Consortium of National Law Universities Retains CLAT 2027 Format
The Consortium of National Law Universities has opted to maintain the existing structure and syllabus of the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2027, notwithstanding the release of an extensive report from its Expert Committee. The decision was announced in a press release dated July 21 on the Consortium’s official website.
Expert Committee Recommendations
The Expert Committee had suggested a shift in the exam’s focus, advocating for an emphasis on logical and legal aptitude over rote learning of legal and general knowledge. The Committee’s report proposed enhancing reasoning skills rather than relying on coaching-driven memorization.
Delay in Report Publication
The report’s publication was notably delayed, undermining the original timeline. Submitted on February 2, the Committee urged prompt dissemination, highlighting that the proposed 2027 implementation was viable only if the report was made publicly available soon after submission. However, the Consortium took over five months to release the document.
Consideration for CLAT 2028
While the Governing Body decided against altering the existing exam structure and syllabus, it has directed CLAT 2027’s Convenor and paper setters to incorporate the Committee’s suggestions on improving question quality. The report suggests restructuring the undergraduate exam into three sections: Logical Reasoning and Legal Aptitude; Language and Comprehension; and Quantitative Techniques. It recommends eliminating the General Knowledge and Current Affairs section. For the postgraduate exam, the report advises retaining these three sections at reduced weight, introducing Legal Knowledge and a constructed-response Problem Question.
Professionalizing the Paper-Setting Process
To enhance the examination’s integrity, the Committee recommended professionalizing the paper-setting procedure, currently conducted on a rotational basis among Convenor universities, by involving external experts or developing in-house capabilities.
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Public Feedback and Future Steps
The Consortium has now made the report accessible on its website and invites feedback from experts, students, and the general public until August 31, 2026. During a meeting held on May 17, 2026, at the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal, chaired by Consortium President Prof. S. Shanthakumar, the Office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) was tasked with forming a separate committee to further analyze the report’s recommendations. The Governing Body will consider this in conjunction with public feedback before making decisions for CLAT 2028.
Background on the Expert Committee
The Expert Committee, established on September 15, 2025, includes co-convenors Prof. Dev Saif Gangjee of the University of Oxford and Prof. Tarunabh Khaitan of the London School of Economics, along with Prof. Shyamkrishna Balganesh of Columbia Law School, Prof. Pritam Baruah of BML Munjal University, and Prof. Surabhi Ranganathan of the University of Cambridge. After collecting public feedback from October 15 to November 4, 2025, the Committee presented an interim report on November 11, 2025, followed by a final set of recommendations on January 14, 2026, before submitting the final report on February 2, 2026.
