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What is CLAT Exam? Complete Guide for Beginners – Syllabus, Eligibility, Exam Pattern & Preparation Tips

If you are aiming for a law career, you should be familiar with one entrance exam: CLAT. To brief you about this shortly, consider this as your entry to the

If you are aiming for a law career, you should be familiar with one entrance exam: CLAT. To brief you about this shortly, consider this as your entry to the top law universities for LLB and LLM programs. As a law aspirant, one should be informed about this entrance test. This blog will be your complete beginner-friendly guide to the CLAT exam, covering everything from eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern, and age limit to preparation insights by the top CLAT coaching classes in Hyderabad.

What is CLAT Exam?

The Common Law Admission Test, commonly known as CLAT, is a centralized national-level entrance exam for admissions to 24 (out of 26) reputed National Law Universities (NLUs) across India (except the Delhi and Meghalaya ones). These exams allow for NLU admissions to the following programs:

1. 5-year Integrated LLB (UG)

2. 1-year LLM (PG)

Note: This guide is broadly focused on UG aspirants.

The exam is organized and administered by the Consortium of NLUs, a legal education entity under the Bar Council of India (BCI).

CLAT Exam Pattern (UG)

A quick overview of the exam structure will give you a clear picture of the exam. All the exam questions are paragraph-based, with each paragraph followed by 5-6 questions.

Subjects

Number of Questions

Marks

English Language

22-26

22-26

Current Affairs, including General Knowledge

28-32

28-32

Legal Reasoning

28-32

28-32

Logical Reasoning

22-26

22-26

Quantitative Techniques

10-14

10-14

Total

120

120

Marking Scheme: Each correctly answered question gets you one positive mark. However, each wrong answer deducts 0.25 marks from your total score. The score can range from -30 to 120 marks. You only have 2 hours to complete the exam.

CLAT Syllabus (UG)

The questions in the CLAT exam are split across five subjects. Almost all subjects feature questions derived from 450-word passages provided in the question paper itself.

Below is the official section-wise breakdown:

English Language

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Grammar & vocabulary-based questions
  • Inference & central idea questions
    Pro tip: Master reading the passages in max 5-7 minutes.

Current Affairs Including General Knowledge

  • Contemporary events of significance from India and the world
  • Arts & culture
  • International affairs
  • Historical events of continuing significance
    Pro tip: Be updated with news, journalistic sources and other non-fiction writing.

Legal Reasoning

  • Inference of legal principles
  • Application of legal principles
  • Dynamicity of legal principles

This is the highest weightage section — scoring well here boosts your rank.

Logical Reasoning

  • Argument, Premise & Conclusion Recognition
  • Analysis of Reasoning Patterns
  • Inference
  • Logical puzzles

Quantitative Techniques

  • Derivation, inference & manipulation of numerical information
  • Application of basic mathematical operations

CLAT Exam Eligibility (UG)

The Consortium of NLUs’ website states the eligibility criteria for UG aspirants clearly:

  1. The CLAT age limit has no upper bound, and candidates can pursue it at any age.
  2. Candidates who have passed in 10+2 or an equivalent examination with a minimum of:
    a. 45% of marks for General/OBC category students or
    b. 40% of marks in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories.
  3. Candidates appearing for the qualifying examination in March/April are also eligible to apply.
    (Production of qualifying evidence necessary)
    1.  

CLAT vs AILET vs LSAT vs SLAT

Feature

CLAT

AILET

LSAT—India

SLAT

Conducting Body

Consortium of NLUs

NLU Delhi

Pearson VUE/LSAC

Symbiosis University

Programs Offered

LLB + LLM

LLB + LLM

LLB + LLM

LLB

Seats

~3000+ across NLUs

~120 (UG)

Varies (Private Law Colleges)

~1080 (Symbiosis Law Schools)

Exam Style

Passage-based MCQs

Passage + analytical heavy

Critical thinking-based

Mixed aptitude

Difficulty Level

Moderate

High (very competitive)

Moderate

Easy–Moderate

Attempts Allowed

Once a year

Once a year

Multiple cycles

Once a year

Best For

NLU aspirants

NLU Delhi aspirants

Students preferring private universities

Symbiosis campuses

CLAT Preparation Plans

12-Month Study Plan (Ideal for Class 11 or early Class 12 students)

Months 1–3:

  • Build reading habit (newspaper + RCs)
  • Foundation in English and reasoning

Months 4–6:

  • Start solving CLAT-level passages
  • Begin sectional tests

Months 7–9:

  • Weekly mock tests
  • Strengthening Legal Reasoning

Months 10–12:

  • Daily mock + revision
  • GK polishing
  • Quant drills

6-Month Crash Plan (For repeaters or fast learners)

  • Months 1–2: Learn the basics + complete syllabus
  • Months 3–4: Strict sectional practice
  • Months 5–6: Full-length mocks + analysis

Mocks and analysis take the priority here—even 2-hour study sessions should include them.

How to Apply for the CLAT Exam?

How to register for the CLAT exam?

  1. Register on the Consortium website
  2. Fill form + upload documents
  3. Pay fees

Counselling:

After results, you participate in online counselling rounds for seat allocation.

Conclusion

No doubt, the CLAT exam is among the hardest entrance exams in India. But with extensive knowledge, a clear understanding, and proper structure, you can easily navigate your preparation journey. This blog will be the single comprehensive guide you will need to ace the CLAT exam. The next steps are simple: begin early, practise consistently, attempt regular mocks, and get ahead of thousands of aspirants. If you want to streamline your complete CLAT preparation, consider CLAT coaching classes in Hyderabad like AKS IAS for a stronger and more confident start.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is CLAT difficult for beginners?

CLAT is moderate in difficulty but highly competitive. Regular reading, solving passages, and mock practice makes it manageable.

How many seats are there in NLUs through CLAT?

Around 3,000+ UG seats, depending on the year and NLU reporting.

Does CLAT require prior knowledge of law?

No. CLAT tests legal reasoning, not legal facts — beginners can learn easily.