
The NLSAT exam pattern 2026 mentions details of the question paper of the 3-year LLB course offered at NLSIU Bangalore. As per the NLSAT 2026 pattern, the exam is conducted in two parts- Part A and Part B. Part A is objective type, and Part B is subjective. The NLSAT 2026 exam will be held offline in pen-and-paper-based mode. The exam pattern is provided by the exam authority so that candidates can prepare for the entrance exam well in advance. Check the detailed pattern of NLSIU Bangalore's LLB entrance exam, including subjects, marking scheme, section-wise weightage, and other key details on this page below.
- NLSAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Key Details
- NLSAT Exam Pattern: Part A vs Part B
- NLSAT 2026 Section-wise Weightage
- NLSAT Marking Scheme 2026
- NLSAT Syllabus 2026
- NLSAT Exam Pattern FAQs 2026
NLSAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Key Details
Some of the important features of NLSAT 2026 that candidates must know are as under:
| Features | Exam Pattern Details |
|---|---|
| Exam mode | Pen-paper based test mode |
| Papers | Single question paper in two parts - Part A and Part B |
| Test medium | English only |
| Total Subjects | 5 subjects |
| Type of questions | MCQs for Part A, and subjective (short answer type and Essay) for Part B of the question paper |
| Duration of exam | 2 hour 30 minutes |
| Total questions | 75 questions for Part A and 11 questions for Part B |
| Total marks | 150 marks |
Commonly asked questions
Yes, the NLSAT exam has negative marking of -0.25 marks for wrong attempt. Unanswered questions have no negative marking. Candidates must select questions to solve very carefully in the NLSAT exam. They should solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately.
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
NLSAT 2026 Exam pattern consist of multiple choice questions. This section will be for a total of 75 marks. Part B is the subjective based for 60 marks and analytical ability for 15 marks. The negative marking of 0.25 marks is also there.
NLSAT Exam Pattern: Part A vs Part B
The NLSAT 2026 exam pattern for both Part A and Part B has been provided below:
| Feature |
Part A (Objective) |
Part B (Subjective) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Marks |
75 Marks |
75 Marks |
| Question Type |
75 Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) |
10 Short Answers + 1 Essay |
| Subjects |
Reading Comprehension, Current Affairs, Critical Reasoning |
Legal Aptitude/Reasoning, Analytical Essay |
| Negative Marking |
-0.25 for wrong answers |
No negative marking in this section |
| Role |
First-stage qualifier/screening round |
Final selection & tie-breaker |
Commonly asked questions
You can refer to any book you want there is no restrictions on it. The focus should be on quality preparation. You should solve old question papers and take lots of practise tests in addition to consulting the well known literature.
The mode of examination is offline. As per the pattern the exam will be conducted in two parts. The part A of the exam will carry objective questions while second part will have subjective based questions.
NLSAT 2026 Section-wise Weightage
To understand the actual format of NLSAT 2026 question paper, candidates must know the subject-wise weightage of each part as described below
Part A - NLSAT 2026 sectional weightage
| Subjects |
Questions per section |
Marks per section |
|---|---|---|
| English Comprehension |
25 questions |
25 marks |
| Current Affairs |
25 questions |
25 marks |
| Critical Reasoning (including logical reasoning and legal aptitude) |
25 questions |
25 marks |
| Total |
75 questions |
75 marks |
The second part i.e. Part B of NLSAT 2026 will have subjective questions, and the sectional weightage will be as under:
Part B - NLSAT 2026 sectional weightage
| Subjects |
Questions per section |
Marks per section |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Aptitude and Reasoning |
10 questions |
50 marks |
| Analytical Ability |
1 essay based question |
15 marks |
| Total |
11 questions |
65 marks |
Commonly asked questions
If you have enrolled in a coaching centre and already preparing for entrance exams then it is enough to crack NLSAT. For self-preparation, you need to have at least 1-1.5 months time which will be available as the NLSAT test comes at last only.
You need to keep an eye on the complete syllabus and practice as many problems as you can with the time limit as NLSAT requires speed and accuracy.
NLSAT is one of the highly competitive law exams and is considered to be one of the toughest exams to clear. However, aspirants should not worry, as with the right preparation and attitude you can definitely ace in the NLSAT exam. The toppers of NLSAT have suggested that aspirants should trust NCERT books and a habit to read newspaper daily to crack the exam. The difficulty level of NLSAT paper is usually moderate. For complete insights on NLSAT paper difficulty level, check analysis for current and previous years above.
The mode of examination is offline. As per the pattern the exam will be conducted in two parts. The part A of the exam will carry objective questions while second part will have subjective based questions. Yes, the NLSAT exam question paper will be in offline mode. It will be MCQ based. It will be conducted in two parts. The first section will be of objective type and second part will be of subjective type.
NLSAT Marking Scheme 2026
Since the NLSAT 2026 exam is divided into two parts, the marking scheme for both parts of the question paper is different. Candidates can check the marking scheme of the 3-year LLB entrance exam:
Part A:
- Each question carries 1 mark
- 0.25 marks to be deducted for each incorrect attempt
- No marks to be deducted for unattempted questions
Part B:
- Short Answer type questions for Legal Aptitude and Reasoning will carry 10 marks each
- Essay-based question for Analytical Ability will carry 15 marks
- No negative marking applicable for NLSAT Part B
Commonly asked questions
As per the NLSAT exam pattern released by the NLSIU, Legal Reasoning remains a part of the question paper along with Quantitative Techniques, English Current Affairs including General Knowledge and Logical Reasoning. If the exam authority decides to remove any of the sections, then it will inform the candidates in admission notification itself, so that candidates can prepare for the exam accordingly.
The NLSAT Exam is for 150 marks. It is divided into two parts. First exam will be conducted for 80 makrs and then for 70 marks.
NLSAT Syllabus 2026
The NLSAT syllabus is designed by the conducting body, NLSIU Bengaluru, to conduct the 3-year LLB exam. As per the syllabus shared with the candidates, the exam has two sections, Part A and Part B. In the first Part, objective-type questions are asked, and in the second part, descriptive-type questions are given in the exam. Candidates will have to prepare for the essay writing, which is also asked in Part B.
Read More:
NLSAT Exam Pattern FAQs 2026
Carefully read the NLSAT 2026 exam pattern-related FAQs to appear for the exam here:
NLSAT Exam
Student Forum
Answered 3 weeks ago
The NLSAT answer key will be released by the conducting body within a week's time after the exam date. Candidates will first be able to access the provisional answer key, followed by the final one on the result day.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
The NLSAT 2026 Application Form was available till March 30, 2026 after the deadline was extended by the conducting body, NLSIU, Bengaluru. Candidates will have to fill out the form in online mode.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
The NLSAT syllabus can be checked as follows:
- Visit nls.ac.in
- Click on the Admission tab
- Choose the course for which you want to appear in the exam
- On the particular course page, syllabus details can be seen
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
The NLSAT exam is conducted once a year to grant admission to courses such as LLB, BA, and Ph.D. This year, the Law entrance exam will be held on April 26, 2026. It is your gateway to pursue a legal career from NLSIU Bengaluru.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Yes, the NLSAT-PhD registrations 2026 are still open for National Law School of India University, Bangalore PhD admissions. The registrations are scheduled to stay open until March 23, 2026. Candidates can apply until 11:59 pm on the aforementioned date to appear for the NLSAT-PhD 2026.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, NLSAT-PhD is a mandatory entrance exam for all candidates applying for the National Law School of India University, Bangalore PhD course. Before registering for the NLSAT-PhD, candidates should ensure their compliance with the set eligibility criteria. The registrations are done on the website
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The NLSAT-BA is scheduled to take place on April 26th for National Law School of India University, Bangalore BA (hons) admissions in 2026.
The aforementioned entrance exam is scheduled to take place between 10 am and 12:30 am across all centres within India on the aforementioned date.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
NLSAT 2026 will be held offline in pen-paper based test mode. The NLSAT 2026 exam pattern is provided by the exam authority so that candidates can prepare for the entrance exam well in advance.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 months ago
Candidates must note that the NLSAT Application Process is completely online. There is no such provision to fill the NLSAT Application Form in offline mode.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Registration - 26 Apr '26
When will the NLSAT answer key release?