CLAT 2023 – The Consortium of National Law Universities is accepting online applications for CLAT 2023 till November 18, as extended. The application fee to be paid for CLAT 2023 is INR 4,000 (INR 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL categories). The online application form for CLAT 2023 is available on the official website – consortiumofnlus.ac.in. As confirmed by the exam authority in a latest notification, CLAT 2023 exam date is December 18 only. Candidates can get all information about CLAT 2023 including application process, exam dates, pattern, syllabus, preparation tips, and other details.

 CLAT exam is conducted in more than 80 test cities in India. The exam is conducted in pen-and-paper mode. Candidates need to secure a good rank and get admission into a top NLU.

What’s New in CLAT?

Every year, some changes are made in CLAT, either exam pattern or syllabus, however, this year the major changes are as under:

The law entrance exam, Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is being held twice this year – June and December.  

For a first, there will be Open Campus Visit Days for CLAT 2023 registered candidates.

Note: CLAT 2024 onwards, the entrance exam will be held once in a year only, and in December month only to complete admission process timely.

What is CLAT?

The national-level Common Law Admission Test (or CLAT) is conducted by the Consortium of NLUs for admission to 5-year integrated LLB (UG) and one-year LLM (PG) courses offered by 22 participating NLUs. Currently, UG courses are offered by all 22 NLUs, and PG courses are offered at 19 NLUs.    

Apart from the NLUs in India:

There are 61 other private affiliate colleges that accept CLAT exam scores. 

Some public organizations such as ONGC and BHEL use CLAT-PG scores for recruitment. 

CLAT 2023 Online Registration

The NLU Consortium has extended CLAT 2023 applications till November 18 in online mode at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. To register for the exam, candidates need a valid email ID and phone number. Upon registration, the candidate need to fill various fields in the form like applicant details, upload documents, select the exam center, and pay the application fee. 

How to fill the CLAT 2023 application form?

Registration – The candidate can register by entering their name, mobile number, and email id. Also, select and confirm a password for the newly created applicant account. 

Login – Log in to access the application form.  

Select the program of study – After logging in, the first thing is to select the program of study 5-year LLB or one-year LLB

Fill the form – There will be different fields like personal information, communication details, qualifying examination status, exam center preferences (THREE centers can be selected in the order of preference), and reservation. All fields need to be filled.

Submit the form – Once the details are duly filled, agree to the declaration, give consent and submit the form.    

Pay the application fee – In the last step, pay the application fee (which is category-specific) in online mode using credit or debit cards, or net banking. Note that in addition to the exam fee, candidates will have to pay an additional INR 500 if they want to opt for previous years’ question papers.

CLAT 2023 application fee is as under:

Category	CLAT Application Fee (in INR)
General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI	INR 4,000
SC/ST/BPL	INR 3,500
CLAT previous years’ question papers fee	INR 500

CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2023

The consortium has released the updated eligibility criteria of CLAT 2023 for admission to 5-year LLB and LLM courses on its official website. These criteria include parameters like academic qualification, minimum marks, age limit, etc. 

Course-wise CLAT 2022-23 eligibility criteria:

Criteria	UG program	PG program
Qualifying exam	The candidate must have passed 10+2 or an equivalent exam	The candidate must have passed the 5-year integrated or 3-year LLB exam.
Minimum marks	General – 45% SC/ST – 40%	General – 50% SC/ST – 45%
Age limit	No upper age limit has been prescribed for UG courses.	There is no upper age limit for admission to PG courses.

Note that the affiliate colleges may have different eligibility criteria from the ones mentioned above; so you need to visit the website of the concerned university to get the latest information.

To read the detailed eligibility criteria of CLAT 2023 – Click Here

CLAT 2023 Highlights

CLAT is the only law entrance exam accepted by the 22 NLUs in India. Therefore, candidates must be know the key elements of the exam as given in the table below:

Features	Details
Name of the exam	Common-Law Admission Test
Popularly known as	CLAT
Conducting body	The consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs)
Exam mode	Pen-and-paper exam
Exam duration	2 hours
CLAT 2023 exam date	18-Dec-2022
Number of applications	60,895 (2022)
Number of test-takers	5,6472 (2022)
Number of seats	For UG courses – 2, 644, and for PG courses – 914 (Not including sponsored, supernumerary, NRI, and extra seats.) To read more about CLAT score accepting institutes – Click Here
Accepting colleges	22 participating NLUs, and 61 private law colleges
Top-ranked participating NLU	Here are top-ranking participating NLUs as per NIRF Ranking 2022 NLSIU Bengaluru – Rank 1 NALSAR – Rank 3 WBNUJS Kolkata – Rank 4 To check the full list – Click Here
Exam helpdesk number	08047162020
Official website	https://clatconsortiumofnlu.ac.in/

CLAT 2023 Exam Dates and Events

The consortium has announced the exam dates for CLAT 2023 on August 08 along with the applications. Refer to the table below to check the exam schedule: 

Events of CLAT 2023	CLAT 2023 Dates
CLAT 2023 application begins	08-Aug-2022
Publishing of first sample questions set	10-Oct-2022
First Open Campus Visit day (Only for CLAT 2023 registered candidates)	18-Oct-2022 to 27-Oct-2022
Publishing of second sample questions set	03-Nov-2022
Second Open Campus Visit day (Only for CLAT 2023 registered candidates)	November 2022
Publishing of third sample questions set	Anytime in November 2022
Last date to apply for CLAT 2023	18-November-2022 (extended)
CLAT 2023 admit card release	15 days before the exam date
CLAT 2023 exam date	18-Dec-2022

CLAT 2023 Admit Card 

The Consortium will release the admit card for the law entrance exam, CLAT 2023 at least 15 days before the exam date. Candidates will be able to download the admit card for CLAT 2023 from the official website as per the steps below: 

Go to the official website of CLAT or click here for direct link

On the login window, enter the registered phone number and password to access the admit card

Next, download the admit card, and cross-check all details mentioned on it.

CLAT admit card 2023 is an important document to be carried on the exam day. Candidates must carry a valid ID proof (with photo on it) along with the admit card on the exam day. 

Also read: Exam Day Tips for CLAT 2023 – Last minute prep tips, exam day instructions, admit card

CLAT Preparation in One Month

CLAT Syllabus 2023

The CLAT syllabus is shared by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) to inform candidates about the subjects, important topics for the pen-and-paper exam. Further, the CLAT syllabus will help you:

Identify the important topics

Check the topic-wise distribution of marks or weightage carried by various topics.

The awareness of topics that have maximum weightage in CLAT 2023 will help in preparing more effectively and increasing chances to score high. In the table below, check the subject-wise topics and the number of questions asked.

Also read: 

How to prepare for CLAT along with board exams

How to Prepare for CLAT in Class 12

CLAT Pros and cons, tips to approach preparation

CLAT 2023 Syllabus – Subjects, subject-wise, and total questions

Here’s an overview of the question paper pattern for the upcoming CLAT exam:

Subjects	Number of Questions	Marks	Weightage (%)
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge	35-39	35 – 39	23.33 – 26
English Language	28-32	28 – 32	18.66 – 21.33
Logical Reasoning	28-32	28 – 32	18.66 – 21.33
Quantitative Techniques	13-17	13 – 17	8.66 – 11.33
Legal Reasoning	35-39	35 – 39	23.33 – 26
Total	150	150	100

To Read Exam preparation tips by experts – Click Here

The key takeaway from CLAT syllabus 2023

The Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs sections carry maximum weightage. 

The second most important sections are the English and Logical Reasoning. 

The least important section is Quantitative Techniques 

While the weightage varies between sections, do not ignore any section.

In CLAT LLM, questions are asked from Law subjects such as Constitutional Law, Contract, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, IPR and Jurisprudence, and more. Check the complete CLAT syllabus for LLM.

Download complete section-wise CLAT UG syllabus in PDF format – Click Here Download complete section-wise CLAT LLM syllabus in PDF format – Click Here

CLAT Exam Pattern 2023

The consortium has released the CLAT exam pattern mentioning details about the question paper structure such as, types of questions asked, marking scheme, and topics. Candidates appearing for CLAT 2023 can check out the detailed exam pattern below:

CLAT 2023 exam pattern – Mode, Topics, Marking Scheme, Number of Questions

Category	UG program	PG program
Duration	Two hours	Two hours
Mode	Offline mode	Offline mode
Type of Questions	Objective-type, comprehension-based questions	Objective-type, comprehension-based questions
Number of Questions	150	120
Subjects	English Language Current Affairs, including GK Legal Reasoning Logical Reasoning Quantitative Techniques	Constitutional Law Other Law Subjects, including Contract, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, IPR and Jurisprudence.
Total Marks	150 marks	120 marks
Marking scheme	+1 mark for a correct answer.  -0.25 marks for an incorrect answer.	+1 mark for a correct answer.  -0.25 marks for an incorrect answer.

To read more on CLAT 2022 exam pattern – Click Here

CLAT Exam Centres 2023

The NLU Consortium will share the details related to CLAT 2023 exam centers along with the admission notification. Moreover, candidates will be able to select their nearest location as the CLAT 2023 exam centre for taking the exam. For CLAT 2023, the consortium arranged 131 test centres in 81 cities allover India. In 2021, the Law entrance exam was held in 84 cities across India. In each city, there were multiple test centers depending on the number of candidates appearing for the exam. Candidates could choose three test cities in order of preference in the CLAT application form. 
Also read: CLAT 2023 exam centers 

CLAT 2023 Preparation 

While preparing for CLAT, it is important for candidates to have a plan in mind. 

Have a proper section-wise CLAT preparation strategy in place

Pick the best CLAT books to study

Work on your time management skills and accuracy   

Solve as many CLAT mock tests, sample papers, and previous years’ question papers as you can.

Section-wise CLAT preparation tips for UG courses:

CLAT preparation tips for English Section – The difficulty level of questions in this section is the same as that of Class 12 English. The important topics in this section include Vocabulary, Antonyms/Synonyms, Reading Comprehension, Grammar, and Idioms and Phrases. Develop a habit of reading the editorial section of reputed newspapers such as The Hindu. Practice grammar questions daily and clear the basics. To read more – Click Here

CLAT preparation tips for Current Affairs including GK – Regularly keep a track of all the latest news and events by reading newspapers and magazines such as The Chronicles and Outlook India. Keep a track of all important legal judgments. For GK, focus more on History and Art & Culture subjects. To read more – Click Here

CLAT preparation tips for Legal Reasoning – Improve reading and analytical skills by reading newspapers and blogs related to static and current legal issues. You can also read newspaper and magazine columns by some of the prominent lawyers of India. Practice a Legal Reasoning passage daily. While practicing, do not let your biases or previous knowledge of law affect your answer. Remember that the answer to the question is present in the given passage only. To read more – Click Here

CLAT preparation tips for Logical Reasoning – Few important topics to prepare for the section include Relationships, Analogies, Logical Sequences, and Arguments. Learning shortcuts to solve Logical Reasoning questions can prove extremely helpful. While attempting the passage, identify the premises and sets of arguments first. Practice at least one passage of Logical Reasoning daily. To read more – Click Here

CLAT preparation tips for Quantitative Techniques – The difficulty level of questions in this section is the same as that of Class 10 Maths. To ace the section, it is important to have conceptual clarity of all the topics of the Class 10 Maths syllabus. Important topics to prepare for the section are Basic Algebra, Ratios and Proportions, Mensuration and Statistics
Learning shortcuts to solve questions can prove helpful in this section as well. To read more – Click Here

CLAT PG Preparation Tips 

In the CLAT PG exam, questions are asked from Law subjects that are taught at the graduation level. Given below are important CLAT preparation tips for PG courses:

Know the CLAT syllabus and exam pattern for LLM well 

Read and refresh your knowledge of important judgments

Gain complete knowledge of important constitutional and legislative provisions

Practice essay writing with a clear presentation of issues, facts, arguments, and conclusions

To read CLAT PG exam preparation tips in detail – Click Here

How to Attempt CLAT 2023 Questions?

The questions asked in the CLAT exam can be grouped into three levels – easy, moderate, and tough. If candidates know the right technique to attempt passage-based questions and are prepared well, then a majority of the questions can be attempted. The tips to attempt passage-based questions in CLAT exam is given section-wise in the table below: 

How to attempt section-wise CLAT questions 2023?
How to attempt questions in CLAT English Language section	How to attempt questions in CLAT Current Affairs & GK section
How to attempt questions in CLAT Legal Reasoning section	How to attempt questions in CLAT Logical Reasoning section
How to attempt questions in CLAT Quantitative Techniques section	–

Download CLAT Question Papers & Sample Papers

For CLAT 2023, only past 3 years question papers are relevant as per the exam pattern. Candidates can download the CLAT question papers and sample papers for current and previous years below:

Download CLAT 2022 UG Question Paper PDF

Download CLAT 2022 PG Question Paper PDF

Download all past years question papers for CLAT here

CLAT Answer Keys 2023

The exam authority publishes CLAT answer keys soon after the examination. The answer keys mention correct options against each question asked in the question paper. Moreover, the exam authority also asks the test-takers to verify their responses with CLAT answer key, and raise objections in case there are any discrepancies. 

CLAT 2022 answer keys both provisional and final keys have been released, and the exam authority has revised some of the questions objected against the answer keys as under: 

CLAT UG Question number objected and revised	CLAT PG Question number objected and removed
Question number 22	Question number 30
Question number 28
Question number 139

CLAT Exam Analysis 2023 

It is common knowledge that CLAT is one of the toughest law entrance exams in the land. But do you know the reasons why the exam is tough, or why do so many students struggle to decipher the exam code. Here we take a closer look at the CLAT exam and see the various component of the question paper that will help you crack the exam. 

The difficulty level of the was moderate

The question paper was lengthy for Logical Reasoning, and Legal Aptitude

There were a few tricky questions in Logical Reasoning, Legal Aptitude, and Quantitative Techniques

The paper was lengthy and required candidates to read through passages and questions fast. Candidates taking CLAT 2022, the exam duration was not sufficient to attempt all questions.

The General Knowledge section also contained many static GK but some unexpected questions based on Ukraine War, Drone Shakti, ISRO, and Corporate Social Responsibility were asked. 

The Quantitative Aptitude and English section were easy 

CLAT Sections	Number of MCQs	Number of Passages	Difficulty Level
English	30	6	Easy
GK including Current Affairs	35	7	Moderate to Difficult
Logical Reasoning	30	6	Moderate
Legal Reasoning	40	8	Moderate
Quantitative Techniques	30	6	Easy
Total	165 (15 optional questions)	33	Moderate

To read CLAT exam analysis in detail – Click Here

Here’s an overview of section-wise CLAT UG exam analysis: 

CLAT 2022 Sections	Difficulty Level	Questions details
English Language	Easy	All the questions were based on the syllabus.
Current Affairs including General Knowledge	Moderate, due to a few unexpected questions	Unexpected questions for current affairs. Some questions were based on Ukraine war, Drone Shakti, CSR for Business, ISRO etc.
Logical Reasoning	Moderate, due to lengthy questions	A few tricky questions but lengthy section. There were short passages, and contextual.
Legal Reasoning	Easy to Moderate, due to a few tricky questions	A few tricky questions but lengthy section. Some questions were based on Special Marriage Act, 2-3 passages based on Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights, Bigamy, Monism and Dualism from International Law etc.
Quantitative Techniques	Moderate, due to a few tricky questions	All the questions were based on the syllabus, and easy to attempt. Some questions were based on data interpretation and sufficiency. However, there were no graph based questions.
Overall difficulty level	Moderate	Moderately difficult and lengthy questions

CLAT Cutoff 2023

The Consortium of NLUs releases the NLU-wise CLAT cut-off for the 5-year integrated and one-year LLM programs. The cutoffs would be category-specific and indicate the minimum marks (or ranks) one needs to secure in one’s given category to be considered for admission.

CLAT cutoff 2023 for participating NLUs is determined considering the following points:

The seat intake for the program applied for admission

Total number of candidates seeking admission to that course

The CLAT 2023 merit rank of the applicants

Category under which admission is sought

NIRF Ranking (if available) of the applied NLU.

Candidates may check the previous years’ CLAT cutoff here

CLAT Colleges and Seat Intake

All the National Law Universities (NLUs) in India (except  NLU Delhi) accept CLAT scores of candidates for admission to five-year integrated LLB courses and LLM courses. Check out the list of courses offered through CLAT exam along with the total seat intake at the 22 participating NLUs:

CLAT Courses	Total Seat Intake at NLUs
BA LLB (Hons) (Bachelor of Arts LLB Honours)	2,644 seats
BSc LLB (Hons) (Bachelor of Science LLB Honours)
BCom LLB (Hons) (Bachelor of Commerce LLB Honours)
BBA LLB (Hons) (Bachelor of Business Administration LLB Honours)
BSW LLB (Bachelor of Social Work LLB Honours)
LLM (Master of Laws)	914 seats

CLAT 2023 Participating NLUs

Every year, 22 NLUs participate in the counselling and seat allotment process of CLAT exam for UG and PG course admission. Here’s the list of NLUs for CLAT 2023:

CLAT participating National Law Universities (NLUs)
National Law School of India University, Bangalore	National Academy of Legal Study & Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata	National Law Institute University, Bhopal
National Law University, Jodhpur	Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar	Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala	Chanakya National Law University Patna
National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi	National Law University Odisha, Cuttack
National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi	National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam	The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli
Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai	Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur
Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad	Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla
Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur	Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University Sonipat, Haryana

CLAT Exam FAQs

1. What will CLAT 2023 application form be released?

Q: When will the CLAT 2023 exam be held? 

Q: When will the CLAT 2023 exam be held? 

Q: Will CLAT 2023 be conducted as an online exam?

Q: What changes have been made in CLAT exam pattern? 

Q: Is ‘Legal Aptitude’ section removed from the CLAT question paper? 

Q: How many candidates take CLAT exam every year?

Q: What is CLAT exam?

Q: Which exam is more difficult – CLAT or AILET?

Q: From where can I download the CLAT 2022 question paper?

Q: Why is CLAT exam important?

Q: What kind of questions are included in CLAT question paper?

Q: Will CLAT 2022 be conducted in other languages?

Q: Where to apply for CLAT 2023?