CLAT Exam Pattern 2025: Mode of Exam, No. of Questions, Sectional Weightage, Negative Marking

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 2025 exam will be held in an offline I. e. Pen-Paper based test mode. The question paper of CLAT 2025 will be of 120 marks for a total of 120 multiple choices based question. Candidates will get two hours to attempt CLAT 2025 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 syllabus for English carries the following important topics: 

• Correcting Incorrect Grammar Sentences
• Synonyms & Antonyms
• Tenses
• Fill in the Blanks
• Spotting Grammatical Errors
• Active & Passive Voice

Through CLAT English section, the consortium tested following skills:

• Comprehension and language skills.
• Ability to read and comprehend the arguments and viewpoints discussed in the passage.
• The capacity to draw inferences and conclusions
• The ability to summarise a passage.
• The ability to compare and contrast various arguments or viewpoints
• Comprehension of words and phrases.

CLAT Consortium made few changes in CLAT 2024 exam pattern. Hence, the consortium has not brought any changes in exam pattern of CLAT 2025. As per the CLAT Exam pattern, there will be 120 questions for CLAT UG question paper. This means, 30 questions will be reduced from CLAT UG 2025 question paper. Earlier, there were 150 questions in CLAT UG question paper. Moreover, the question paper will be 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 has been made, and it will be 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.

In 2022, CLAT exam was held twice, I. e. on June 19 as CLAT 2022, and on December 18, 2022 as CLAT 2023. However, from 2024 onwards, CLAT exam is to be conducted once in a year only, as confirmed by the exam officials in the latest notification. Earlier, CLAT exam was conducted in May or June, but from 2024 onwards the entrance exam will be conducted in December (of preceding year to the admission year) itself for concluding admissions on time. Therefore, CLAT counselling process will be completed by May of each academic year.

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.

The CLAT question paper for UG courses had objective-type questions from subjects such as Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning Quantitative Techniques, English and Current Affairs including General Knowledge. The CLAT paper for the LLM. course had both objective questions from law subjects such as Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, etc. Generally, the questions are designed as passage followed by series of questions of one mark each. Candidates had to attempt the questions by reading and interpreting the passages only. 

Yes, you can definitely appear for the CLAT exam again if you did not clear it in the first attempt. The CLAT exam is conducted once a year by the Consortium for enrolling students in various law courses offered at 24 NLUs in the country.

There is no limit on the number of attempts that you can make for the CLAT exam. However, you have to fulfill the eligibility criteria to appear in the exam. All those candidates who are willing to appear for the CLAT 2025 should meet the eligibility criteria as announced by the Consortium of National Law Universities. All eligible candidates must fill the CLAT 2025 application form before the last date.The consortium released the updated eligibility criteria of CLAT 2025 for admission to 5-year LLB and LLM courses on its official website. These criteria include parameters like academic qualification, minimum marks, age limit, etc.

As per the CLAT exam pattern, there will be 120 questions in CLAT 2025. 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 2025 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

CLAT 2025 is expected to be held in regional language. The Bar Council of India is planning to include vernacular languages as medium of paper in the coming years. Till CLAT exam 2024, it was held in the English language only like in previous years. CLAT 2025 PG Exam is also expected to be conducted in English only.

As per the CLAT exam pattern released by the NLU Consortium, Legal Reasoning remained a part of the question paper along with Quantitative Techniques, English Current Affairs including General Knowledge and Logical Reasoning. If the exam authority decides to remove any of the sections of CLAT UG question paper in 2025, then it will inform the candidates in admission notification itself, so that candidates can prepare for the exam accordingly.However, no such announcement has been made so far. The Legal Reasoning section has been removed from AILET question paper only.

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

The CLAT question paper for UG courses had objective-type questions from subjects such as Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning Quantitative Techniques, English and Current Affairs including General Knowledge. The CLAT paper for the LLM. course had both objective questions from law subjects such as Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, etc. Generally, the questions are designed as passage followed by series of questions of one mark each. Candidates had to attempt the questions by reading and interpreting the passages only. 

The level of questions for CLAT 2025 paper defines the difficulty level of the question paper. Therefore, the level of the questions asked in CLAT UG exam is of Class 12 or above except for Quantitative Techniques questions. The difficulty level of Quantitative Techniques section is of Class 10 or basic level. Candidates should note that the level of questions asked in General Knowledge and Current Affairs is not defined, and it can be asked from any where including newspapers and past one year Current Affairs.

The CLAT Exam 2025 carried 120 questions. UG CLAT syllabus 2025 consisted of five sections - English language, General knowledge and current affairs, legal aptitude, logical reasoning and quantitative abilities. The CLAT LLM syllabus consisted of topics from common law subjects of LLB programmes.

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has announced the exam date of CLAT 2025. The Consortium will conduct CLAT 2025 Exam on December 1, 2024. The exam authority published the admission notification for CLAT 2025 with details of syllabus, exam pattern and events on the official website. The CLAT Exam will be held in pen-and-paper mode.

 CLAT syllabus for English carries the following important topics: 

• Correcting Incorrect Grammar Sentences
• Synonyms & Antonyms
• Tenses
• Fill in the Blanks
• Spotting Grammatical Errors
• Active & Passive Voice

Through CLAT English section, the consortium tested following skills:

• Comprehension and language skills.
• Ability to read and comprehend the arguments and viewpoints discussed in the passage.
• The capacity to draw inferences and conclusions
• The ability to summarise a passage.
• The ability to compare and contrast various arguments or viewpoints
• Comprehension of words and phrases.

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus for CLAT logical reasoning section below:

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.

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

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.

No, the candidates were not allowed to take breaks or exit the exam centre while they are attempting CLAT exam. Candidates were allowed to drink water, eat or use the washroom only before or after the exam timings. Therefore, on the day of examination candidates should prepare themselves to sit for two hours straight without any breaks. They should use washroom right before entering the examination hall. They were allowed to carry a transparent water bottle for themselves. However, they should limit the amount of water intake to avoid taking break in between. No request to leave examination hall will be allowed by the centre officials to avoid cheating or any other activities. If you have any medical condition that requires you to take a break, it will be allowed only at prior notification and permission by the exam authority.