CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 (Latest) - Mode, No. of Questions, Marking Scheme

Table of Contents

CLAT Exam Pattern 2025-2026
CLAT Exam Pattern: Overview
- CLAT Exam Pattern: Section-wise Distribution
- CLAT Exam Pattern 2025-2026: Weightage
- CLAT Exam Pattern: Importance
- CLAT Exam Pattern: Key Features
FAQs

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026

The CLAT exam pattern consists of five sections -English, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, General Knowledge and Quantitative Techniques. One should clearly know the CLAT paper pattern to crack the CLAT Exam. Read the article in detail about the CLAT Exam Pattern 2026. Also, know the techniques of how to crack the different sections of the CLAT.

The consortium of NLUs has described the CLAT exam pattern to the candidates by explaining the number of sections, types of questions and the exam difficulty level. The exam pattern provides all the details about the CLAT Test modalities. The exam will be conducted in pen and paper mode. The CLAT 2026 exam date is December 07, 2025.

Every skill required to become a successful lawyer gets tested in CLAT. To ace CLAT, an aspirant must have an in-depth understanding of the CLAT pattern to devise a strong strategy for the exam and to be able to attempt all five sections with proficiency and expertise.

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The following analysis would give you a clear picture of the CLAT paper pattern and help in your preparation:

CLAT Exam Pattern: Overview

Highlights	Details
Number of Sections	5
Sections	English including comprehension, General Knowledge and Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning; Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques
Total no. of questions	120
Total marks	120
Marks per question	1
Negative Marking	Yes (0.25 deducted for a wrong answer)
Mode of Examination	Pen and Paper Mode

CLAT Exam Pattern: Section-wise Distribution

Sr.No.	Subjects	Questions(approx.)
1	English including Comprehension	22-26
2	General Knowledge and Current Affairs	28-32
3	Legal Reasoning	28-32
4	Logical Reasoning	22-26
5	Quantitative Techniques	10-14

**Negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Weightage

There are five sections in CLAT 2026 UG. Applicants need to understand that each component has a varied marking scheme. Take a look at the below table to get an idea of how many questions you may anticipate seeing on the CLAT exam pattern.

Sections	Number of Questions	CLAT Total Marks	Weightage
English Language	22-26	22-26	20%
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge	28-32	28-32	25%
Legal Reasoning	28-32	28-32	25%
Logical Reasoning	22-26	22-26	20%
Quantitative Techniques	10-14	10-14	10%
Total	120	120	100%

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CLAT Exam Pattern: Importance

Candidates appearing for CLAT 2026 must thoroughly know the CLAT Pattern. Upon knowing about the exam pattern, the candidate will learn about the exam mode, sections, the number of questions, marks distribution, duration and difficulty level. It also focuses on helping the candidate understand what questions can be asked and what skills candidates are tested upon. Thus, every candidate needs to be acquainted with the modalities of the exam.

CLAT Exam Pattern: Key Features

Another significant change in the CLAT exam pattern was the reduction in the number of questions. In CLAT 2026, students can expect 120 questions, and total marks will be 120.
The CLAT exam will be conducted in the Pen and Paper mode as announced by the consortium in the recent notification.
There is no change in the duration of the exam. The CLAT 2026 will be for 120 minutes.
The change in the CLAT pattern indicates the stress on the reading abilities of the CLAT aspirant. Students have to be skilled in inferential reasoning, and students with good reading habits will be better positioned to crack CLAT.
CLAT exam will comprise passages of 450-500 words containing 5-6 questions.
Reading skills are important as each section will contain passages and questions related to it.
The candidate needs to be quick in reading and understanding the passages to answer the questions efficiently and in time.
Candidates must strategize their time to complete the examination in the given time and with 100% accuracy.

FAQs

Q. What is CLAT Exam Pattern 2026?

CLAT Exam Pattern contains all the important information about the exam structure –no. of questions, marking scheme, no. of sections and weightage. The Consortium of NLUs releases the CLAT pattern for UG and PG exams on their official website. Both the exams contain objective-type questions.

Q. Will CLAT 2026 be held in the offline or online mode?

As per the latest updates, CLAT 2026 will be conducted in offline mode, i.e., pen and paper mode. However, if any changes are introduced, we will notify you.

Q. Were any changes introduced to CLAT exam pattern 2026?

The exam pattern for CLAT 2026 has been made official by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). The number of questions for CLAT-UG is reduced from 150 to 120.

Q. Will CLAT 2026 will have negative marking?

CLAT 2025-2026 will have a negative marking of 0.25 marks. However, for every correct answer, candidates will be awarded 1 mark.

Q. How many sections are there in CLAT 2026?

There are 5 sections in CLAT 2025-2026 –English including Comprehension, Legal reasoning, Current affairs including General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.

Q. What are the total marks for CLAT UG?

CLAT 2025-2026 will be of 120 marks, where 1 mark each is awarded for every correct answer.

Q. Can I appear for CLAT 2026 after 12^th?

Yes, if you are appearing for Class 12^th or any equivalent exam, you can apply for CLAT 2026. However, candidates must pass the minimum qualifying marks required.

Q. What is CLAT age limit?

There is no upper age limit for CLAT.

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