The Consortium of NLUs will prescribe the CLAT 2026 paper pattern on the official website for both the UG and the PG programmes. Candidates must be thoroughly aware of the CLAT paper pattern. The exam pattern will provide important details such as the types of questions, total number of questions, marking scheme, mode of exam, duration, etc. As per previous year paper patterns, the candidates will have to solve a total of 120 MCQs spread over five sections. However, the paper pattern may change for the CLAT 2026 exam. Candidates will get the chance to get admission into 24 participating NLUs and 60+ affiliated law schools into the 5 year LLB programme. Check the below blog to know the CLAT paper pattern, section wise weightage on the basis of previous years.
CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern – Highlights
Check below some of the important points related to the CLAT paper pattern:
- The reading comprehension section of the CLAT exam enhances the reading and comprehension skills of the candidates.
- The exam is designed not to test the prior knowledge of law but a test of aptitude and skills required for legal education.
- There are a total of five subjects in the paper pattern such as English language, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, and quantitative techniques.
- The duration of the CLAT exam is two hours and this exam consists of passage based questions.
Overview of CLAT Exam Pattern
CLAT exam consists of about 120 questions as per past 5 years analysis for both UG and PG programmes. CLAT is usually an offline based test. Check below the overview details of the CLAT exam pattern:
| Particulars | CLAT UG | CLAT PG |
| Total number of questions | 120 | 120 |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (pen & paper) | Offline (pen & paper) |
| Medium of Exam | English | English |
| Types of questions | MCQs with comprehension passages | MCQs with comprehension passages |
| Total Marks | 120 | 120 |
Section-Wise Weightage in the CLAT Exam
Based on past five years analysis it was seen that the current affairs and legal reasoning section carries the maximum weightage of marks. The section wise marks vary depending upon the weightage of subjects in the exam. Check below the section wise weightage of the CLAT exam for the undergraduate based on past 5 years analysis:
| Subject/Sections | Approximate Number of Questions | Marks | Weightage |
| English | 22-26 questions | 22-26 | 20% |
| Current Affairs / General Knowledge | 28-32 questions | 28-32 | 25% |
| Legal Reasoning | 28-32 questions | 28-32 | 25% |
| Logical Reasoning | 22-26 questions | 22-26 | 20% |
| Quantitative Technique | 10-14 questions | 10-14 | 10% |
In the CLAT PG exam, the candidates will be examined on subjects such as constitutional law, administrative law, family law, law of contract, criminal law, company law, property law, international law, industrial law, labour law, etc. Check below the section wise marks for the CLAT PG exam:
| Subjects/Sections | Questions | Marks |
| Constitutional Law | 60 | 60 |
| Jurisprudence, Criminal Law, Family Law and all other such laws | 60 | 60 |
CLAT Exam Marking Scheme
Each question in the CLAT exam will carry only one mark each. There is also a provision of negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect response. The maximum marks in the CLAT 2026 exam is expected to be 120. However, no marks will be deducted for unattempted questions.
| Type of Answer | Marks |
| Correct Answer | +1 Mark |
| Wrong Answer | -0.25 Mark |
| Unanswered | 0 Mark |
CLAT is considered to be a highly competitive exam. Candidates who are appearing for the upcoming CLAT exam. The exam pattern will teach the candidates about the exam pattern, number of sections, distribution of marks, difficulty level, etc. This exam also focuses on helping the candidates about the different types of questions that can be asked. Therefore, candidates are required to be aware of the exam updates. It is advisable that the candidates must familiarise themselves with the sections and weightage of the exam. They should focus on practicing previous year question papers and mock tests in order to get used to the exam format. They should keep in mind the marking scheme, avoid negative markings and attempt questions in a wise manner. One most important thing is to stay updated with the current affairs and general knowledge section.
FAQs
The CLAT exam has a total of 120 marks. Each correct option will be given 1 mark. There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer.
The CLAT syllabus includes sections such as current affairs, general knowledge, logical reasoning, maths, english for the LLB program (5 years) and LLM program.
In the CLAT exam, current affairs and general knowledge and also the legal reasoning section are given the highest weightage each accounting to 25% of the total marks.
The CLAT UG exam will consist of five sections such as english language, current affairs, fairs, legal reasoning, quantitative techniques, and logical reasoning.