CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern: The CLAT exam pattern is released by the Consortium of National Law University (NLUs) on its official website. The CLAT exam will remain same this year for CLAT 2026 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 2026 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 2026 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 2026 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 2026. No marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.
The CLAT 2026 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 2026 Section Topics
The CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 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 2026 Marks Distribution
The CLAT 2026 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 2026 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 2026 LLM Exam Pattern
The CLAT LLM paper consists of questions from constitutional law and other branches of law. The detailed CLAT PG exam pattern 2026 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 2026 Preparation Tips
Scoring well in CLAT requires hard work and strategy. Here are some tips to help you crack CLAT:
- Get to know the CLAT exam pattern: number of questions, sections, time, marking scheme. This will help you plan better.
- Create a study plan covering all subjects and giving enough time for practice and revision. Allocate more time to tough subjects.
- Choose good study material and reference books recommended by experts and previous CLAT toppers. This will give you access to reliable and relevant content.
- Take CLAT mock tests regularly. Mock tests help you get familiar with the exam format, time management and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
- 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.
- Revision is key. Create short notes summarizing important concepts, formulas and rules for quick revision.
- On the exam day, stay calm and focused. Confidence in your preparation will help you perform better.
- Solve previous years' CLAT papers to get an idea of question patterns and difficulty level. It will also help you gauge your preparation.
