CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 (Changed): Mode, Number of Questions, Topic-Wise Weightage, Marking Scheme

Common Law Admission Test 2026 ( CLAT )

DeskCalelnderExam On - 7 Dec '25

This exam is conducted for courses given below:
Anupama Mehra
Updated on Oct 8, 2025 13:12 IST

By Anupama Mehra, Assistant Manager – Content

CLAT 2026 exam pattern - The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has released the CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 along with the CLAT Notification 2026. For CLAT 2024 Exam, the Consortium revised the CLAT exam pattern 2024. Hence, the CLAT Exam pattern was not changed for CLAT 2026.As per the exam pattern of CLAT, the CLAT Question Paper will have 120 section and five sections; i.e. English Language, Current Affairs including GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques. 

The exam pattern of CLAT 2026 carries all the important information such as the mode of exam, total number of questions, marking scheme, etc. Candidates are advised to go through the exam pattern of CLAT 2026 thoroughly before appearing for CLAT Exam 2026. It must be noted that the exam pattern of CLAT is also an important part of CLAT preparation. Read below all about CLAT exam pattern 2026, including sectional weightage, exam structure, sectional time limit, marking scheme and sections.

 
 

 

Table of contents
  • CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 - Key Features
  • CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Highlights
  • CLAT 2026 Sectional Weightage
  • CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme
  • CLAT Syllabus 2026
  • CLAT Books 2026
  • CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern - Frequently Asked Questions
View More
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CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 - Key Features

Candidates appearing for CLAT 2026 must note that the consortium has released the CLAT Exam Pattern. Candidates can check CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 below to start preparation:

  • Passage-based questions: Except for the CLAT Quantitative Technique section 2026, the remainder of the four sections will include passage-based questions. The English, Current Affairs, and Logical Reasoning sections will include 450-word passages. The Logical Reasoning section will have short passages of about 350 words. Each passage will be followed by a series of questions. 
  • Quantitative Techniques section: The section will include short sets of facts, propositions, graphs, pictorial representation, etc. The candidate has to derive answers from such passages, representations, etc.
  • CLAT 2026 total number of questions and marking scheme:The CLAT UG exam will contain 120 multiple-choice questions; each question will carry 1 mark.
  • Negative marking: There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for an incorrect answer.
  • Total marks: CLAT 2026 exam is conducted for 120 marks.
  • Exam difficulty level: The difficulty of the CLAT exam 2026 will be of Class 12. Questions asked in Quantitative Techniques are of Class 10 difficulty level.
  • Skills to be evaluated: The CLAT UG question paper will test the comprehension and reasoning skills of candidates. So, rote learning won't cut the ice.  

Also Read: Mock Test for CLAT 2026, Sample Papers: Things to keep in mind

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CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Highlights

 

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

Latest: CLAT 2026 Courses: Check complete list, subject-wise eligibility criteria and other details

 

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CLAT 2026 Sectional Weightage

The CLAT question paper for UG course admissions will carry 120 passage-based multiple-choice questions for a total of 120 marks. Going by the CLAT 2026 sectional weightage, candidates can check the section-wise questions weightage for each section as under:

Sections

MCQs per section

Maximum Marks

Approximate Weightage (in %)

English Language

28-32 

28-32 

18.66 - 21.33

Current Affairs including General Knowledge

35-39 

35-39 

23.33 - 26

Logical Reasoning

28-32 

28-32

18.66 - 21.33

Legal Reasoning

35-39 

35-39

23.33 - 26

Quantitative Techniques (Elementry Mathematics up to Class 10)

13-17 

13-17 

8.66 - 11.33

Total 

120

120

100%

 

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CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme

CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern has not been changed. The consortium has released the marking scheme for CLAT 2026 Exam. Aspirants can refer to the marking scheme for UG courses below:

  • For every correct answer, candidates are awarded one mark

  • For every wrong attempt, 0.25 marks are deducted from their total score 

  • No marks are awarded or deducted for questions not left un-attempted

CLAT Marking Parameters Marks Awarded
Correct answer +1 marks
Incorrect answer -0.25 marks
Un-attempted question 0 marks
 
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CLAT Syllabus 2026

The details of CLAT syllabus for each section are:

CLAT Sections Important Topics
English Language
  • Grammar (correction of incorrect grammatical sentences, fill in the blanks, etc.)
  • Vocabulary
Current Affairs including General Knowledge
  • Static GK (Arts & Culture and History)
  • Knowledge of all events happening nationally and internationally
Logical Reasoning
  • Relationships
  • Analogies
  • Logical Sequences
  • Arguments
Legal Reasoning
  • General awareness of contemporary legal and moral issues
Quantitative Techniques
  • Ratios and Proportions
  • Basic Algebra
  • Mensuration
  • Statistics

Also Read: Important topics to study from CLAT 2026 syllabus

 

View Syllabus
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CLAT Books 2026

Check few important section-wise CLAT books  that candidates can refer to prepare for the exam:

CLAT Sections Important CLAT Books
English Language
  • English Grammar by Wren & Martin
  • Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
Current Affairs including General Knowledge
  • General Knowledge 2022-2023-2024 by Arihant Publications
  • Manorama Year Book
Logical Reasoning
  • A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
  • Arihant’s A New Approach to Verbal and Analytical Reasoning
Legal Reasoning
  • Pearson's Legal Awareness and Legal Reasoning
  • Pearson’s Guide to the CLAT
Quantitative Techniques
  •  NCERT Class 10 Book
  • Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal

Also Read: CLAT Sample Papers 2026 PDF - Previous Years' Sample Paper Download Link

View list of Books
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CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern - Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the key questions asked around the exam pattern of CLAT exam are as under:

qna

CLAT Exam

Student Forum

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

Answered Yesterday

CLAT Answer Key 2026 PDF will be released in two phases. First CLAT Provisional Answer Key and then the Final Answer Key. The CLAT 2026 Answer Key will be released on consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

B

Bhumika Aggarwal

Contributor-Level 7

Answered Yesterday

Chandigarh University's university Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) has a practical curriculum that helps CLAT 2026 qualified students prepare for careers in corporate law, litigation, or the judiciary. The programme covers important subjects like corporate law criminal law, constitutional law, and

...Read more

a

akhil Saxena

Beginner-Level 4

Answered 2 days ago

If the candidates is not satisfied with the CLAT seat allotment result, they can either accept or opt for upgradingt the college alloted. The Freeze option is used by candidates to confirm their choice of NLU. Apply for upgrade option is used when candidates want to change the allotted institute to

...Read more

D

Damini Aggarwal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

Yes, candidates who have regsitered for the CLAT exam can access the sample papers through their login credentials. They can practice the questions for all the sections. This exercise will help to evaluate the areas that are strong and weak and needs more attention. 

D

Damini Aggarwal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

No, scholarships at Chandigarh University for BA LLB or BCom LLB are not directly based on your CLAT 2026 rank. The university has its own merit-based scholarship system, which is linked to CUCET scores and overall 10+2 performance. Students who perform exceptionally well in CUCET can receive financ

...Read more

r

rashmi gupta

Beginner-Level 4

Answered 2 days ago

Chandigarh University does not rely on CLAT 2026 scores for LLB admissions. Instead, all applicants must take the university's own entrance exam, CUCET, which is the primary basis for selecting students. This means that even if you have a CLAT score, you cannot skip CUCET, as the university evaluate

...Read more

r

rashmi gupta

Beginner-Level 4

Answered 2 days ago

Chandigarh University is a strong option for students who missed top NLUs in CLAT but still want a robust legal education. The University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) offers a dynamic curriculum with practical exposure through moot courts, internships, and workshops, ensuring students develop e

...Read more

s

santosh rautrai

Beginner-Level 4

Answered 3 days ago

Helloo

 

Students joining BA LLB or BCom LLB programs at Chandigarh University can enjoy comfortable and secure hostel facilities. The campus provides well-furnished rooms, ranging from shared accommodations to single AC rooms, along with modern amenities like Wi-Fi, gyms, recreation zones, and indoor

...Read more

J

Jas

Beginner-Level 3

Answered 3 days ago

No, Chandigarh University does not accept CLAT scores as a direct admission mode for its law programs. Even if you have a CLAT rank, you will still need to appear for CUCET, which is mandatory for all integrated law degrees like BA LLB, BBA LLB, and B.Com LLB. The rationale behind this is maintainin

...Read more

T

Tanya Shankhla

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 days ago

No, taking the CLAT examination is not mandatory for admission into BA LLB at Chandigarh University. To be eligible for admission in the university, students need to qualify the Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test (CUCET), an important test for their admission to the university. With just a l

...Read more

N

Nidhi Nidhi

Beginner-Level 3

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