The CLAT 2026 examination is set to take place on 7th December 2025. The examination is very competitive with thousands of students aiming to get into some of the best law schools in India. Clearing the exam is of the highest importance for students taking this examination. This article highlights key details about the marks required to clear the CLAT exam for students’ reference. It also aims to highlight details with regard to cutoff factors and CLAT score implications as well.
CLAT Factors That Determine College Placement
There are several factors that determine a student’s college placement through the CLAT examination. It is very important for students to consider these factors when preparing for the examination as well as applying for the colleges through the exam as well.
The factors are as follows:
- Total number of students that gave the CLAT exam
- Total number of students who cleared the CLAT exam
- Total number of seats available
- Reservations
- Student’s overall score on the CLAT exam
- Student’s overall rank on the CLAT exam
Marks Required to Clear the CLAT Exam
The marks required to clear the CLAT examination varies on the basis of a student’s category, college they are aiming for and number of applicants for the examination. There is no ‘clear’ cutoff score for the exam as it can vary. However, for students to have been considered to have passed the CLAT examination, a score of 40% - 50% or 50-60 marks out of 120 is required. These marks are required to have been attained on the CLAT UG and PG exams.
Students must have an effective CLAT preparation plan to obtain required qualifying marks. Provided below is an overview of what scores lead to which NLUs via the CLAT exam for students’ reference:
CLAT UG
Here is the marks overview for the CLAT UG exam:
Marks Out of 120 | Marks Overview |
90+ | Eligible for top NLUs, can get into the top 500 ranks |
75 - 90 | Eligible for most mid-level NLUs, can be within the top 1000 ranks |
50 - 75 | Eligible for lower ranked and newer NLUs |
CLAT PG
Here is the marks overview for the CLAT PG exam:
Marks Out of 120 | Marks Overview |
75 - 80+ | Eligible for top NLUs, can get into the top 500 ranks |
65 - 70 | Eligible for most mid-level NLUs, can be within the top 1000 ranks |
55 - 60 | Eligible for lower ranked and newer NLUs |
Also Read: How to Cross-Verify Your CLAT Application
CLAT Exam Pattern
Provided below is an overview of the CLAT exam pattern for students’ reference. Knowing the exam pattern for the CLAT examination can help students in their preparation process as well as help them know what to expect when preparing for the exam.
The CLAT 2026 exam pattern is as follows:
Exam Mode | Offline (Pen and Paper) |
Exam Duration | 2 Hours, 120 Minutes |
Total Marks | 120 Marks |
Total Questions | 120 Questions |
Question Types | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with Passages |
Sections | 5 Sections:
|
Negative Marking | Yes |
CLAT 2026 Important Dates
Provided below is an overview of the important dates for the CLAT 2026 examination. Keeping these dates in mind is very important for students as being updated with these key dates ensure students are in the loop on all key events and deadlines about the CLAT 2026 examination.
The important dates for the CLAT exam are as follows:
Event | Date |
CLAT 2026 Registration Opening | 1st August 2025 |
Last Date of Submission for CLAT 2026 Form | 31st October 2025 |
CLAT 2026 Admit Card Release Date | November 2025 |
CLAT 2026 Examination Date | 7th December 2025 |
CLAT 2026 Result Declaration | 13th December 2025 (tentative) |
Also Read: CLAT After Graduation: Eligibility, Application and Career Paths
