- October 19, 2026
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Before registering for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2028, candidates should first check whether they meet the academic requirements for admission to undergraduate law programmes. CLAT UG is used for admission to participating National Law Universities (NLUs) offering five-year integrated law courses.
For undergraduate admissions, the eligibility requirements are primarily linked to the candidate’s Class 12 qualification and marks. There is also no upper age restriction for appearing in the UG examination.
As the official CLAT 2028 notification is awaited, students should treat the currently available eligibility framework as a reference and verify the final rules once the Consortium of NLUs publishes the official notification.
Candidates seeking admission through CLAT UG should satisfy the required academic conditions. The eligibility framework currently applicable to the UG examination can be summarised below:
Meeting the eligibility conditions is important because candidates may be required to submit supporting academic documents during the admission process.
For CLAT UG, candidates should have completed their higher secondary education or an equivalent qualification. Students who have already cleared Class 12 can apply, provided they meet the applicable minimum percentage requirement.
Candidates from different academic streams can pursue the examination. Choosing Science, Commerce or Humanities in Class 11 and 12 does not by itself prevent a student from applying for CLAT UG.
The minimum academic requirement currently followed is:
● Candidates in the General category should have secured at least 45% in their qualifying examination.
● Candidates belonging to SC, ST or PwD categories should have secured at least 40%.
● Students awaiting their Class 12 results may also be permitted to register, subject to the conditions specified in the relevant admission notification.
Candidates should retain their marksheets and other academic records because these documents may be required later to establish their eligibility.
One of the common questions among law aspirants is whether there is a maximum age for appearing in CLAT UG.
Under the current eligibility framework, there is no upper age limit for CLAT UG applicants. Therefore, a candidate is not disqualified from taking the examination merely because they are older than a particular age.
However, age eligibility should not be confused with academic eligibility. Applicants still need to satisfy the prescribed Class 12 qualification and marks requirements.
Yes. Students who are appearing for their Class 12 examination can apply for CLAT UG, provided they satisfy the conditions prescribed for candidates awaiting their qualifying-examination results.
Such candidates must subsequently demonstrate that they have successfully completed the qualifying examination when required during the admission process.
If a candidate fails to fulfil the qualifying requirement or cannot provide the necessary proof at the prescribed stage, their claim for admission may not be considered.
Therefore, students appearing in Class 12 should carefully track both their board-examination results and the admission-document requirements.
Class 12 is the key academic qualification for candidates seeking admission through CLAT UG.
Students who have completed their 10+2 education from a recognised board or hold an equivalent qualification can apply if they meet the applicable marks requirement.
Importantly, CLAT UG is not restricted to students from a particular stream. A student can prepare for the examination after studying:
● Science
● Commerce
● Arts or Humanities
The subjects studied in school may differ, but candidates must still satisfy the academic conditions prescribed for the examination.
Science students are eligible to pursue CLAT UG if they fulfil the required academic conditions.
There is no requirement that a CLAT aspirant must have studied Arts or Humanities in Class 12. Students from the Science stream can therefore consider law as a career option after completing their higher secondary education.
The same principle applies to Commerce and Humanities students.
Completing Class 10 alone is not sufficient for admission through CLAT UG.
Students who have completed only their secondary-school education need to complete Class 12 or an equivalent qualifying programme before they can satisfy the academic requirement for undergraduate CLAT admission.
A student can, however, begin preparing for CLAT after Class 10. Building reading habits, improving vocabulary, following current affairs and developing logical reasoning skills early can help with future preparation.
Students can start working on:
● Reading and comprehension skills
● Vocabulary building
● Current affairs awareness
● Logical reasoning
● Regular reading habits
Graduation is not the normal academic qualification for appearing for CLAT UG. The undergraduate examination is intended for admission to integrated law programmes after the higher-secondary level.
Candidates who have already completed graduation and are looking for postgraduate law admission should instead examine the eligibility requirements for CLAT PG, which is a separate examination.
Therefore, students should identify the type of law programme they want to pursue before choosing the appropriate CLAT examination.
The qualifying marks requirement differs for certain reserved categories.
Under the current framework, candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD categories require a minimum of 40% marks in the qualifying examination, compared with the 45% requirement applicable to the General category.
Candidates claiming category-based eligibility or benefits should possess valid supporting documentation and follow the requirements mentioned in the official admission instructions.
Since admission rules can be updated, applicants should check the official CLAT 2028 notification for the final provisions applicable to their category.
A candidate can generally apply for CLAT UG when they:
● Have completed Class 12 or an equivalent qualification.
● Meet the applicable minimum percentage requirement.
● Are appearing for their qualifying examination and can fulfil the prescribed conditions for result-awaited candidates.
● Meet the other conditions mentioned in the official CLAT 2028 notification.
● Do not exceed any upper age limit, since there is currently no maximum age restriction for UG candidates.
Candidates should keep their educational and category-related documents organised before the counselling and admission process.
Depending on the requirements announced for the relevant admission cycle, students may need documents such as:
● Class 10 marksheet or certificate
● Class 12 marksheet or passing certificate
● Category certificate, wherever applicable
● PwD certificate, wherever applicable
● Identity and other admission-related documents
The exact list should be checked against the official instructions issued for CLAT 2028.
CLAT UG eligibility is primarily based on completing the required Class 12-level qualification and securing the applicable minimum marks. Students from Science, Commerce and Humanities backgrounds can all pursue the examination, while there is currently no upper age restriction for UG applicants.
However, eligibility rules can be revised from one admission cycle to another. Candidates planning to appear for CLAT 2028 should therefore check the official CLAT 2028 notification before submitting their application and rely on the latest instructions issued by the Consortium of NLUs.
Yes. Students who have completed Class 12 or are appearing in the qualifying examination can apply for CLAT UG, provided they fulfil the applicable academic requirements.
There is currently no upper age limit for candidates appearing for CLAT UG. Applicants must still meet the prescribed educational requirements.
No, Class 10 by itself does not fulfil the academic requirement for CLAT UG. Students need to complete Class 12 or an equivalent qualification.
Yes. Science students can apply for CLAT UG after completing Class 12, subject to the applicable marks and other eligibility conditions.
Graduation is not the qualifying route for CLAT UG. Graduates interested in postgraduate law programmes should check the eligibility requirements for CLAT PG.
Under the currently applicable framework, the minimum requirement is 45% for General category candidates and 40% for candidates belonging to SC, ST or PwD categories. Candidates should confirm the final CLAT 2028 requirements through the official notification.
Yes. Students awaiting their Class 12 results can apply, subject to the conditions governing result-awaited candidates. They must subsequently provide the required proof of completing the qualifying examination.
No upper age restriction is currently prescribed for CLAT UG candidates.
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