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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.
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:
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).
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.
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:
This is the highest weightage section — scoring well here boosts your rank.
The Consortium of NLUs’ website states the eligibility criteria for UG aspirants clearly:
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 |
Mocks and analysis take the priority here—even 2-hour study sessions should include them.
How to register for the CLAT exam?
Counselling:
After results, you participate in online counselling rounds for seat allocation.
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.
CLAT is moderate in difficulty but highly competitive. Regular reading, solving passages, and mock practice makes it manageable.
Around 3,000+ UG seats, depending on the year and NLU reporting.
No. CLAT tests legal reasoning, not legal facts — beginners can learn easily.