Frequently Asked Questions
For General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI candidates: minimum 45% aggregate in 10+2 or equivalent. For SC/ST candidates: minimum 40%. Candidates appearing in the 2027 board exams are eligible, but must submit a passing certificate at the time of admission, failing which admission will be cancelled.
No. The Supreme Court struck down the upper age limit in 2017. Candidates of any age can appear for CLAT UG as long as they meet the educational qualification.
There is no restriction on the number of attempts. You can appear every year until you secure admission in your desired NLU.
No. Mathematics is not mandatory in Class 12. The Quantitative Techniques section is only Class 10 level (10–14 questions), so even Arts/Commerce students perform well with basic preparation.
For General category: 98–102+ out of 120 in CLAT 2027 is considered safe for NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad (top 50–80 AIR). In the last three years, NLSIU closed at 97–102 marks and NALSAR at 97–100 marks in the first list.
Among top NLUs, NLIU Bhopal, HNLU Raipur, and DSNLU Visakhapatnam have relatively lower fees (₹2.5–3.2 lakh per year). NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad are on the higher side (₹3.8–4.5 lakh), but offer excellent scholarships and fee waivers for economically weaker students.
Yes. With 80–85 marks (AIR 2000–5000), you can get newer NLUs such as NLU Odisha, NLU Tripura, HPNLU Shimla, or lower-ranked older NLUs like RGNUL Patiala, CNLU Patna, or NUSRL Ranchi in later counselling lists.
Not mandatory, but highly recommended for structured preparation, mock tests, and current affairs coverage. Toppers from the last 5 years: ~85% had coaching (online/offline), but many rankers under AIR 100 have cracked it through self-study using proper resources.
Not tough at all. No prior legal knowledge is required. Questions are based on principles given in the passage. You just need to apply the rule to the facts — similar to contract/tort puzzles. Consistent practice of 500+ passages makes it the highest-scoring section for most students.
Class 11 students: Start immediately (18–20 months prep). Class 12 students: Start latest by April–May 2026 (10–12 months). Droppers: Full-time 8–12 months with 8–10 hours daily + 100+ mocks is the standard strategy of toppers.
24 National Law Universities (except NLU Delhi, which conducts separate AILET) + over 60 private law colleges (Symbiosis, NMIMS, UPES, Lloyd, etc.) accept CLAT scores for 5-year LLB.
Offline pen-and-paper mode. You mark answers on OMR sheet with black/blue ballpoint pen.
Yes. You can reorder, add, or delete preferences until the last date of each counselling list (usually 2–3 days before allotment). Final locking happens automatically after the deadline.
₹50,000 for General/OBC/EWS/PwD and ₹20,000 for SC/ST. This is adjusted against the first-year fee of the allotted NLU. It is non-refundable if you exit after List 3.
If you do not pay the fee or lock choices for a particular list, you are automatically considered for the next list (except the final list). Missing the final list leads to forfeiture of seat and removal from the process.
Yes. Most NLUs reserve 25–50% seats for state domicile candidates (e.g., WBNUJS – 100% for West Bengal in some categories, NLU Odisha – 25% for Odisha residents). Check individual NLU brochures.
Yes. Most NLUs have 5–15% NRI/NRI-sponsored seats filled through CLAT merit list (separate merit list published). Fees are higher (USD 10,000–25,000 per year).
Yes, 80–85% syllabus overlaps (English, GK, Logical Reasoning). Extra preparation needed for AILET: longer passages, tougher Maths (15–20 Qs), and more emphasis on static GK & Legal GK.
Around 70,000–80,000 for UG and 10,000–12,000 for PG. Registered candidates cross 1 lakh annually.
Yes. Most NLUs offer merit-cum-means scholarships, fee waivers for SC/ST, EWS scholarships, and state government scholarships. NLSIU Bangalore waives full fees for family income below ₹8 lakh.
Jindal Global Law School (Sonipat), Symbiosis Law School (Pune, Hyderabad, Noida), NMIMS Kirit Mehta (Mumbai), Christ University (Bangalore), and Nirma University (Ahmedabad) are highly reputed and accept CLAT scores.
No. Only CLAT score and category determine merit list and allotment. 12th marks are checked only for eligibility (45%/40%). Tie-breaker uses Legal Reasoning marks and age, not board percentage.
Transparent water bottle is allowed. Diabetic/PwD candidates can carry medicines and snacks with prior permission mentioned on admit card.
