Anupama
Anupama Mehra
Assistant Manager – Content
Updated on Aug 1, 2025 11:42 IST
Beginning with foundational concepts and gradually increasing the intensity of your preparation helps establish a strong base while practicing under timed conditions enhances your speed and accuracy. Staying informed on current affairs and regularly working through previous years' papers will further boost your readiness.

In this article, we have provided one one-year preparation plan for CLAT 2026. Students can follow the tips for exam preparation and secure good marks.

How to prepare for CLAT 2025 in one year?

How to prepare for CLAT 2026 in one year?

The CLAT exam is conducted for UG and PG admission to the NLUs and other private institutes. Common Law Admission Test is a higly competitive exam and requires a well planned preparation. Students have to follow the paper pattern and syllabus for preparation. The syllabus is based on English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques, and Logical Reasoning. 

Also Read: Idioms and Proverbs for CLAT 2026 With Meaning

You can start your preparation with basic concepts. Follow the current affairs and solve the past years question to know what types of questions are asked. You must have dedication for your preparation. 

Table of contents
  • Understand the CLAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus
  • CLAT Syllabus 2026
  • Create a Study Plan for CLAT Exam
  • Best Books for CLAT 2026
  • Section-wise Preparation Tips for CLAT 2026
  • Why appearing for CLAT Mock Tests is important?
  • CLAT Free Mock Test by SHIKSHA
View More

Understand the CLAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus

Before you start your preparation, check the CLAT paper pattern and syllabus. We have provided the syllabus for the CLAT UG and PG exams. 

CLAT Exam Pattern

The CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is conducted for admissions into undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programs at various National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. The exam pattern varies slightly between the UG and PG programs.

CLAT UG Pattern CLAT PG Pattern

UG 2026 Exam Pattern:

Mode of Exam: Offline, pen-and-paper-based.

Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes).

Total Marks: 120 marks.

Total Questions: 120 multiple-choice questions (MCQs).

PG 2026 Exam Pattern:

Mode of Exam: Offline, pen-and-paper-based.

Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes).

Total Marks: 120 marks.

Total Questions: 120 MCQs

Question Sections:

English Language

Current Affairs & General Knowledge

Legal Reasoning

Logical Reasoning

Quantitative Techniques

Question Sections:

Candidates can check the CLAT PG Question Paper section below:

Constitutional Law: Questions related to the Indian Constitution.

Other Law Subjects: Questions are based on various law subjects like Jurisprudence, Contract Law, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, IPR, etc.

Marking Scheme

  • +1 mark for each correct answer
  • -0.25 marks for each incorrect answer (negative marking)

Marking Scheme

  • +1 mark for each correct answer.
  • -0.25 marks for each incorrect answer (negative marking).

Also Read: Quantitative Techniques for CLAT 2026: Syllabus, Topics, Marking Scheme, Books, Important Questions

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Which are the top ranked NLUs in India?
A: 

As per NIRF ranking 2025, NLSIU Bangalore is the No. 1 ranked NLU colleges in India. The table below has other NLUs in India rankwise.

Top NLUs in India

NIRF 2023

NIRF 2024

NIRF 2025

NLSIU Bangalore Ranking

1

1

1

National Law University, Delhi Ranking

2

2

2

NLU Kolkata Ranking

4

4

4

GNLU Gandhinagar Ranking

7

8

5

NLU Bhopal Ranking

18

21

27

NUSRL Ranchi Ranking

24

22

30

NLU Odisha Ranking

30

26

15

NLU Assam Ranking

28

27

35

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website of the ranking body listed and may vary.

Q:   Can I prepare for CLAT Exam in one week?
A: 

Though CLAT Preparation takes months of practice, it is still not impossible. You can prepare for the CLAT Exam in one week with a correct and dedicated focus. But you should have at least some understanding of concepts to clear the exam. 

Q:   Is it tough to prepare for CLAT GK Section?
A: 

While it is bit challenging as its syllabus is not defined. Candidates can expect question on CLAT Current Affairs from anywhere. But if you do prepare well your chances to score high in this section also increases. The best way to prepare is to read the newspaper on a daily basis. Rest is to read GK books. 

CLAT Syllabus 2026

Students preparing for the exam can check the CLAT syllabus for UG and PG programs here.

CLAT UG 2026 Syllabus:

Subjects Topics
English Language
  • Comprehension passages.
  • Grammar and sentence correction
  • Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, etc.).
  • Fill in the blanks, idioms, and phrases.
Current Affairs including General Knowledge
  • Recent events and developments (national and international).
  • Awards and honors.
  • Sports, science, and technology.
  • Important dates and historical events.
Current Affairs including General Knowledge
  • Recent events and developments (national and international).
  • Awards and honors.
  • Sports, science, and technology.
  • Important dates and historical events
Legal Reasoning
  • Principles and facts of law.
  • Application of legal principles to factual situations.
  • Understanding of legal propositions and reasoning.
Logical Reasoning
  • Critical reasoning, analogies.
  • Logical sequences and arguments.
  • Blood relations, syllogisms.
  • Puzzles and pattern recognition.
Quantitative Techniques
  • Basic arithmetic (number systems, averages, percentages, profit and loss).
  • Algebra (equations, ratios, proportions).
  • Geometry (basic properties of shapes).
  • Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables).

CLAT PG 2026 Syllabus

Candidates must ensure that they check the CLAT LLM Syllabus 2025 before beginning their preparation. Candidates can check the same below:

  • Constitutional Law: In-depth knowledge of the Constitution of India, key amendments, and landmark judgments.
  • Other Law Subjects: Jurisprudence, Criminal Law, Contract Law, International Law, Environmental Law, Human Rights Law, Intellectual Property Law, and other significant legal disciplines.

Also Read:

How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 Logical Reasoning CLAT Legal Reasoning 2026: Legal Aptitude Questions, Preparation Tips & Tricks
Staying updated about the latest educational events is just a click away
Enter Mobile Number

Create a Study Plan for CLAT Exam

Planning your preparation is very important. Create a monthly roadmap for your preparation. This way, you can complete the syllabus of CLAT 2026 and don't forget to revise.

Monthly Study Plan

Divide the syllabus into monthly goals. Allocate time for each subject. Read the complete monthly study-plan below:

Months Study Plan
Months 1-3: Foundation Building
  • English Language: Work on vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. Read newspapers daily.
  • Current Affairs & GK: Start reading newspapers like The Hindu, The Indian Express, and magazines like Pratiyogita Darpan. Focus on last year's events and major topics.
  • Legal Reasoning: Familiarise yourself with basic legal terms and principles. Read about the Constitution, landmark judgments, and important laws.
  • Logical Reasoning: Practice basic puzzles, series, and logical deductions.
  • Quantitative Techniques: Revise basic math concepts and practice problems daily.
Months 4-6: Intensifying Preparation
  • English Language: Start practicing comprehension passages and work on sentence rearrangement.
  • Current Affairs & GK: Continue with daily updates. Start revising the older topic and focus on static GK.
  • Legal Reasoning: Begin solving previous year’s questions. Understand the application of legal principles in various scenarios.
  • Logical Reasoning: Move on to more complex puzzles and logical sequences.
  • Quantitative Techniques: Focus on data interpretation, percentage, profit & loss, and time & work problems.
Months 7-9: Practice and Application
  • English Language: Practice mock tests and work on weak areas. Focus on time management during comprehension passages.
  • Current Affairs & GK: Regular revision of current affairs and static GK. Practice quizzes and flashcards.
  • Legal Reasoning: Take topic-wise tests and analyze your mistakes. Work on speed and accuracy.
  • Logical Reasoning: Practice a variety of logical reasoning questions from mock tests and past year papers.
  • Quantitative Techniques: Solve more complex problems and practice under timed conditions.
Months 10-12: Revision and Mock Test
  • Full-Length Mock Tests: Start taking full-length mock tests every week. Analyse your performance and work on weak areas.
  • Sectional Revision: Dedicate each week to revising one section thoroughly. Focus on your weak spots.
  • Time Management: Practice solving questions within the time limits. Develop strategies to maximize your score.
  • Final Revision: In the last month, focus on quick revisions of important topics, concepts and formulas. Take at least 2-3 mock tests per week.

Also Read: CLAT 2026 Important Topics: Check GK, Mathematics, English, Legal & Logical Reasoning

Daily Study Routine for CLAT Exam 2026

Create a daily study schedule, dedicating specific hours to different sections. Include time for revision and practice tests.

Time Topics
Morning (2-3 hours) Focus on Quantitative Techniques or Legal Reasoning.
Afternoon (2 hours) Study Current Affairs and General Knowledge.
Evening (2 hours) Practice English Language and Logical Reasoning.
Night (1 hour) Revision.

Also Read

How to clear CLAT 2026 in first attempt? How to prepare for CLAT in 6 months: Tips, Tricks & Study Plan How to attempt Current Affairs & GK questions in CLAT 2026?
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How to prepare GK for CLAT?
A: 
Hi Paras, The strategy for the GA portion is: Current Affairs: The Hindu Newspaper + Daily current affairs through any good online website (bankers adda, Mrunal, Insight, etc.). Also, focus on business, sports, international, national, etc. news Static GK: A basic knowledge of History, Geography and Sciences will suffice.Try to focus more on Indian history. The world history questions are rarely asked. In geography, the emphasis should be laid on world and Indian geography. For science, please focus more on the day to day general science questions. Also, give due weightage to Inventors, discoveries and past Nobel prize winners etc.
Q:   Can I clear CLAT Exam in first attempt?
A: 

Yes it is very much possible to clear the CLAT Exam in first go. You just need to be consistent and prepare well. Candidates must include attempting mock test and solving past years question paper in their study plan.

Q:   How to prepare for CLAT Quantitative Techniques Section?
A: 

To prepare for this section which cover 10 percent marks of the total CLAT paper it is important to have a right approach. Candidates must note that you can score really well if you study the Class 19 level mathematics properly. Be regular and plan strategically rather than trying to learn advance maths,

Explore colleges based on CLAT

Bangalore
₹15.91 L
Hyderabad
₹7.75 L
Gandhinagar
₹6.00 L
Bhubaneswar
₹8.50 L

Want better recommendations?

There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
Dehradun
₹23.81 L
Delhi
₹8.06 L
Lucknow
₹6.25 L
Bhopal
₹7.55 L
Nagpur
₹11.29 L
Guwahati
₹4.00 L
Confused about which college or exam to opt for?assitentRcpRhsImage
  • Chat with our counselor
  • Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
View allCollections

Best Books for CLAT 2026

The list of books for CLAT 2026 is provided below.

Subject

CLAT 2025 Book Recommendation

CLAT Logical Reasoning

·       A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal

·       Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal

·       Analytical Reasoning (English) by MK Pandey

·       A New Approach to Verbal and Analytical Reasoning by Arihant

CLAT Legal Reasoning

·       Legal Awareness and Legal Reasoning by Pearson

·       Legal Aptitude and Legal Reasoning by AP Bhardwaj

·       Objective Legal Aptitude by RS Aggarwal 

CLAT Quantitative Techniques

·       Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Arihant Publications 

·       30 days wonder for Maths by S Chand

·       Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Pearson's

·       Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal

CLAT GK & Current Affairs

·       General Knowledge 2023, 2022, and 2021 by Arihant Publications

·       Current Affairs Yearly by Arihant Publications

·       Manorama Year Book by Manorama Publications

·       General Knowledge 2022-2023 by Lucent’s

·       General Knowledge 2021-2022 by Tarun Goyal

CLAT English 

·       Objective General English 2023 by SP Bakshi

·       Objective General English 2024 by RS Aggarwal

·       The Pearson Guide to the CLAT by Pearson's

·       Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

·       CLAT Guide by Tata McGraw-Hill

Also Read: 110+ Important Vocabulary Words for CLAT Exam 2026

Section-wise Preparation Tips for CLAT 2026

The preparation tips for every section are provided below:

Sections Preparation Tips

English Language

Reading Comprehension: Practice reading long passages quickly and efficiently. Work on your vocabulary and grammar.

Regular Reading: Read newspapers, journals, and books to enhance your comprehension skills and improve your vocabulary.

Current Affairs

  • Daily News: Make it a habit to read newspapers daily and follow credible news sources.
  • Monthly Compilations: Use monthly current affairs compilations to stay updated on important events and issues.

Legal Reasoning

  • Legal Principles: Study legal principles and how they apply to various situations.
  • Case Laws: Familiarise yourself with landmark case laws and judgments that have shaped Indian legal jurisprudence.
  • Practice: Solve past years papers and attempt mock tests focusing on legal reasoning.

Logical Reasoning

 

  • Practice Puzzles: Regularly practice puzzles and logical reasoning questions.
  • Critical Thinking: Work on your critical thinking skills by analyzing arguments and identifying flaws in reasoning.

Quantitative Techniques

 

  • Basic Math: Brush up on basic mathematics, including topics like percentages, ratios, algebra, and data interpretation.
  • Regular Practice: Practice mathematical problems daily.

Also Read: CLAT Questions for Practice with Solutions: Free PDF Download

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How to prepare for CLAT Legal Reasoning?
A: 

The Legal Reasoning section in the CLAT exam checks your ability to apply logical legal principle to given situations. Some of the important topics are Law of Torts, Contract and Criminal Law, Legal Maxims, etc. Candidates must include practicing passage based legal cases to apply logic and memorise law related to them.

Why appearing for CLAT Mock Tests is important?

  • Simulate Exam Conditions: Take full-length mock tests to simulate the actual exam.
  • Analyze Performance: After each test, analyze your performance to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
  • Work on Weak Areas: Focus on improving weak areas by revising concepts and practicing more.

Also Read:

CLAT 2026 English Language: Questions, Syllabus, Preparation Tips & Tricks CLAT 2026 GK questions: Preparation for current affairs including gk section

Follow the preparation plan, and you will get success. By following this comprehensive approach, you can prepare for CLAT 2026 within a year and maximise your chances of success.

Explore more Law exams with upcoming dates

CGCUET 2026 Registration

1 Nov '25 - 29 Apr '26

ILSAT Phase 2 Counselling

16 Apr '26 - 30 Apr '26

JSAT Law Applications Last Dat...

30 Apr '26

SLS Hyderabad third merit list

30 Apr '26

SAT India exam (May attempt)

2 May '26

AILET Fourth Provisional Merit...

5 May '26

PU UGLAW 2026 Answer Key and I...

28 Apr '26

ULSAT 2026 Applications (5-yea...

15 Dec '25 - 29 Apr '26

AMU BA LLB Answer Key 2026

1 May '26

RULET 2026 Application Process

26 Apr '26 - 14 May '26

Videos you may like
About the Author
author-image
Anupama Mehra
Assistant Manager – Content

She has over 10 years of experience in the education and publishing sectors. She specialises in exam coverage and content creation. At Shiksha, she writes, analyses, and presents information for students preparing f

Read Full Bio
Download Important Dates for Law Exams

News & Updates

Latest NewsPopular News

Explore Other Exams

5 May '26

AILET Fourth Provisional Merit...

4 Feb '26

AILET Third Provisional Merit ...

8 Jun '25

LSAT India 2025 May Session Re...

May '25

LSAT India 2025 May Exam

15 Dec '25 -

29 Apr '26

ULSAT 2026 Applications (5-yea...

May '26

ULSAT 2026 Exam Date

30 Apr '26

SLS Hyderabad third merit list

10 Apr '26

SLS Noida third merit list

26 Apr '26 -

14 May '26

RULET 2026 Application Process

15 May '26 -

16 May '26

RULET 2026 Correction Window

May '22

Exam date

8 May '26

MH CET Law 2026 Exam Date (5-Y...

May '26

MH CET Law 2026 Result (3-Year...

Jul '23

LFAT 2023 Declaration of Resul...

1 Jun '23 -

7 Jun '23

LFAT 2023 Reserved Exam Dates

Feb '26

ACLAT Exam 2026

1 Oct '25

ACLAT 2025 Application

Apr '26

PU UGLAW 2026 Answer Key and I...

May '26

PU UGLAW 2026 Last Date of sub...

The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 21 hours ago

Yes, you can join the BBA LLB programme at Amrita School of Law (ASL) without appearing for CLAT.


 Admission Routes for BBA LLB at Amrita

  • CLAT Score: Accepted, but not compulsory.
  • Amrita Entrance Exam (AEEE): Students can apply through Amrita's own test.
  • Merit-Based Admission: Selection is possible base

...Read more

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 21 hours ago

For CLAT 2026 Category 1 students (General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI), the fee structure has three main components:


 CLAT 2026 Fee Structure for Category 1

1. Exam Registration Fee

  • ₹4,000 (without question papers)
  • ₹4,500 (with question papers)
  • Payment via online modes (credit/debit card, net banking, UPI).

2. C

...Read more

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, you can join the BBA LLB programme in Amrita International School of Law without CLAT exam. If you have a valid AILET score, you can submit it for admission. Else you can appear for Amrita Law Admission Test (AmLAT).

S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, you can join Amrita International School of Law without CLAT exam. If you have a valid AILET score, you can submit it for BA LLB admission. Otherwise, you can appear for Amrita Law Admission Test (AmLAT).

S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Both the Andhra Pradesh LAWCET and CLAT entrance exam are conducted for admission to the Law schools in India, however, the syllabus for these exams are different on many parameters and candidates should strategise differently for both the exams. Andhra Pradesh LAWCET exam has sections including Cur

...Read more

R

Rakshit Prabhakar

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

No, CLAT is not compulsory to take admission in Ishaan Institute of Law. The institute offers admission into the courses such as LLB, BA LLB and LLM based on the merit achieved by the candidates in their last qualifying exam. Application process is compulsory and it can be conducted online/offline.

R

Raj Priya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

You can find it on many platforms, such as Lawprep Tutorial and Shiksha itself, but I'm a Law Prep student, and I found their format of solutions better.

P

Praveen Chopra

Beginner-Level 1

Answered a month ago

The charges for CLAT registration are 4000 Rs. for General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI candidates. While its Rs. 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL candidates. Candidates have options like UPI, Credit Card, Debit Card & Net Banking when it comes to paying for the same.

Read more

Law course 

D

Diya Nihalani

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Based on recent CLAT analyses, the English Language and General Knowledge & Current Affairs sections were rated as the easiest. English is more about reading comprehension with direct questions. GK is highly scoring for those with consistent, up-to-date daily news preparation. 

M

Mukul Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered a month ago

The CLAT exam for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses will be held for 2 hours. There will be 120 MCQs. The total number of sections in the question paper will be five. 

D

Divya Surbhi

Contributor-Level 8