Find out how you should strategise CLAT 2025 preparation, exam pattern and syllabus to score well in the paper.
The Consortium of NLUs will conduct the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) on December 1, 2024. The CLAT Exam 2025 will be conducted in pen-and-paper mode. Candidates need to have specific strategies to gear up their preparation for CLAT Exam. The CLAT Question Paper will be based on five subjects namely, English Language, Current Affairs and General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques. The weightage for all these subjects in CLAT question paper 2025 will be different but they carry equal importance. Therefore, candidates are required to prepare for five subjects equally for CLAT Exam 2025.
Also Read:
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Only a strategic preparation for CLAT 2025 will help candidates secure more than cutoff marks. In this article, we have shared some tips for CLAT preparation that candidates can incorporate into their exam preparation plan. Based on performance in the CLAT exam, candidates can secure admission to NLUs and top law schools in India. Therefore, candidates appearing for the national-level law entrance exam should know how to prepare for CLAT 2025 to score well and crack CLAT Exam in first attempt.
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The new exam pattern for CLAT 2025 as shared CLAT Consortium along with key features is as under:
Exam mode - Pen-paper based test mode
Exam duration - 120 minutes
Test timings - 2 pm to 4 pm
Total questions - 120 questions
Q: Which are the best books for CLAT 2025?
Among all the books of CLAT 2025 in the world, first, go for the NCERT books. You must complete all the NCERT books first before moving to other reference books available in the market. After completing the NCERT books, you can go for the following books to boost up your practice and concepts: Universal’s LLB Entrance Guide, Lexis Nexis, Objective Arithmetic, GK Today, India Year Book and Analytical, Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Word Power Made Easy, Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Manorama Year Book and Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey.
Q: Which books I should refer to prepare for CLAT 2025?
Among all the books of CLAT 2025 in the world, candidates were advised to first go for the NCERT books. Candidates must complete all the NCERT books first before moving to other reference books available in the market. After completing the NCERT books, they could refer to the following books to boost up their practice and concepts: Universal’s LLB Entrance Guide, Lexis Nexis, Objective Arithmetic, GK Today, India Year Book and Analytical, Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Word Power Made Easy, Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Manorama Year Book and Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey.
Q: Which books are there for CLAT exam?
For general knowledge, one can refer to the Lucent GK. The Current Affairs for CLAT 2025 can be prepared by reading daily newspapers and monthly magazines. The CLAT legal aptitude will have questions on topics such as Constitutional law, Law of Torts, Personal laws, Law of Contract, Jurisprudence, legal Current Affairs etc. There are various study materials available in online mode, including online coaching. The e-paper, articles, journals, and YouTube videos on CLAT preparation are important resources. Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey Bare Acts of Indian Constitution LexisNexis Butterworths Legal Awareness and Legal Aptitude by Andhra Pradesh Bhardwaj Universals CLAT Guide
Total marks - 120 marks
Marking Scheme - For every correct answer, 1 mark will be awarded. For a wrong answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted.
Besides, the section-wise marks and questions allotment has been changed too and it will be as under:
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| Subject |
Questions |
Marks |
Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 - 32 questions |
28 - 32 marks |
20% |
|
| 35 - 39 questions |
35 - 39 marks |
25% |
|
| Quantitative Techniques (Elementary Mathematics) |
13 - 17 questions |
13 - 17 marks |
10% |
| 28 - 32 questions |
28 - 32 marks |
20% |
|
| 35 - 39 questions |
35 - 39 marks |
25% |
|
| Total Marks |
120 questions |
120 marks |
100% |
The preparation strategy of CLAT is what we recommend for candidates undergoing full-time preparation that can bring about a remarkable improvement in scores and performance in CLAT exams! Candidates must check the CLAT Exam Pattern and syllabus properly before beginning their preparation.
CLAT Preparation 2025: Understand the CLAT syllabus
This is the single most important tip and the most common mistake we see students making. Time and again, we have seen students spending disproportionate amounts of time on Mathematics and Logical Reasoning, solving tougher and tougher problems from a wide range of topics.
Q: Which are the CLAT best books for Legal aptitude?
Candidates must note that it is most important sections in CLAT 2025 as it carries 25% weightage. The legal aptitude sections carries questions that are mostly concepts bases on topics such as Law of Tort, Law of Contract, Constitutional law, Indian Constitution, Polity, preposition and facts etc. Candidates can follow the study material and reference given here to prepare for CLAT legal aptitude section: Bare Acts of Indian Constitution, LexisNexis Butterworths, Legal Awareness and Legal Aptitude by Andhra Pradesh Bhardwaj, Universal’s CLAT Guide.
Q: Which are the best books for English to crack CLAT 2025?
English sections of CLAT will test the reading, comprehension and basic grammar skills of the aspirants. Aspirants must focus on improving their reading skills while preparing for CLAT English section. Candidates should concentrate on grammar and vocabulary too. Candidates can check CLAT 2025 best books for English Language including comprehension here: English is Easy by Chetananand Singh, Barron’s Pocket Guide to Vocabulary, Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, Objective General English by RS Aggarwal, High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin.
Q: Which are the best preparation books for CLAT 2025?
Among all the books of CLAT 2025 in the world, first, go for the NCERT books. You must complete all the NCERT books first before moving to other reference books available in the market. After completing the NCERT books, you can go for the following books to boost up your practice and concepts: Universal’s LLB Entrance Guide, Lexis Nexis, Objective Arithmetic, GK Today, India Year Book and Analytical, Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Word Power Made Easy, Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Manorama Year Book and Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey.
Q: Which are the best books for CLAT logical reasoning sections to refer to crack CLAT 2025?
The best books for CLAT logical reasoning 2025 sections are: Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, Analytical and Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal, Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey. Candidates must focus on practising the previous year questions and similar types of questions from several pratice books, to score good marks in CLAT logical reasoning section. In order to grasp the conceptual understanding of problems based on puzzles, blood relations, numbers, series, sets and arguments, the below-mentioned books would be extremely beneficial.
Q: Are NCERT books enough to complete the CLAT syllabus?
Yes, NCERT books are sufficient to complete the CLAT syllabus. A number of past years' CLAT toppers have claimed that they referred only to NCERT books for preparation. NCERT text books act as the base to complete the syllabus and develop conceptual clarity and understanding of the topics and chapters. However, for practice purposes, students may refer to other books and resources as well. It is advised that while starting the CLAT preparation, candidates refer to the NCERT books and move towards other books and advance resources after that.
CLAT 2025 Preparation Strategy by Experts
For Current Affairs, pick one or two reliable sources and religiously follow them, rather than reading randomly from a bunch of different sources. That will make your preparation more systematic. And again, remember that in CLAT the depth of knowledge tested is not the same as that of the UPSC exam, so be sensitive to over-preparing.
| Download CURRENT AFFAIRS 2025 Guide - Click Here |
Writing Mock Tests – You should plan to write a few mock tests. However, aim to finish at least 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the syllabus before starting the mocks. That’s the only way that you will receive any benefit from writing the test. Look for a good mock test series, and aim to write at least 6-8 CLAT previous years papers before the actual exam. Reproduce the exam conditions as much as possible – including the time limit and turning your phone off to avoid distractions!
Question Selection – It is essential to remember that all questions carry equal marks and there are no sectional cutoffs in CLAT! So feel free to start from any section you are comfortable with, and if a question is taking too much time skip it without prejudice.
Negative Marking – CLAT has 1/ -0.25 negative marking. So you get 1 marks for every correct answer and -0.25 marks for every wrong answer. You get 0 marks for any unattempted questions. This means there is a penalty for uneducated guessing. My advice to you – guess, but carefully. It makes sense to guess only if you can eliminate at least 2 of the choices in the question. So keep that in mind while taking a guess.
English – Being strong in Reading Comprehension and basic grammar will take you a long way in the English section. Remember to also practice Para jumbles, CLAT has traditionally favoured them.
Also Read: Best Books for CLAT 2025 Preparation: English, GK, LA, LR, Mathematics
These strategies are meant to be a guide to assist you in your preparation for CLAT. If you can incorporate all of these into your preparation, I am confident you will see a definite boost in your scores. All the best!
About the Author:
Vivek Subramanian
Vivek Subramanian has a BTech from IIT Bombay and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. He has worked internationally in New York and Hong Kong in investment banking and management consulting, before deciding to return to India to pursue his love for teaching. He is the co-founder and Chief Instructor at ExamVictor.
Important FAQs regarding CLAT Preparation 2025
Q. How should I prepare for CLAT?
A. To prepare for CLAT exam, check the below tips:
- Know the key features of the CLAT exam pattern
- Understand the CLAT syllabus well
- In GK, you should have a good overview of Indian geography and history. You should know the major UN bodies and should be aware about important awards in sports, science, literature and arts categories
- In Current Affairs, pick one or two reliable sources and religiously follow them
- Aim to write at least six to eight CLAT previous years papers before the actual exam
Q. Is CLAT exam easy?
A. The diificulty level of CLAT exam is usually moderate, neither too easy nor difficult. Check CLAT exam analysis of previous years for complete understanding on the diffculty level of paper.
Q. Can an average student crack CLAT?
A. With a proper preparation strategy in place and complete dedication, it is possible to crack CLAT for any student.
Q. Which section should I attempt first during the CLAT exam?
A. All questions carry equal marks in CLAT. Also, there is no sectional weightage. So, you can start with any section but are advised to attempt questions you are most comfortable with.
Q. What should be the right preparation strategy to crack the CLAT English Language section?
A. To crack English Language section of CLAT, you should be strong in reading comprehension as well as grammar.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
No domicile certificate is required to be produced while filling up the application form for CLAT. It is mandatory only while counseling if you are opting for the domicile based reservations by producing certificates. It is normal for most NLUs to reserve 10%-50% of the number of seats for the state
K
Contributor-Level 9
Answered Yesterday
Yes, Kirit P Mehta School of Law accepts admissions through CLAT apart from NMIMS-LAT. Candidates applying through CLAT need to meet the cut-off requirements as well as follow the admission process of the institution.
a
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Hello greetings!
Yes, the registration for CLAT 2025 has already started! The application process opened on July 15, 2024, and the last date to submit applications was October 15, 2024. The admit cards were released on November 15, 2024.
The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) is respons
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
The CLAT cutoff for OBC category candidates has ranged from around 90-160 marks in recent years, depending on the NLIU, the exam's difficulty, and the availability of seats. For top NLUs, the OBC cutoff is typically in the range of 120-160 marks, whereas mid-tier and lower-tier NLUs have a slightly
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
The CLAT cutoff for OBC candidates generally falls in the range of 100-170 marks depending on the NLU and the year's exam difficulty. For top NLUs, you will likely need to score between 120 and 160 marks, whereas for other mid-tier NLUs, the cutoff could be slightly lower, ranging from 100 to 130 ma
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
No, CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is not required to secure a job in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) unless the specific PSU job you're interested in requires a law degree (such as legal positions or management roles where legal knowledge is important).
- For general PSU jobs (engineering, finan
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Yes you can get admission into the BBA LL.B (Hons) course at Gujarat National Law University Silvassa without giving CLAT exam through the Management Quota but the fees will be higher for those Management quota seats .
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
UGC-approved colleges in West Bengal accepting CLAT include WBNUJS, Kolkata, for integrated 5-year law programs. Private institutions like Amity University, Kolkata, also consider CLAT scores for some law courses.
A
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
Banaras Hindu University, popularly known as BHU, does not honor CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) scores for admission into its undergraduate law programs, for instance, BA LLB. Admissions into these programs are achieved through an individual entrance test conducted by BHU called the BHU UET (Under
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
N
Contributor-Level 10
Do I need to submit domicile certificate for CLAT while filling up the application form or after allotment of NLUs?