More than 70,000 students appear for CLAT every year, with total registrations growing from around 57,000 in 2019 to over 74,000 in 2024.
CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities for admissions to UG (BA LLB) and PG (LLM) programmes across 24 NLUs in India. With approximately 2,900 UG seats available each year, fewer than 4% of appearing students qualify for NLU admission — making it one of the most competitive law entrance exams in the country.
- CLAT 2024 saw over 74,000 registrations with approximately 68,000 students appearing on exam day.
- The appearance-to-registration ratio has remained around 90–92% across years.
- Fewer than 4% of appearing students secure a seat in any of the 24 NLUs through CLAT UG.
- Female students have consistently formed over 52% of CLAT registrations in recent years.
- Total NLU UG seats stand at approximately 2,900 across 24 NLUs for 2026 admissions.
| Direct Link to CLAT 2026 Official Website (ACTIVE) — consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
Year-wise CLAT Registration and Appeared Data
The table below shows CLAT registration and appeared figures from 2019 to 2024, based on official data published by the Consortium of NLUs. CLAT 2026 registration data will be updated after the registration window closes.
| Year | Registered | Appeared | Appearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLAT 2024 | ~74,000 | ~68,000 | ~92% |
| CLAT 2023 | ~71,000 | ~65,000 | ~91% |
| CLAT 2022 | ~75,000 | ~69,000 | ~92% |
| CLAT 2021 | ~78,000 | ~71,000 | ~91% |
| CLAT 2020 | ~70,000 | ~63,000 | ~90% |
| CLAT 2019 | ~57,000 | ~52,000 | ~91% |
CLAT 2021 recorded the highest registrations at approximately 78,000, driven by a surge in law aspirants following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 period. Registrations have since stabilised in the 70,000–75,000 range. The appearance rate — students who actually sit the exam out of those who registered — has held consistently above 90%, signalling high aspirant commitment across years.
CLAT Qualification Rate and NLU Seats
Qualifying CLAT means securing a rank good enough to earn a seat in one of the 24 NLUs through centralised counselling. The Consortium allocates seats in two rounds — allotment and waitlist — and publishes the seat matrix before counselling begins.
| Metric | UG (BA LLB) | PG (LLM) |
|---|---|---|
| Total NLU Seats (approx.) | ~2,900 | ~650 |
| Students Appearing (2024) | ~68,000 | ~8,000 |
| Seat-to-Applicant Ratio | ~1:23 | ~1:12 |
| Students Securing NLU Seat | ~4% | ~8% |
Only about 1 in 23 students who appear for CLAT UG secures an NLU seat. However, many more students benefit from their CLAT score — over 50 private law universities and deemed universities accept CLAT scores for admissions. For PG admissions, the competition is comparatively lower at roughly 1 in 12 for an NLU LLM seat, but top NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and NUJS Kolkata remain highly competitive even at this level.
Gender and Category-wise Participation Trends
Female students have consistently formed over 52–55% of CLAT registrations in recent years, making CLAT one of the few major national entrance exams with majority female participation. This trend has strengthened each year since 2020.
| Category | Reservation in NLUs | Approx. UG Seats |
|---|---|---|
| General (Unreserved) | 50% | ~1,450 |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 27% | ~783 |
| SC | 15% | ~435 |
| ST | 7.5% | ~218 |
| PwD (horizontal) | 5% | ~145 |
Seat distribution at Central NLUs follows the Central Government reservation policy. State NLUs apply state-specific domicile reservations in addition. SC and ST students have a comparatively better effective qualification rate due to reserved seats and lower category-specific cutoffs. If you belong to a reserved category, compare your score against category closing ranks rather than the overall CLAT cutoff to judge your NLU chances accurately.
Factors Driving CLAT Registration Growth
Several structural and aspirational factors have pushed CLAT registrations consistently above 70,000 per year:
- Rise of NLU brand value: Graduates from top NLUs command salaries comparable to premier management institution graduates, making CLAT a high-return career investment for law aspirants.
- Expansion of the NLU network: The number of NLUs has grown from 7 in 2008 to 24 in 2026, adding thousands of new seats and widening geographical reach across states.
- CLAT score acceptance beyond NLUs: Over 50 private and deemed law universities accept CLAT scores, broadening the value of appearing even without a top rank in the merit list.
- Computer-based testing and online registration: The shift to a CBT format and streamlined online application has reduced entry barriers for students in smaller cities and towns.
- Growth of the coaching ecosystem: Expansion of CLAT-specific coaching institutes in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities has brought a larger pool of aspirants into the exam each year.
CLAT 2026 registrations are expected to cross 75,000, based on the upward trend observed since 2019. The Consortium of NLUs will publish the final registration and appeared count after the exam cycle is complete.
CLAT Registration and Qualification FAQs
Ques. How many students appear for CLAT every year?
Ans. Approximately 63,000 to 71,000 students appear for CLAT UG every year. Registrations typically range from 70,000 to 78,000, with an appearance rate of around 90–92%.
Ques. What percentage of CLAT students get into NLUs?
Ans. Fewer than 4% of students who appear for CLAT UG secure a seat in one of the 24 NLUs. With approximately 2,900 UG seats and over 68,000 appearing students in 2024, the seat-to-applicant ratio is about 1:23.
Ques. Has CLAT registration been growing every year?
Ans. Overall yes. CLAT registrations grew from around 57,000 in 2019 to over 74,000 in 2024. The peak was approximately 78,000 in 2021. Since 2022, registrations have stabilised between 70,000 and 75,000.
Ques. How many NLU seats are available through CLAT 2026?
Ans. Approximately 2,900 UG (BA LLB) seats are available across 24 NLUs through CLAT 2026. PG (LLM) programmes offer around 650 additional seats. The exact seat matrix is published by the Consortium before counselling begins.
Ques. Do more female or male students appear for CLAT?
Ans. Female students have consistently formed over 52–55% of CLAT registrations in recent years, making CLAT one of the few major entrance exams with a majority female aspirant base.
Ques. Is a CLAT score useful if you do not get an NLU seat?
Ans. Yes. Over 50 private and deemed universities across India accept CLAT scores for admissions to their law programmes. Your CLAT rank can still secure you admission at a quality law institution even outside the NLU system.
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