CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027: Qualification, Minimum Marks and Age Limit

The CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 specify the educational qualifications, minimum marks, and other requirements for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes. The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) requires UG applicants to secure 45% in Class 12, or 40% for SC/ST/PwD applicants. For PG admission, applicants need 50% in an LL.B. degree, or 45% for SC/ST/PwD applicants. There is no upper age limit for either programme. CLAT 2027 is scheduled for December 6, 2026.

Students appearing for their qualifying examination in 2027 can apply provisionally. However, they must submit proof of passing the examination during admission. Meeting the eligibility requirements allows applicants to compete for admission but does not guarantee a seat at an NLU.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 Overview

The eligibility requirements differ for five-year integrated undergraduate law programmes and one-year postgraduate law programmes. Review the key details before completing the CLAT Application Process 2027.

Note: The Consortium conducts CLAT for admission to participating NLUs. Individual universities may prescribe additional requirements for particular courses, categories, or seats. Applicants should read the relevant university brochure before applying.

CLAT UG Eligibility Criteria 2027

Applicants seeking admission to a five-year integrated LL.B. programme must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board. The minimum qualifying marks depend on the applicant's category.

Note: The Consortium's basic UG eligibility rules specify 40% for SC/ST/PwD applicants and 45% for other applicants. NRI, OCI and PIO applicants should also check the admission rules of their preferred NLUs.

Students appearing for their Class 12 examinations in March or April 2027 can apply provisionally. They must provide proof of passing the examination at admission. Applicants who fail to meet the qualifying requirements or submit the required proof may lose eligibility for admission.

CLAT PG Eligibility Criteria 2027

Applicants seeking admission to a one-year LL.M. programme must hold an LL.B. degree or an equivalent qualification from a recognised institution. Students appearing for their qualifying law examination in 2027 may also apply provisionally.

Note: The official CLAT PG eligibility criteria prescribe 45% for SC/ST/PwD applicants and 50% for other applicants. Applicants must verify any additional university-specific conditions before admission.

Final-year LL.B. students must submit evidence of completing the qualifying degree when required by the admitting university. Failure to meet the prescribed marks or document requirements can affect admission.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria for NRI, OCI, PIO and Foreign Nationals

Nationality and applicant category can affect the route to admission. Indian nationals, NRIs, OCI cardholders and PIO cardholders may appear for CLAT 2027, subject to the applicable programme rules. Foreign nationals are not eligible to appear for CLAT 2027.

Important: The Consortium does not allot seats under NRI and NRI-sponsored categories. Applicants must approach the relevant NLU directly and follow its admission brochure. Foreign nationals should also contact their preferred university for information about direct admission.

Minimum Marks Required for CLAT Eligibility 2027

The minimum qualifying marks are based on the programme and category. The following table summarises the basic requirements for UG and PG applicants.

Note: These percentages refer to the qualifying examination, not the marks required in the CLAT entrance test. University-specific reservation and admission conditions may also apply.

Applicants should verify that their qualifying examination meets the required percentage before completing the application. Those awaiting results may apply provisionally but must satisfy the criteria at admission.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria Age Limit 2027

The Consortium has not prescribed an upper age limit for CLAT UG or CLAT PG. It has also not specified a minimum age requirement in the basic eligibility criteria.

Note: Applicants must still meet the educational qualification and minimum marks requirements for their selected programme. The absence of an age limit does not waive any other admission condition.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria Based on Qualification 2027

The qualifying examination determines whether an applicant can apply for UG or PG admission. Use the following table to identify the applicable route.

Note: Provisional eligibility does not guarantee admission. Applicants must pass the qualifying examination and submit the required evidence within the timeline specified by the admitting university.

CLAT 2027 Reservation Criteria

Reservation policies vary across participating National Law Universities (NLUs). Each university determines its seat distribution, category reservations, domicile requirements and horizontal reservations according to its admission rules.

For the academic year 2027-28, NLSIU Bengaluru has specified a total undergraduate intake of 310 seats, including 10 additional seats for Karnataka students. Its category-wise seat distribution and horizontal reservation provisions are outlined below, based on the attached NLSIU admission brochure.

NLSIU Bengaluru Seat Intake and Category Reservation 2027-28

The university's brochure specifies 300 seats under its main category-wise distribution, followed by 10 additional seats for Karnataka students.

Note: The category-wise distribution totals 300 seats. The additional 10 seats for Karnataka students bring the revised undergraduate intake to 310.

NLSIU Bengaluru Horizontal Reservation 2027-28

In addition to category-based reservations, NLSIU Bengaluru provides horizontal reservations for specified groups. These provisions apply according to the conditions stated in the university's admission rules.

Important: These figures are presented as specified in the attached NLSIU brochure for the 2027-28 academic year. Horizontal reservations operate within the applicable seat distribution and should not be added to the total intake as separate seats.

Reservation Policies Across Other NLUs

Reservation policies are not uniform across all participating NLUs. The percentage of reserved seats, domicile requirements, category certificates and horizontal reservations may differ by university. Applicants should check the latest admission brochure of each preferred institution before selecting their counselling preferences.

For more details, review the university profiles of NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad and NLU Jodhpur before applying.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria for General, OBC, SC and ST Candidates

The basic qualifying marks differ for reserved categories. General and OBC applicants need 45% in Class 12 for UG admission and 50% in an LL.B. degree for PG admission. SC and ST applicants need 40% for UG and 45% for PG admission.

Note: The table shows the Consortium's basic eligibility thresholds. Applicants should check the relevant NLU's reservation rules, certificate requirements and course-specific conditions before counselling.

Documents Required for CLAT Eligibility Verification

Applicants should keep their academic records and relevant certificates ready for the application and admission stages. The documents required depend on the programme, category and university.

Important: The official CLAT application instructions require a recent front-facing photograph with a plain background and the candidate's signature. Applicants claiming relevant categories must upload the required certificates in the prescribed format. The admitting university may require original documents during admission.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 and Seat Intake

Each National Law University (NLU) has a different seat intake and reservation policy for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programmes. According to the figures provided, NLSIU Bengaluru offers 310 UG seats and 100 PG seats, while NLU Jodhpur offers 120 UG seats and 50 PG seats.

The combined intake listed in the draft is 3,511 UG seats and 1,271 PG seats, excluding supernumerary, NRI, extra and foreign national (FN) seats.

CLAT 2027 NLU-Wise Seat Intake

Note: The figures above retain the seat-intake details supplied in the draft. Verify the final totals and individual university figures against the official CLAT 2027 participating-university information and each NLU's admission brochure before publication. Seat intake may vary by programme, category and admission rules.

Important Points About CLAT Eligibility 2027

Applicants should review the following conditions before submitting the application and preparing for counselling.

• Class 12 applicants appearing in March or April 2027 may apply provisionally for CLAT UG.

• Final-year LL.B. students may apply provisionally for CLAT PG.

• Applicants must meet the minimum qualifying marks for their programme and category.

• There is no upper age limit for CLAT UG or CLAT PG.

• The Consortium has not prescribed a limit on the number of attempts.

• Reservation benefits require valid supporting documents and are subject to the relevant NLU's policy.

• NRI and NRI-sponsored applicants must follow the admission procedure specified by the respective NLU.

• Foreign nationals cannot appear for CLAT 2027 and should contact the relevant university directly.

• Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee a seat. Admission depends on merit, seat availability, counselling and university-specific requirements.

CLAT Eligibility Criteria 2027 FAQs