
CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme, Duration, Negative Marking
CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 is released along with the official exam notification at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Candidates appearing for the examination are advised to check CLAT pattern and syllabus.CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Common Law Entrance Test or CLAT is a National Level Law exam attempted by applicants wanting to pursue different Law courses in undergraduate or postgraduate programs. Candidates are admitted into renowned National Law Universities (NLUs) through this admission exam. There are five sections in the paper and students get a duration of 2 hours to complete the test. Additionally, CLAT 2026 is objective which means the questions will need to be answered in Multiple Choice format.
CLAT 2026 exam pattern will be released along with the official notification. When students are acquainted with the exam's format, they can expect what will be on the paper and thus perform well. Aligning one’s preparation with the CLAT syllabus and pattern for the exam can help maximize the test result.
CLAT Exam Pattern 2026
As stated earlier, it is essential that candidates planning to give the exam know the test format before attempting it. Knowing the types of questions that will be asked, the exam mode, provided time frame, sections, etc. Check below to know some CLAT exam pattern highlights
- The test format will be different for CLAT UG and PG programs
- The CLAT UG question paper will include 120 questions, same as CLAT PG which will also include there 120 questions
- There are a total of 5 sections in CLAT UG and only 2 sections in CLAT PG
- The pattern indicates the sectional weightage, test structure, and marking scheme of CLAT UG and PG
- The exam will be conducted in a pen-and-paper mode, which will be an offline exam
Read on to know the detailed CLAT exam pattern for both UG and PG programs.
CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Undergraduate
As stated in the article above, the CLAT UG pattern has been modified to make the exam-taking experience stress free for students. The following changes have been incorporated in the updated exam pattern:
- For admission to undergraduate programmes starting in the academic year 2025–2025 at the participating national law universities, CLAT UG will consist of 120 questions instead of 150 questions as in previous years.
- The exam duration remains unchanged, hence, applicants will be provided 2 hours to complete 120 questions.
- The 120 questions will continue to be organised into five sections, that is, English
Language, Current Affairs Including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical
Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.
The table below shows the CLAT UG Pattern details-
Particulars |
Details |
CLAT Exam Duration |
2 Hours |
Mode of the Exam |
Offline |
Question Format |
Multiple Choice Questions |
Medium of Test |
English |
Sections |
5 |
Total Questions |
Earlier 150, Now 120 |
CLAT Marking Scheme |
+1 for each correct answer 0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect response. |
CLAT UG Exam Pattern 2026: Sectional Weightage
CLAT UG General Instructions
CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Test Format for PG Programs
CLAT PG General Instructions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there negative marking for the CLAT exam?
Yes, for both CLAT UG and PG programs, there will be negative markings in the question paper. With every incorrect answer, applicants will witness a deduction of 0.25 marks. Whereas, with every correct answer, students would be rewarded +1 mark.
How many questions will be there in CLAT?
There will be different numbers of questions for the CLAT PG and UG programs. The undergraduate exam will include a total of 150 questions, while, the postgraduate will include 120 questions only.
What is the duration of the CLAT test?
For both PG and UG, applicants would be given a total duration of 2 hours to complete the exam. It is essential that students finish the exam in that provided time frame otherwise they will not be able to achieve the desired CLAT result.
When will CLAT 2024 be held?
CLAT 2024 will be conducted on 3rd December 2023. Applicants are advised to keep checking the official website for any recent updates.
How many subjects would students need to study for the CLAT exam?
For CLAT UG, students would need to study 5 subjects which would include: English, Legal and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Tools, and Current Affairs. For CLAT PG, there would only be 2 main sections: Constitutional Laws and Other Law Subjects.
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