How to prepare for CLAT 2026 in one year?

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. Here's a detailed guide to help you optimize your preparation time:

Preparing for the CLAT exam 2026 within a year requires a well-structured approach, discipline, and consistent effort. To begin with, understanding the exam pattern and syllabus is crucial, as it allows you to identify key areas of focus, such as English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Developing a comprehensive study plan that allocates time to each subject, while also incorporating regular revision and mock tests, is essential.

Also Read: Idioms and Proverbs for CLAT 2026 With Meaning

Starting with foundational concepts and gradually intensifying preparation helps build a strong base, while practice under timed conditions sharpens your speed and accuracy. Staying updated with current affairs and practicing previous years' papers further enhances your readiness. With dedication and a clear strategy, you can effectively prepare for CLAT and maximise your chances of success. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you make the most of your preparation time:

Understand the CLAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus

It is very important to understand the CLAT exam pattern and CLAT 2026 syllabus for effective preparation. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:

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 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).

CLAT Question Paper 2026 Sections:

The question paper of CLAT is divided into five sections:

• English Language: Focuses on comprehension passages, grammar, vocabulary, and contextual usage.
• Current Affairs including General Knowledge: Includes questions on recent events, national and international news, and static GK.
• Legal Reasoning: Tests your understanding of legal principles and their application to various situations.
• Logical Reasoning: Involves puzzles, critical thinking, and analysis of arguments.
• Quantitative Techniques: Includes basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data interpretation.

CLAT Marking Scheme 2026

Candidates can check the CLAT 2025 Marking Scheme below:

  - +1 mark for each correct answer.

  - -0.25 marks for each incorrect answer (negative marking).

CLAT 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

CLAT PG Question Paper 2026 Sections

Candidates can check the CLAT PG Question Paper section below:

Constitutional Law: Questions related to the Indian Constitution.

Other Law Subjects: Includes questions from various law subjects like Jurisprudence, Contract Law, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, IPR, etc.

CLAT PG 2026 Marking Scheme

Candidates can check the CLAT PG Marking Scheme below:

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

CLAT Syllabus 2026

The syllabus for CLAT is designed to test a candidate’s aptitude in various areas relevant to law education. Here’s a section-wise breakdown:

CLAT UG 2026 Syllabus:

English Language:

• Comprehension passages.
• Grammar and sentence correction
• Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, etc.).
• Fill in the blanks, idioms, and phrases.

Also Read: CLAT 2026 English Language: Questions, Syllabus, Preparation Tips & Tricks

Current Affairs including General Knowledge:

• Recent events and developments (national and international).
• Awards and honors.
• Sports, science, and technology.
• Important dates and historical events.

Also Read: CLAT 2026 GK questions: Preparation for current affairs including gk section

 Legal Reasoning:

• Principles and facts of law.
• Application of legal principles to factual situations.
• Understanding of legal propositions and reasoning.

Also Read: CLAT Legal Reasoning 2026: Legal Aptitude Questions, Preparation Tips & Tricks

Logical Reasoning:

• Critical reasoning, analogies.
• Logical sequences and arguments.
• Blood relations, syllogisms.
• Puzzles and pattern recognition.

Also Read: How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 Logical Reasoning

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).

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

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.

Create a Study Plan for CLAT Exam

Creating a well-structured study plan for CLAT is essential to ensure you cover all topics effectively and have enough time for revision and practice. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare for CLAT over the course of one year:

Monthly Study Plan

Divide the syllabus into monthly goals. Allocate time for each subject based on your strengths and weaknesses. Read complete monthly study-plan below:

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.

Also Read: How to clear CLAT 2026 in first attempt?

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 older topics 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.

Also Read: How to prepare for CLAT in 6 months: Tips, Tricks & Study Plan

Months 7-9: Practice and Application

• English Language: Take 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 previous papers.
• Quantitative Techniques: Solve more complex problems and practice under timed conditions.

Also Read: How to attempt Current Affairs & GK questions in CLAT 2026?

Months 10-12: Revision and Mock Tests

• 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, formulas, and concepts. Take at least 2-3 mock tests per week.

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.

• Morning (2-3 hours): Focus on Quantitative Techniques or Legal Reasoning.
• Afternoon (2 hours): Study Current Affairs and General Knowledge.
• Evening (2 hours): English Language and Logical Reasoning practice.
• Night (1 hour): Revise the day’s work and read through notes.

Best Books for CLAT 2026

Candidates can some of the best books to prepare for CLAT 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

Candidates can check the sectional-wise preparation tips below

How to Prepare for CLAT in one year - Focus on 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.

How to Prepare for CLAT in one year -  Stay Updated with 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.

How to Prepare for CLAT in one year - Strengthen 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 mock tests focusing on legal reasoning.

How to Prepare for CLAT in one year - Master 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.

How to Prepare for CLAT in one year - Improve Quantitative Techniques

• Basic Math: Brush up on basic mathematics, including topics like percentages, ratios, algebra, and data interpretation.
• Practice Regularly: Solve mathematical problems daily to improve speed and accuracy.

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

Why appearing for CLAT Mock Tests is important?

• Simulate Exam Conditions: Take full-length mock tests under timed conditions 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 Important Topics: Check GK, Mathematics, English, Legal & Logical Reasoning

Most Important Aspects of CLAT 2026 Preparation

• Set aside time each week for revision. Review notes, important concepts, and formulas regularly.
• Use flashcards for quick revisions, especially for vocabulary, legal terms, and current affairs.
• Maintain a balanced routine that includes time for relaxation, exercise, and adequate sleep.
• Stay Motivated: Keep your motivation high by setting short-term goals and rewarding yourself upon achieving them.
• Join study groups where you can discuss difficult topics and learn from others.
• If needed, consider joining a coaching center that specialises in CLAT preparation for expert guidance and structured learning.

Consistency is key. Stick to your study plan and ensure you progress steadily toward your goals. By following this comprehensive approach, you can effectively prepare for CLAT 2026 within a year and maximise your chances of success.

CLAT Free Mock Test by SHIKSHA

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