CLAT Exam Pattern 2025 - Marking Scheme, Section-wise Pattern, Total Marks, Duration

Common Law Admission Test

Last Date to Apply
31st October, 2025

Avantika Bhardwaj
Avantika Bhardwaj

Table of Content

CLAT 2025 Exam Pattern: The CLAT exam pattern is released by the Consortium of National Law University (NLUs) on its official website. The CLAt exam pattern was revised in 2024, hence, the pattern will remain same this year for CLAT 2025 exam. Candidates need to solve 120 questions in 120 minutes based on 5 major subjects - English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.

The exam pattern for CLAT gives a detailed understanding of the mode of examination, the kind of questions asked in the CLAT exam, duration of the exam, and much more. When appearing for the CLAT exam, it is crucial for the candidates to know about the exam pattern and thoroughly understand the basics of the exam including the CLAT marking scheme. Read all about the CLAT exam pattern like the sectional weightage, marking scheme, time limit, and more, below on this page.

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a highly competitive examination that is the gateway to the top law schools in India. To excel in the CLAT 2025 exam, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of its exam pattern, marking scheme, and weightage.

The CLAT exam is conducted for 2 hours. CLAT Question Paper consists of MCQ-based questions based on comprehension. CLAT negative marking is 0.25 marks for each wrong answer and 1 mark is awarded for each correct answer.  The exam will have 120 questions

CLAT Exam Pattern 2025 Highlights

The important details about CLAT Exam Pattern are given below:

Particulars

CLAT Exam Pattern Highlights

Exam mode

Pen-and-paper exam

Exam duration

Two hours

Test language

English 

Type of questions

Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)

Exam subjects

Five (English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques)

Total questions

120 MCQs

Maximum marks

120 marks

Marking scheme

+1 for correct answer

-0.25 for incorrect answer

CLAT 2025 Exam Pattern Marking Scheme

Candidates are awarded one mark for every correct answer. 0.25 marks will be deducted for an incorrect answer due to the provision of negative marking in CLAT 2025. No marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.

The CLAT 2025 marking scheme is shown in the table below:

CLAT Marking Parameters

Marks Awarded

Correct answer

+1 marks

Incorrect answer

-0.25 marks

Unattempted question

0 marks

CLAT Exam Pattern 2025 Section Topics

The CLAT Exam Pattern 2025 consists of five sections and comprises a total of 120 questions. The brief description of each section is given below:

English

This section tests comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. Candidates will be tested on their ability to read and analyse passages, identify word meanings in context and correct grammatical errors. Focus on reading skills, critical thinking and language proficiency.

Current Affairs including General Knowledge

This section tests awareness of national and international events, historical happenings and important issues. Topics include politics, economics, sports and culture. Candidates should be well informed about recent news and general knowledge.

Legal Reasoning

This section tests legal principles and their application. Candidates will be given passages related to legal topics and have to deduce logical conclusions. It tests analytical skills, critical thinking and ability to apply legal concepts to practical situations.

Logical Reasoning

This section tests analytical skills through questions on patterns, sequences, analogies and arguments. Candidates have to identify logical links, infer and solve puzzles. Focus is on critical thinking and ability to think logically under time pressure.

Quantitative Ability

This section tests basic mathematical skills including arithmetic, algebra and data interpretation. Candidates have to analyse graphs, tables and charts to solve problems. Focus on numerical ability, problem solving skills and application of quantitative techniques to practical situations.

CLAT Exam Pattern 2025 Marks Distribution

The CLAT 2025 exam is divided into five sections and comprises a total of 120 questions. Consortium of NLUs has specified the CLAT weightage for each section. Earlier the number of questions in CLAT was 150. But the consortium revised the CLAT pattern and reduced the number of questions to 120. Time given to complete the exam is 2 hours. All questions in the exam will be objective. No negative marking for unanswered questions. CLAT 2025 paper pattern marks distribution is given below in the table:

Section

Numbers of Questions

Marks

Weightage

English Language

22-26

22-26

20%

Current Affairs including General Knowledge

28-32

28-32

25%

Legal Reasoning

28-32

28-32

25%

Logical Reasoning

22-26

22-26

20%

Quantitative Techniques

10-14

22-26

10%

Total

120

120

100%

CLAT 2025 LLM Exam Pattern

The CLAT LLM paper consists of questions from constitutional law and other branches of law. The detailed CLAT PG exam pattern 2025 has been given below:

Sections

Number of Questions


Marks

Constitutional law

120

120

Other branches of law such as administrative law, law of contract, jurisprudence torts, family law, criminal law, company law, property law, public international law, tax law, environmental law, labour and industrial law.

Total

120

120

CLAT 2025 Preparation Tips

Scoring well in CLAT requires hard work and strategy. Here are some tips to help you crack CLAT:

  1. Get to know the CLAT exam pattern: number of questions, sections, time, marking scheme. This will help you plan better.

  2. Create a study plan covering all subjects and giving enough time for practice and revision. Allocate more time to tough subjects.

  3. Choose good study material and reference books recommended by experts and previous CLAT toppers. This will give you access to reliable and relevant content.

  4. Take CLAT mock tests regularly. Mock tests help you get familiar with the exam format, time management and identify your strengths and weaknesses.

  5. Manage your time well during the exam. Allocate a specific time to each section and stick to it. Spend very little time on one question, move on and come back later if needed.

  6. Revision is key. Create short notes summarizing important concepts, formulas and rules for quick revision.

  7. On the exam day, stay calm and focused. Confidence in your preparation will help you perform better.

  8. Solve previous years' CLAT papers to get an idea of question patterns and difficulty level. It will also help you gauge your preparation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the CLAT 2025 exam?

The CLAT 2025 exam is a pen-and-paper test with multiple-choice questions (MCQs). It consists of 120 questions across five sections: English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techni

What is the marking scheme for the CLAT 2025 exam?

For each correct answer, 1 mark is awarded. For each incorrect answer, 0.25 marks are deducted. No marks are deducted for unattempted questions.

What topics are covered in the CLAT 2025 Legal Reasoning section?

The Legal Reasoning section covers legal principles, their application, and requires candidates to deduce logical conclusions from passages related to legal topics.

What is the best way to manage time during the CLAT 2025 exam?

Allocate specific time to each section, avoid spending too much time on difficult questions, and move on to the next question if needed. Regular practice with mock tests will help with time management.

What is the difficulty level of the CLAT 2025 exam?

The CLAT exam is highly competitive, and the difficulty level varies, but it generally requires strong preparation in comprehension, reasoning, and legal concepts.

What resources should I use to prepare for CLAT 2025?

Use recommended study materials, previous years’ papers, mock tests, and reference books suggested by experts and CLAT toppers. Focus on practice and revision.

What is the pattern for CLAT 2025 LLM exam?

The CLAT LLM exam consists of 120 questions covering Constitutional Law and other branches of law like Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Jurisprudence, Torts, and more.

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