CLAT 2026 Preparation Guide — Syllabus, Tips & Strategy

CLAT Overview

• Common Law Admission Test: entrance for 5-year BA LLB at 22 NLUs; conducted by Consortium of NLUs
• 120 questions, 120 marks; −0.25 negative marking; 2-hour exam
• Sections: English (20%), Legal Reasoning (25%), Logical Reasoning (20%), GK/Current Affairs (25%), Quantitative Techniques (10%)

English Language Section

• Reading comprehension: 400-word passages; inference, vocabulary in context, summary
• Grammar tested implicitly through RC; no separate grammar questions
• Develop reading habit: read The Hindu, Frontline, legal articles daily from Class 11

Current Affairs and GK

• 5-year static GK: Indian Constitution, polity, major historical events, geography
• Current affairs: last 12–18 months; Indian judiciary news, Supreme Court judgements, Parliament acts
• Newspapers + monthly CA capsule (Pratiyogita Darpan, Competition Success Review)

Legal Reasoning Section

• No prior law knowledge required; read given legal principles and apply to given facts
• Syllogism and deductive reasoning applied to legal scenarios
• Practice: past CLAT papers; CLAT coaching material (Career Launcher, LegalEdge)

Logical Reasoning

• Inferences, analogies, logical sequences, blood relations, directions
• Critical reasoning: argument evaluation, assumptions, conclusions
• LSAT material (USA) is excellent practice for CLAT's reasoning section format

Study Plan for CLAT

• Class 11: start reading comprehension and GK; 1 hour daily
• Class 12: intensify; 4–5 hours daily; join CLAT coaching; take 2 mock tests per week
• Final 3 months: 3–4 mock tests per week; analyse each test by section

NLU Cutoffs (Expected 2026)

• NLSIU Bangalore: 105–110/120; NALSAR Hyderabad: 103–108; WBNUJS Kolkata: 100–105
• NLU Delhi (AILET): 70+/90; NLU Jodhpur, NLIU Bhopal: 95–100
• For NLU in any state, target 90+; below 80 limits options to state NLUs and good private law schools