CLAT LLM Preparation 2026: Tips, Strategy & Guide
Common Law Admission Test 2026 ( CLAT )
Counselling - 25 Feb '26 - 6 Mar '26
The Consortium of NLUs has not announced the CLAT Exam Date 2027 yet. However, CLAT 2027 Exam will likely be conducted on December 6, 2026. The CLAT 2027 exam dates will be announced along with the official CLAT Notification. Candidates appearing for the CLAT Exam must prepare themselves properly. The prime reason why many candidates fail to qualify CLAT is not that they are incapable but due to a poor preparation strategy. The most common reason, however, is not having sufficient time to prepare for CLAT according to the CLAT Syllabus.
To prepare for CLAT Exam you need not only dedication but also the correct CLAT Preparation plan. Candidates should prepare a section-wise study plan that includes solving sample papers and developing a strategy for each section. Without top-tier preparation, candidates will struggle to attain a rank high enough to gain entry to the top NLUs.
Read further to know how to prepare for CLAT 2027 and get all major information about exam preparation tips.
- CLAT 2027 Preparation Plan
- CLAT 2027 Syllabus & Exam Pattern
- Section-Wise CLAT Preparation Strategy 2027
- Important Section-wise CLAT Books 2027
- CLAT Question Papers
- Important CLAT 2026 FAQs
CLAT 2027 Preparation Plan
A basic preparation plan should be as mentioned below
The preparation plan can be as under
- Knowing the CLAT syllabus & exam pattern
- Correct preparation books
- A good study plan
- Practicing mock test and previous year question papers
- Revise as much possible
CLAT Previous Year's Question Paper
Download and practice CLAT question papers from the table below
Also Read: Last 17 years CLAT Question Papers With Answers free PDF Download
Commonly asked questions
The CLAT Syllabus is published by the Consortium. The syllabus has been announced. Candidates who are preparing for the exam must note that there are no changes made in the syllabus so far. Candidates can check the syllabus by visiting the official website. You can only download the PDF from website.
While it is not impossible, it is a really challenging task. To score well, you must start preparing for CLAT at least six months before. It is very important to score well if you are looking forward to getting into good NLU. For top 10 NLU, you at least need to score between 100 to 105 as per past trends.
Candidates can access the CLAT 2027 syllabus on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The Consortium has not released the CLAT Notification yet. Once it is published, the syllabus will also be announced.
CLAT 2027 Syllabus & Exam Pattern
Before knowing the best exam preparation, it is important to understand the syllabus and pattern of the exam.
CLAT Exam Pattern 2027
Candidates can check the CLAT Exam Pattern here
| Particulars | CLAT Exam Pattern Highlights |
|---|---|
| Exam mode |
Offline |
| Exam duration |
120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Test language |
English |
| Type of questions |
Comprehension-based MCQs |
| Exam subjects |
5 (English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques) |
| Total questions |
120 |
| Maximum marks |
120 |
| Marking scheme |
+1 for a correct answer -0.25 for an incorrect answer |
Also Read: NLU vs Non-NLU: Which one is better?
CLAT Syllabus 2027
Aspirants can go through the CLAT Syllabus here
| CLAT Sections | CLAT Syllabus Highlights |
|---|---|
| English Language |
|
| Current Affairs including General Knowledge |
|
| Legal Reasoning |
|
| Logical Reasoning |
|
| Quantitative Techniques |
|
Commonly asked questions
The practice the sample papers of CLAT 2027 released by the consortium follow these steps
- Go to consortiumofnlus.ac.in
- Login and click on attempt sample paper
- You will now see instructions on your screen
- Read the instructions and click on Start Mock Test
- Attempt the question paper
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.
The Quantitative Techniques & Logical Reasoning sections are considered the most difficult to prepare for in the CLAT exam.
Section-Wise CLAT Preparation Strategy 2027
Candidates must understand that to prepare for the exam you need to have good strategy according to the sections. Since there are five subjects, all of them require same level of attention. To help you with the same we have jot down different sectional-prep tips below
CLAT Preparation for English Section
You can prepare by following the tips given below
Read newspapers.
Have discussions.
Practice grammar, Improve vocabulary
Also Read: CLAT English Questions
CLAT Preparation for Current Affairs including GK Section
Listed below are some
Newspapers
Magazines
Apps
Also Read: CLAT Current Affairs and GK Section Preparation
CLAT Preparation for Legal Reasoning Section
You can follow the preparation strategy below
Read good newspapers, magazines and blogs related to static and current legal issues.
Also Read: Legal Reasoning for CLAT
CLAT Preparation for Logical Reasoning Section
This section of the CLAT exam is closely related to English Language and Legal Reasoning sections. Therefore, you can adopt a similar preparation strategy as for English and Legal Reasoning. Some of the important topics to prepare include Logic Games, Syllogisms, Relationships and Analogies.
Commonly asked questions
The CLAT Cutoff is decided by following factors
- Exam Difficulty
- Number of Applicants
- Seat Availability
- Reservation Policy
- Domicile Quota
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.
A good rank in the CLAT exam for general category students is under 1,000–1,500 to secure admission in top-tier National Law Universities (NLUs). A rank under 500 is considered excellent for the top 5 NLUs, while a rank up to 3,000–5,000 can still secure a seat in newer, mid-tier NLUs.
Important Section-wise CLAT Books 2027
Check out some important section-wise CLAT books for preparation
CLAT Books for English Section
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
- The Pearson Guide to the CLAT
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- CLAT Guide by Tata McGraw-Hill
CLAT Books for Current Affairs including GK Section
- Manorama Year Book
- General Knowledge 2025, 2024 by Arihant Publications
- Lucent’s General Knowledge
Also Read: Idioms and Proverbs for CLAT With Meaning
CLAT Books for Legal Reasoning Section
- Universal’s Guide to CLAT LLB Entrance Examination
- Pearson's Legal Awareness and Legal Reasoning
- Pearson’s Guide to the CLAT
CLAT Books for Logical Reasoning Section
- A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
- Arihant’s A New Approach to Verbal and Analytical Reasoning
- Analytical Reasoning (English) by MK Pandey
CLAT Books for Quantitative Techniques Section
- 30 days wonder for Maths by S Chand
- Pearson's Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations
- Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal
Also Read: How to Score 25+ in CLAT Legal Reasoning? Tips to prepare
Commonly asked questions
Solving mock test helps candidates to understand the exam pattern and also the sections they are lagging behind. With this they can rework on those section where they are scoring low. CLAT mock test also helps candidates to understand the time based prepration to solve the question paper on exam day.
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.
The time required for CLAT preparation depends on your starting point. If you're beginning from scratch, a 6-9 month preparation period is ideal, allowing you to cover the entire syllabus, build foundational knowledge, and improve time management. For those with a basic understanding of key subjects, 4-6 months may be sufficient. Consistent, focused study with regular mock tests and revisions is crucial. It's important to balance all sections—English, Legal and Logical Reasoning, General Knowledge, and Quantitative Techniques. Even in the final months, dedicate significant time to practicing mock tests, revising, and strengthening weak areas for a good score.
CLAT Question Papers
The exam preparation is not complete without practicing CLAT past year question papers. It is important to solve question papers because it gives an exam like atmosphere to you. It will help you to know the difficulty level of the paper. It will help you to analyse your strong and weak points.
CLAT Free Mock Test by SHIKSHA
Candidates can practice the free CLAT Mock Test given below to prepare for the upcoming CLAT Exam:
CLAT Preparation Study Material
- Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan Case: Landmark Judgment & Impact
- Sabarimala case (Indian Young Lawyers’ Association v. State of Kerala): Judgement, Facts, Timeline
-
Kesavananda Bharati Case: Doctrine of Basic Structure, Facts, Judgement & Impact
-
Indira Sawhney v Union of India: Landmark Judgement, Facts and Key Guidelines
Read More:
Commonly asked questions
According to the CLAT exam pattern, there will be no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Such questions will not be taken into consideration while calculating the total marks of a candidate. Hence, if candidates are not sure about the answer of a question, it is better to leave it unattempted rather than doing a guess work, to avoid negative marking.
In CLAT Exam there will be 120 questions. The exam paper will be in MCQ format. Candidates will get 120 minutes to complete the paper. Since there is a negative marking candidates must attempt carefully.
To prepare for CLAT Exam you need right books and good study plan. You must solve past-year question papers and mock tests.
Important CLAT 2026 FAQs
Candidates can check the important frequently asked questions related to CLAT here
Commonly asked questions
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 1 | |
2 | 2 | 2 | |
4 | 4 | 4 | |
7 | 8 | 5 | |
18 | 21 | 27 | |
24 | 22 | 30 | |
30 | 26 | 15 | |
28 | 27 | 35 |
Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website of the ranking body listed and may vary.
The CLAT cutoff means the minimum rank or score required to get admission into a National Law University (NLU). Candidates must get the cutoff to participate in the counselling process.
While it is not impossible, it is a really challenging task. To score well, you must start preparing for CLAT at least six months before. It is very important to score well if you are looking forward to getting into good NLU. For top 10 NLU, you at least need to score between 100 to 105 as per past trends.
The practice the sample papers of CLAT 2027 released by the consortium follow these steps
- Go to consortiumofnlus.ac.in
- Login and click on attempt sample paper
- You will now see instructions on your screen
- Read the instructions and click on Start Mock Test
- Attempt the question paper
Law exams you must check out
Get a headstart on exams accepted by top colleges
Mar '26
May '26 - Jun '26
Apr '26
May '26
CLAT Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Yes, you can find some good private law colleges in Chandigarh that do not necessarily require CLAT scores for LLB or related programmes. For instance, you can check Chitkara University's BA LLB course, which has merit-based admissions. without an entrance exam. If you are particularly looking for a
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
The Consortium of NLUs will conduct the CLAT Exam in offline; pen and paper mode. The exam will be conducted from 2 to 4 pm.
N
Contributor-Level 8
Answered Yesterday
The CLAT 2026 exam will be conducted in over 131 test centres spread across 89 cities in 25 states and 5 union territories throughout India. The exam, conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities, is a pen-and-paper-based test, with these numerous centers providing extensive access to la
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered Yesterday
Candidates can check the allotted CLAT Exam Centre on their admit card. It must be noted that there is no way to know the exam centre except checking the hall ticket.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered Yesterday
Candidates can apply for CLAT Exam by visiting consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Candidates must check the eligibility criteria before applying. CLAT Admission Process is completely online and no offline form will be accepted.
C
Contributor-Level 8
Answered Yesterday
While filling the CLAT application form 2026, candidates have to select three CLAT centres. Based on the preferences added by the candidate, authorities will allot the exam centre based on the choices added. Candidates must select the districts which are near their permanent or present address and
P
Contributor-Level 8
Answered Yesterday
The CLAT 2026 exam will be conducted at over 130 test centres spread across 89 cities in India. These centers cover 25 states and 5 union territories. Candidates can select up to three, or sometimes more, test city preferences during the application process, with the exact number of venues subject t
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
CLAT is comparatively more difficult than RULET as the exam is conducted for 25 NLUs in the country and other participating universities. However, RULET is held only for admission to Rajasthan University.
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered Yesterday
No, Rajasthan University will not accept the CLAT Score for admission. Candidates will have to appear for RULET Exam.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 days ago
ILSAT Exam difficulty level is comparatively much easier than the CLAT. The ILSAT Exam is university level exam; however, CLAT is held for admission to 25 NLUs and other private universities in the country.
D
Contributor-Level 8
176 Institutes accepting CLAT
SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur
Kattankulathur, Chennai • Private
- CLAT, SRMJEEL
- ₹ 12.50 Lakh
- 5 years
- |
- Full Time
National Law School of India University, Bangalore
Vijayanagar, Bangalore • Public
4.5NLU Kolkata (NUJS) - The West Bengal National Univer...
Salt Lake City, Kolkata • Public
Explore more Law exams with upcoming dates
TS PGLCET 2026 Registration (without a late fee) 10 Feb '26 - 1 Apr '26
Can I do LLB without CLAT in Chandigarh?