Preparation Tips from CLAT Toppers: Preparation Strategy & Revision Plan
Common Law Admission Test 2025 ( CLAT )
Counselling - To be notified
Candidates preparing to appear for CLAT 2025 can get here some valuable preparation tips from CLAT toppers from the past year. Read here to know more.
One who has mastered the art can only teach another to learn it in a better way. Who can tell better than CLAT toppers on how to ace the upcoming examination? Therefore, Shiksha collated preparation tips from past year toppers to share with the exam-appearing candidates. Read this article to know more CLAT preparation tips from toppers. CLAT 2025 is expected to be conducted on December 1, 2024. The Consortium announced the CLAT 2025 Exam Date, CLAT Registration Date 2025 and other important dates along with the CLAT Admission Notification 2025. Candidates must check the eligibility criteria for CLAT 2025 in detail before starting to prepare for the CLAT Exam.
Also Read: How to prepare for CLAT in 6 months: Tips, Tricks & Study Plan for CLAT 2025
CLAT Preparation Strategy shared by Toppers
It is essential to prepare in a strategic manner and, every exam topper ensures making an effective strategy for preparation. Let us know how CLAT toppers strategies their preparation.
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There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.CLAT 2024 AIR 1, Jai Kumar Bohara, says that Good score in Board exams doesn't guarantee you a good college. I always had two priorities in mind. One was to prepare for CLAT, as it was in December, and it is more important than boards. And second priority was to maintain attendance in School. So, I had to go to school to maintain attendance but I didn’t study for boards apart from school. For the Board exams, I will start my preparation now. Because board marks will not fetch you a good college. It’s the entrance that will finally help you secure a good college.
Q: How many questions will be asked in CLAT 2026?
Q: What is the new CLAT 2025 Exam pattern?
The consortium of NLUs has not come up with changes in the exam pattern of CLAT 2025 as of now. However, the consortium brought changes in the exam pattern for CLAT 2024. The total number of questions was reduced from 150 to 120. However, no changes were made to CLAT 2025 syllabus or the number of sections in the CLAT 2025 exam. The 120 questions were divided into the existing five sections; English Language, Current Affairs Including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques.
Q: What is the Exam Pattern of CLAT 2026?
The CLAT exam pattern for UG courses will include key features like type of questions, marking scheme, subjects, Section-wise weightage and other details. CLAT 2026 exam will be held in an offline I. e. Pen-Paper based test mode. The question paper of CLAT 2026 will be of 120 marks for a total of 120 multiple choices based question. Candidates will get two hours to attempt CLAT 2026 question paper. The subjects from which questions will be asked in the exam are English Current Affairs including GK, Legal Reasoning Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques. The question paper language will be English only. The subject-wise weightage for each section of CLAT UG paper will be as under:
English Language - 28-32 questions
Current Affairs including General Knowledge - 35-39 questions
Logical Reasoning - 28-32 questions
Legal Reasoning - 35-39 question
Quantitative Techniques - 13-17 questions
CLAT 2023 AIR 1, Abhinav Somani, shared that his main strategy was reading the newspaper and giving mocks. I read the newspapers religiously and made notes from them. The newspaper also helps you with your vocabulary, reading speed and comprehension ability. I also gave mocks regularly. I had a study group with 4 of my friends and we used to give mocks together. We started with 1 mock a week in January 2022, bumping it up to 5-6 per week by October 2022.
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CLAT 2023 AIR 4, Arnav Maheshwari says the key part of my prep was mock tests, giving and analysing mock tests regularly. It meticulously resulted in a good understanding of the exam and the resultant increase in marks, apart from this I kept up with current affairs and maintained a habit of reading through diverse content be it newspapers or novels.
CLAT 2023, AIR 13 Priyam Mitra says reading speed is important to complete the paper on time. This can be enhanced by reading novels, and also by reading newspapers. Do work on comprehension skills to perform well in passage-type questions.
Q: What changes have been made in CLAT exam pattern?
CLAT Consortium made few changes in CLAT 2024 exam pattern. Hence, the consortium did not bring any changes in exam pattern of CLAT 2025. As per the revised pattern, there were 120 questions for CLAT UG question paper. This means, 30 questions were reduced from CLAT UG 2025 question paper. Earlier, there were 150 questions in CLAT UG question paper. Moreover, the question paper were on similar lines as previous series i.e. passage-based objective-types questions of 1 mark each, and 0.25 marks to be deducted for incorrect attempts.
No change in the question paper of CLAT PG was made, and it was held as per the previous exam pattern i.e. 120 Objective Type Questions based on core law subjects.
In 2021, the Consortium had removed the descriptive section from the CLAT LL. M. exam pattern. All LL. M. candidates had to attempt 120 multiple-choice questions of 120 marks in a duration of two hours.
Q: Is there negative marking in CLAT Exam?
Yes, the CLAT exam has negative marking of -0.25 marks for wrong attempt. Unanswered questions have no negative marking. Candidates must select questions to solve very carefully in the CLAT exam. They should solve only those questions which they know they can solve accurately.
For every correct answer, candidates are awarded one mark
For every wrong attempt, 0.25 marks are deducted from their total score
No marks are awarded or deducted for questions not left un-attempted
| CLAT Marking Parameters | Marks Awarded |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | +1 marks |
| Incorrect answer | -0.25 marks |
| Un-attempted question | 0 marks |
Q: Is CLAT exam pattern 2026 revised?
The CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 has not been officially revised as of now. The exam structure typically remains consistent, but changes are announced by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) if required. Candidates should regularly check the official website for updates regarding any modifications. Traditionally, the CLAT exam includes:
For Undergraduate (UG) Program:
Total Questions: 120
Sections: English Language, Current Affairs (including General Knowledge), Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques
Type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
For Postgraduate (PG) Program:
Total Questions: 120
Focus Areas: Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, and other legal subjects
Any changes for CLAT 2026 will be notified in the official notification or brochure released by the consortium.
Q: Which is the toughest section in CLAT Exam?
The toughest section in the CLAT exam often varies depending on individual strengths and weaknesses, but many candidates find the following sections challenging:
Legal Reasoning: This section requires a deep understanding of legal principles, logical application, and critical thinking. Candidates need to grasp complex legal concepts and apply them to hypothetical situations, which can be time-consuming and tricky.
Logical Reasoning: This section tests analytical skills and problem-solving abilities, with puzzles and complex reasoning tasks. Many candidates find it challenging to solve quickly and accurately within the time limit.
With consistent practice, these sections become more manageable.
Q: Has the CLAT 2025 seat intake changed?
The CLAT 2025 Seat Intake has not been changed, however, CLAT 2025 reservation criteria has been revised for Gandhinagar National Law University (GNLU), Silvassa. CLAT has 2522 seats for undergraduate courses. These seats have been divided as per the candidate's category.
As per the revised GNLU reservation criteria, the Domicile Reservation Category has been included for candidates residing in the Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Union territories. All those candidates who are looking forward to appearing for UG and PG courses must go to official website of CLAT 2025 portal and update the reservation category accordingly.
CLAT 2023 AIR 11, Sana Singh says that she approached the exam as an opportunity to hone her strengths and treated the GK and Quantitative Aptitude sections as score boosters. I wanted to pursue law long before that. This entailed taking weekly mocks and targeting an improvement in my weaker sections. In the 11th grade, I had stayed in touch with news updates and familiarised myself with the pattern of the exam by doing practice questions occasionally.
CLAT 2019 AIR 1, Saumya Singh shared that he started his preparation around two years before the exam date i.e. from class 11th onwards for consistent preparation. He focused on his strengths and weaknesses from all subjects on weekdays and revisions on weekends.
CLAT 2019 AIR 2, Harsh Tomar shares that he prepared a daily schedule for preparation in one year. He said the preparation plan was divided into two parts, wherein for the first six months the focus was allotted to the preparation of his weaker sections and, next six months for preparation of all sections. Throughout the preparation plan, he focused on weaknesses and strengths equally and, devoted sufficient time to learn tips and tricks in maths and practice questions from all subjects (at least five questions per subject).
CLAT 2019 AIR 5, Mouli Jain shared that she followed a promodoro technique wherein, she used to study for a stretch of 25-30 minutes and then take a break for a few minutes. This helped her improve productivity and concentration. Moreover, she prepared a subject-wise timetable to prepare on a daily basis. She studied at least three subjects a day including the subjects she's weak in. She focused on accuracy in the first six months and then, improved speed in her preparation plan. For accuracy, she clarified all concepts and theory and, for speed, she practised past years question papers of CLAT 2022 by setting time.
CLAT 2019 AIR 8, Shubh Mittal shares that in one year of CLAT preparation, his entire focus was on reading skills and speed by taking mock tests.
Also Read:
Books for Preparation
All the topper could achieve good marks in all subjects because they referred the best books for CLAT preparation. Here are books as referred by CLAT toppers for preparation
| Sections | Books referred by CLAT 2025 toppers |
|---|---|
| English | AIR 1 - Word Power Made Easy and 30 days to a Faster Vocabulary by Norman Lewis and, English is Easy by Chetananand Singh AIR 2 - Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis AIR 5 - Objective General English by SP Bakshi, and English is Easy by Chetananand Singh AIR 8 - Word Power Made Easy, English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin, Objective General English by SP Bakshi |
| Legal Aptitude | AIR 1 - Study material from coaching institute and, CLAT previous years papers AIR 2 - CLAT questions papers for Legal Reasoning section AIR 5 - Study material provided by coaching institute AIR 8 - CLAT Past years papers |
| GK including Current Affairs | AIR 1 - The Hindu newspaper, GKToday and StudyIQ, Competition in Focus magazine etc. AIR 2 - Lucent’s Objective General Knowledge and, GKToday & Affairs Cloud (websites) for Current Affairs AIR 5 - GKToday and AffairsCloud AIR 8 - GKToday (website), The Hindu |
| Logical Reasoning | AIR 1 - A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning, for critical reasoning (Analytical Reasoning) by MK Pandey AIR 2 - Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey and, A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal AIR 5 - A Modern Approach to Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal AIR 8 - Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey |
| Elementary Mathematics | AIR 1 - Study material by coaching institutes and, online prep materials AIR 2 - Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Agarwal AIR 5 - Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal AIR 8 - Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by RS Agarwal |
Also Read:
Practising Mock Tests and Revision Plan
CLAT preparation is completed with the revision of entire syllabus for each section and mock test practice. Know here how CLAT toppers revised for their exam:
| CLAT 2023 Topper | Revision and Mock Practice Strategy |
|---|---|
| CLAT Topper AIR 1 | He revised every weekend for the topics that he prepared during the week. He did not take any break from practising questions all through his preparation plan to avoid losing touch of concepts. |
| CLAT Topper AIR 2 | First, clarified all subjects and focused on weakness and, then practised previous years question papers. Practised at least 5 questions every day for each subject from day 1 to learn tips and tricks of solving questions quickly. In the revision time, he advised to practised at least 50 mock tests for overall preparation. |
| CLAT Topper AIR 5 | She developed her own study plan wherein she practised her strong and weak subjects equally. To improve the speed of solving questions, she practised mock tests in the last four months rigorously. To ensure time management, she set the timer while taking mock tests. |
| CLAT Topper AIR 8 | He shared that in order to achieve the desired speed of solving 200 questions within 120 minutes, practice rigorously overall 120 mock tests. Also, he ensured revision on a daily so that his subject strengths become best. |
The preparation tips shared above by CLAT toppers will be helpful to strategise and, focus on key improvement areas. All the toppers advised that to prepare better for CLAT 2025 one should:
- Schedule their preparation properly
- Solve mock tests papers based on the subjects regularly
- Revise thoroughly daily
- Be prepared and don't lose confidence for your performance for the upcoming examination.
"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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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
If a rank lies within the CLAT range of 5000 to 10000, then such a candidate will most probably get admission into several colleges: starting from most of the private colleges to some of the lower-ranked NLUs. Major options here are as follows:-
MNLU Aurangabad: Offers both BA LLB and BBA LLB.
Nirma
L
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 2 days ago
A CLAT PG 2025 score of 35 would rarely make a student eligible for Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad. By trends observed from previous years, the cutoff to be considered in MNLU, Aurangabad, is really high and in the range above 70 points for the general category candidates. For examp
L
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 5 days ago
CLAT is not manadatoey for every law college. The score is accepted by NLU and other top law colleges for admissions.
You can explore about -
- AILET
- LSAT
- CUET
- MHCET
- Other states law entrance exams
Scholar-Level 16
Answered 6 days ago
You will know your CLAT exam center by downloading your admit card, which is released a few weeks before the exam. The admit card contains all the important details, including the exam center's name, address, and instructions for the exam day. To download the admit card, visit the official CLAT webs
N
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
If you forget to carry your CLAT admit card 2026 on the exam day, you may not be allowed to sit for the exam. However, you should immediately contact the exam center authorities and inform them about the situation. In some cases, they may provide you with a temporary solution if you have other valid
A
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
No, you cannot edit your CLAT exam center after submitting the CLAT application form. Once the application form is submitted, the exam center preferences are considered final. However, if you realize a mistake or need to make changes, you should immediately contact the CLAT helpdesk for assistance.
M
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
To download your CLAT admit card, you need the following details:
Registered Email ID: The email address used during the CLAT registration process.
Password: The unique password you created during registration.
Visit the official CLAT website (consortiumofnlus.ac.in), log in using your email ID and pas
A
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
If you have forgotten your CLAT roll number, you can retrieve it by following these steps:
- Visit the official CLAT website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
- Log in to your account using your registered email ID and password.
- Once logged in, go to the admit card or application form section. Your roll number will
D
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
The CLAT exam centers list is released along with the official notification for the exam, which is typically published several months before the exam date. The notification provides the complete list of cities where the exam will be conducted, allowing candidates to select their preferred centers du
M
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 6 days ago
You can check your CLAT exam center details on your admit card, which is released by the CLAT Consortium a few weeks before the exam. To access it, visit the official website (consortiumofnlus.ac.in) and log in using your registered credentials. Once logged in, download the admit card, which contain
Contributor-Level 10
CLAT Notifications
As per the CLAT exam pattern, there will be 120 questions in CLAT 2026. Candidates must note that it is not mandatory to solve all the questions. Candidates should solve only those questions which they can solve correctly as there is negative marking in CLAT. During the exam preparation, focus on the chapters from which majority of the questions are added. This will help them in achieving the sectional and overall cut offs are required. The consortium has released the marking scheme for CLAT 2026 Exam too. Aspirants can refer to the marking scheme for UG courses below:
For every correct answer, candidates are awarded one mark
For every wrong attempt, 0.25 marks are deducted from their total score
No marks are awarded or deducted for questions not left un-attempted