned inside the examination hall.   

Important FAQs regarding CLAT Exam

Q: When will CLAT 2021 applications begin? 

A: CLAT 2021 application process is currently underway. Candidates can fill the application form for CLAT exam latest by March 31. The CLAT application form was made available on January 1. 

Q: Where to apply for CLAT 2021? 

A: Aspirants can apply for CLAT 2021 in online mode on the official website of the consortium of NLUs, that is, https://clatconsortiumofnlu.ac.in/. 

Q: What is the CLAT 2021 eligibility criteria?

A: CLAT 2021 eligibility criteria for undergraduate courses is such that candidates should pass Class 12 examination or equivalent (regular mode of education) with at least 45 per cent aggregate (40 per cent if belonging to SC/ST category). 

For LLM course, candidates should hold an LLB degree or an equivalent five-year integrated degree with minimum 50 per cent aggregate (45 per cent if belonging to SC/ST category). 

Q: Is there any age limit to appear for CLAT 2021?

A: No, there is no upper or lower age limit to appear for CLAT 2021 exam.

Q: Why is CLAT exam important?

A: CLAT is one of the most popular law entrance exams for admissions to top law schools in India including the 22 NLUs. Moreover, various other private law colleges and universities across India offer admission to candidates in UG and PG law courses on the basis of CLAT scores. Therefore, with just one law entrance exam, candidates get admission opportunities at a majority of prominent law schools in India.

Apart from this, many Public Sector Undertaking (PSUs) in India accept CLAT LLM scores for the recruitment of candidates. 

Q: Who will conduct CLAT 2021 exam?

A: The law entrance exam is conducted by the CLAT convenor along with other members of the Consortium of NLUs. The Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Nagpur has been elected as the Convenor of CLAT 2021.

Q: When will the CLAT 2021 exam be held? 

A: As per the official announcement by the consortium of NLUs, the upcoming exam of CLAT will be held on June 13, 2021. Earlier, the exam was to be held on May 9 but due to clash with CBSE board exams the law entrance exam date was rescheduled. CLAT 2021 exam notification was released on December 27. 

Q: Will CLAT 2021 be an online exam?

A: No, CLAT 2021 for UG and PG courses will be conducted in offline mode as a pen-and-paper based test. Last year, due to the country-wide spread COVID-19 pandemic, the examination was held in online mode. 

Q: How many candidates take CLAT exam every year?

A: Around 50,000 candidates from different cities across India appear for the CLAT exam every year. 

Q: What changes have been made to CLAT 2021 exam pattern? 

A: As per the new exam pattern of CLAT, there will be 150 questions as compared to 200 questions that were asked in the exam previously. Moreover, each section will be carrying a higher number of comprehensive type of questions. Also Read: CLAT 2021 exam pattern and marking scheme

Q: Is 'Legal Aptitude' section removed from the CLAT 2021 question paper? 

A: As per the exam pattern of CLAT 2021, the Legal Reasoning remains a part of the question paper along with Quantitative Techniques, English, Current Affairs including General Knowledge and Logical Reasoning. 

Q: What is CLAT exam?

A: CLAT or Common Law Admission Test is a national-level entrance exam for admission to UG and PG law courses such as BA LLB, BSc LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB and LLM. Through CLAT exam, candidates can secure admission in the aforementioned law courses offered at the prestigious NLUs or National Law Universities and many other private colleges and universities. 

Q: What does CLAT exam include?

A: The CLAT question paper for UG courses include contains objective-type questions from subjects such as Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques, English and Current Affairs including General Knowledge. On the other hand, CLAT paper for LLM courses include both objective and subjective questions from law subjects such as Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, etc.

Q: Is CLAT difficult?

A: The difficulty level of CLAT is typically moderate. Click on CLAT exam analysis to know complete details about the difficulty level of CLAT exam.