Anupama
Anupama Mehra
Assistant Manager – Content
Updated on Jan 3, 2025 16:11 IST

The CLAT 2026 exam dates is not out yet. CLAT Exam 2026 is expected to be held in December 2025. Candidates planning to appear in the CLAT 2026 Exam, must avoid common mistakes that may ruin their exam day. Read further to know more. 

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) date has not been announced yet. Candidates who are looking forward to appearing in the exam have to remain careful about the important elements related to the exam day planning. Candidates planning to appear for the CLAT 2026 exam have to be mindful of crucial exam day elements to ensure a smooth and successful experience. Proper planning can significantly impact performance.

Also Read: Idioms and Proverbs for CLAT 2026 With Meaning

This article serves as a reminder for CLAT 2026 test-takers to avoid common mistakes on exam day. Candidates can refer to this guide to prevent unnecessary blunders and ensure they were well-prepared. The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will release detailed CLAT Exam Day Instructions 2026, covering reporting and bell timings, required documents, and prohibited items. It will be essential for CLAT aspirants to read these instructions carefully before the exam.

CLAT 2026 Common Mistakes 

Some of the common mistakes candidates taking CLAT 2026 might make are: 

Application for CLAT 2026: One common mistake candidates can make by not properly completing the CLAT application process. The exam authority will not confirm the candidature of those who will not correctly fill out the CLAT 2026 application form. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure all information is accurate and complete. To help with this process, candidates can refer to the instructional video below for guidance on filling out the CLAT 2026 application form correctly.

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Preparation for CLAT 2026: Another common mistake before appearing for CLAT 2026, especially in the last few weeks, is not preparing consistently. Candidates haveve to prepare the syllabus of CLAT 2026 completely to score well in all sections (and ultimately overall). Candidates should keep practising for CLAT 2026 with mock tests, sample papers/question papers, and learning current affairs up to the date of the exam.

Some of the tips to prepare for CLAT have been explained in the video below:

CLAT 2026 Exam Day Mistakes 

Exam day preparation is also an important factor in the performance of candidates in CLAT 2026. Here is a common mistakes that CLAT 2026 test-takers have to avoid on the exam day:

Q:   Which is the most difficult section of the CLAT 2026?

A:
As per the exam analysis of CLAT exam held in previous years, the difficulty level of all the sections are as under: English Language - Generally the questions asked in this section are considered easy. However, candidates can find them lengthy and time-taking as the questions are based on passages only. Current Affairs including General Knowledge - The questions in this section are of Easy to Moderate difficulty level depending on the events and technicality. Logical Reasoning - The questions asked in this section of CLAR paper are of easy to moderately difficult level due to facts and data interpretation. Legal Reasoning This section of CLAT paper is of easy to moderate difficult level as the questions are mostly asked from Legal domain, trending events, lex maxims, and current landmark judgements. Quantitative Techniques - Although the weightage of this section is lesser than the rest, the questions asked around Mathematics subject can be tricky/ twisted, which makes it moderate to difficult level. Know all about CLAT question paper analysis here - https://www.shiksha.com/law/clat-exam-analysis.

Q:   What is a good rank for CLAT?

A:

Students who wish to be admitted to this university should strive for a score of roughly 70% (80-84 marks) or above under the revised pattern. Because the CLAT cut-off marks are lower for reserved categories, a rank of about 4000 would be suitable for admission. According to CLAT 2024 analysis, candidates from the general category should aim for a score of 90 or more in order to be admitted to one of the top three NLUs. In CLAT 2024, 60–70 points are considered a decent score for SC/ST categories. The Consortium of NLUs will release the closing rank of candidates for each round at the time of CLAT counselling.

Q:   What is a good CLAT score?

A:

Aspirants who appeared for the CLAT 2025 Exam should have a clear idea about a good CLAT score. CLAT is a very competitive exam and candidates need to score high to clear the cutoff. All those candidates who appeared for the CLAT 2025 are advised to check out the previous year's CLAT cutoff scores and get a fair idea of the trends that are being followed by the NLUs in the country.  A score above 100 is definitely considered as a good score for CLAT 2025. Candidates must note that the expected CLAT cutoff score for NLUSIU Bangalore is 100 plus, whereas, for NLU Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur and NLU Bhopal, the expected score is between 94 to 98. Candidates who wish to take admission into NALSAR Hyderabad they need to score between 98 to 100. 

Reaching the test center late – The CLAT exam authority will soon share the exam schedule for CLAT 2026. Based on instructions from previous years, reporting begins at 1 pm. Candidates are advised to arrive at the exam center by 12:30 pm to avoid any last-minute hassles.

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Not carrying supporting documents – Candidates need to carry the CLAT admit card and a supporting ID proof (with photograph). Therefore, test-takers must not forget to carry the supporting ID proof and certificates (e.g., Scribe approval for PWD candidates).

Carrying bags, mobile phones, and booksCLAT exam centre officials do not provide facilities for depositing personal belongings such as handbags, mobile phones, headphones, and books. If candidates bring these items to the examination center, the officials will not be responsible for their security. As stated in the exam instructions, "Candidates are NOT permitted to carry cell phones or any other electronic gadgets (including calculators, digital watches, and headphones of all types). Such gadgets must be left outside the Examination Hall, and the staff on duty at the test center will not be responsible for any loss of property/gadgets of the candidates."

Q:   When should I start preparing for CLAT 2026?

A:

The ideal time to start preparing for the CLAT exam varies from person to person and depends on several factors such as your familiarity with the subject, the level of understanding of the topics covered in the syllabus, and the amount of time and effort you can devote to the preparation. However, as a general guideline, it is recommended that you start preparing for the exam at least 6-8 months before the exam date. This will give you sufficient time to cover the entire syllabus, revise the important topics, solve mock tests and previous year papers, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. If you are already familiar with the subject and have a good understanding of the topics covered in the syllabus, you can start preparing for the exam 3-4 months before the exam date. However, if you are new to the subject or need to improve your understanding of the topics, you may need to start preparing earlier. It is important to note that the CLAT exam is a highly competitive exam, and the level of competition is increasing every year. Therefore, it is important to start preparing early and stay consistent with your preparation. With a focused approach and consistent effort, you can increase your chances of qualifying for the CLAT exam.

Q:   Is CLAT LLM exam tough or easy?

A:

CLAT is one of the highly competitive law exam 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 CLAT exam. The toppers of CLAT have suggested that aspirants should trust BA LLB books and a habit to read newspaper daily to crack the CLAT PG exam. The difficulty level of CLAT paper is usually moderate. For complete insights on CLAT paper difficulty level, check analysis for current and previous years above. 

Q:   Which is the No. 1 university in CLAT?

A:

Since 2018, the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru has maintained its position as the top-ranked law college in India according to the NIRF rankings. 

Q:   How do I start preparing for CLAT 2026?

A:

To start preparing for CLAT 2026 there is no right time. However, as per experts, one should have began their CLAT preparation at least five or six months before the exam. If they began CLAT preparation early, then they will have sufficient bandwidth to complete the CLAT syllabus and also to attempt the previous year’s CLAT Question Paper. This will help them to know their strengths and weaknesses and also where they are committing the mistakes. Given below are some steps to help you start your preparation:

  • Make a monthly and weekly timetable
  • Keep your syllabus handy
  • Ensure you cover all topics and concepts
  • Revise it at regular intervals
  • Attempt mock tests and previous years’ sample papers frequently
  • Follow the proper marking scheme as there are negative marks for each incorrect answer in the actual CLAT 2025 Exam. This practice will help you to know your actual score and your weak points

Q:   Can a person clear CLAT without coaching?

A:

Joining a coaching institute for CLAT has become a trend. Apparently, coaching institutes are good at selling the idea that coaching is necessary to crack law entrance exams. However, that is far from the truth. Candidates without any professional coaching can also crack the CLAT exam with flying colours. However, for the same, it is important for candidates to adopt a well-planned and well-thought-out CLAT preparation strategy . Apart from this, it is also extremely important for candidates to be completely dedicated and consistent with their CLAT preparation.

Forgetting to carry test-taking material – Candidates need to carry their exam-taking material, such as Blue/Black Ball Point Pens. They should not ask the exam center officials to provide these items for taking CLAT 2025.

Not carrying water bottles – Candidates should carry their water bottles on the exam day. The exam authority will allow transparent water bottles (without labels) that candidates can take with them inside the examination hall. Therefore, candidates must keep the same with them as the exam is being held from 2 pm to 4 pm, when the temperature outside the examination hall will be unbearable, and the chances of falling sick would be high as well.

Candidates appearing for CLAT 2026 must note these common mistakes to avoid and do well in the examination.

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Anupama Mehra
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"The pen is mightier than the sword". Anupama totally believes in this and respects what she conveys through it. She is a vivid writer, who loves to write about education, lifestyle, and governance. She is a hardcor... Read Full Bio

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