CLAT Exam Date 2026: Schedule, City Intimation Slip — Explained

CLAT 2026 is the mandatory entrance examination for students seeking admission to 5-year integrated LL.B. and 1-year LL.M. programs at 24 National Law Universities (NLUs) across India. The Consortium of NLUs typically conducts this offline, pen-and-paper exam on the first Sunday of December. For the 2026 academic cycle, the exam is expected to take place in December 2025. With over 75,000 candidates competing for approximately 3,300 undergraduate seats, understanding the timeline and the role of the City Intimation Slip is critical for effective planning.

CLAT 2026: Exam Overview at a Glance

Feature	Details
Exam Name	Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026
Conducting Body	Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs)
Expected Exam Date	December 7, 2025 (Tentative)
Exam Mode	Offline (Pen-and-Paper)
Total Questions	120 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Duration	120 Minutes (2 Hours)
Negative Marking	0.25 marks for every wrong answer
Official Website	consortiumofnlus.ac.in

CLAT 2026 Exam Schedule and Important Dates

The Consortium follows a strict timeline for the CLAT examination cycle. While the official notification is usually released in July, candidates must track the following estimated dates to ensure no deadlines are missed. Early registration allows candidates to select their preferred exam cities before the high-demand centers reach capacity.

• Official Notification Release: First week of July 2025
• Online Application Starts: July 2025 (Second Week)
• Last Date to Apply: Mid-November 2025
• City Intimation Slip Release: Last week of November 2025
• Admit Card Release: 10-15 days before the exam
• CLAT 2026 Exam Date: First Sunday of December 2025
• Provisional Answer Key: Within 24 hours of the exam
• Final Result Declaration: Last week of December 2025

What is the CLAT 2026 City Intimation Slip?

The City Intimation Slip is a preliminary document released by the Consortium of NLUs before the actual admit card. Its primary purpose is to inform candidates about the specific city where their exam center is located. This is not the admit card and cannot be used to enter the examination hall. The slip is specifically designed to help outstation candidates book train tickets, flights, or hotels well in advance, especially during the busy December travel season.

The City Intimation Slip contains your registration number, candidate name, and the assigned city. It does not contain the name of the school or college serving as the venue. That level of detail is reserved for the official hall ticket. If you find that the assigned city is different from your top three preferences, you must contact the Consortium helpdesk immediately at clat@consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

How to Download CLAT 2026 City Intimation Slip?

Candidates can access their city details only through the official portal. Follow these steps to retrieve your information:

1. Visit the official website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
2. Log in using your registered mobile number and password created during registration.
3. Locate the \"Download City Intimation Slip\" link on the candidate dashboard.
4. Click the link to view the PDF document on your screen.
5. Verify your details and note the assigned city for your travel arrangements.

Ensure you have a stable internet connection and use a desktop browser for a smoother download experience. If you have forgotten your password, use the \"Forgot Password\" utility on the login page to reset it via an OTP sent to your registered mobile number.

CLAT 2026 Admit Card vs. City Intimation Slip

Many first-time aspirants confuse the city slip with the admit card. The table below highlights the fundamental differences between these two documents to avoid any last-minute confusion at the exam center.

Feature	City Intimation Slip	Admit Card (Hall Ticket)
Purpose	Advance travel planning	Entry to the exam hall
Timing	Released 15-20 days before the exam	Released 7-10 days before the exam
Venue Detail	Only Exam City Name	Full Address of the Exam Center
Mandatory for Exam?	No	Yes (Mandatory)
Photo/Signature	May not be present	Always present for verification

CLAT 2026 UG Exam Pattern and Sectional Weightage

The CLAT UG paper consists of 120 marks to be completed in 120 minutes. The exam tests your reading comprehension and logical reasoning abilities rather than rote memorization. Each correct answer earns 1 mark, while each incorrect answer results in a deduction of 0.25 marks. Understanding the weightage of each section is vital for prioritizing your preparation /clat-syllabus-2026.

• English Language (22-26 questions): Focuses on reading comprehension passages of about 450 words each. You will be tested on your ability to derive the main theme, understand vocabulary in context, and draw inferences.
• Current Affairs including General Knowledge (28-32 questions): Covers mainstream news, legal developments, and historical facts related to current events. Reading a daily newspaper like The Hindu or Indian Express is non-negotiable for this section.
• Legal Reasoning (28-32 questions): You do not need prior legal knowledge. The paper provides legal principles and facts; you must apply the principles to the facts to reach a conclusion.
• Logical Reasoning (22-26 questions): Includes critical reasoning questions where you identify arguments, patterns, and contradictions in short passages.
• Quantitative Techniques (10-14 questions): Focuses on elementary mathematics (Class 10 level) including ratios, proportions, basic algebra, and data interpretation from charts or tables.

CLAT 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Before filling out the application form, ensure you meet the following requirements set by the Consortium. Failure to meet these will lead to disqualification during the counseling process /clat-eligibility-details.

For CLAT UG (5-Year LL.B.): Candidates must have passed the 10+2 (Intermediate) or equivalent examination. General, OBC, PWD, and NRI candidates require a minimum of 45% marks. Candidates from SC and ST categories require 40% marks. Students appearing for their board exams in March/April 2026 are also eligible to apply, provided they produce proof of passing at the time of admission.

For CLAT PG (LL.M.): Candidates must hold an LL.B. degree or an equivalent qualification. The minimum marks required are 50% for General/OBC/PWD categories and 45% for SC/ST categories. There is no upper age limit for appearing in either the CLAT UG or PG examinations.

CLAT 2026 Application Fees

The application fee is non-refundable and must be paid online through the portal's payment gateway using credit cards, debit cards, or net banking. The fee structure is as follows:

• General / OBC / PWD / NRI / PIO / OCI Candidates: ₹4,000
• SC / ST / BPL Candidates: ₹3,500
• Previous Years' Question Papers (Optional): ₹500 (Additional)

Candidates are advised to download the previous year's papers as they provide the most accurate representation of the passage-based format introduced in 2020. The cost of these papers is added to the total registration fee if selected during the application process.

Strategic Preparation Tips for CLAT 2026

Success in CLAT 2026 requires more than just subject knowledge; it requires speed and accuracy. Since the paper is entirely passage-based, your reading speed must be at least 200-250 words per minute to finish the 120 questions comfortably. Start by solving at least two mock tests per week starting six months before the exam. Analyze your mistakes in the Legal and Logical reasoning sections to understand the \"logic\" the Consortium expects.

For the General Knowledge section, do not rely on monthly compilations alone. Daily habit-building is key. Note down important legal judgments, constitutional amendments, and international treaties. For Quantitative Techniques, practice 10-15 minutes of mental math daily to save time during the actual exam. Remember that the 10-14 marks in the math section often decide the rank difference between a top-tier NLU and a lower-tier one.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the expected CLAT 2026 exam date? The CLAT 2026 exam is tentatively scheduled for the first Sunday of December 2025, which is expected to be December 7, 2025. What is a City Intimation Slip? The City Intimation Slip is released before the admit card. It informs you of your allotted exam city, allowing for travel planning. How many questions are there in CLAT 2026 UG? The CLAT 2026 UG exam will have 120 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) to be completed in 120 minutes. Is there negative marking in CLAT? Yes, 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer in the CLAT exam. When will the CLAT 2026 application process start? The official notification and online application are expected to start in July 2025.

Related Resources

• NEET UG 2026 Result
• UPSC CSE 2026 Notification
• SSC CGL City Intimation
• RRB ALP City Slip
• UPSC Admit Card 2026