The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the national entrance examination conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes at participating national law universities. Many other universities and institutions also accept CLAT scores. This guide covers the undergraduate (UG) paper, which leads to the five-year integrated LL.B. programme.
Who can appear
Candidates who have passed Class 12 (or an equivalent examination), or who are appearing for it in the year of the exam, can apply for CLAT UG. The usual minimum requirement is 45% marks in Class 12, relaxed to 40% for SC and ST candidates, and there is no upper age limit. Always confirm the current eligibility criteria in the official notification for your year.
Exam pattern at a glance
| Feature | CLAT UG |
|---|---|
| Mode | Offline, pen and paper |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Questions | 120 multiple-choice questions |
| Marking | +1 for each correct answer |
| Negative marking | −0.25 for each wrong answer |
| Format | Passage-based questions in five sections |
The five sections
| Section | Approx. questions | Approx. weight |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 22–26 | 20% |
| Current Affairs including General Knowledge | 28–32 | 25% |
| Legal Reasoning | 32–36 | 25% |
| Logical Reasoning | 22–26 | 20% |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10–14 | 10% |
Every section is built around reading. You will see passages of a few hundred words followed by a set of questions, so reading speed and comprehension decide your score more than memorised facts.
How to use this guide
Start with the section guides below. Each one explains what is tested, how to prepare and the mistakes that cost aspirants marks. Then move to timed practice with our mock tests and previous year papers.
Official information — dates, eligibility, fees, seat matrix and counselling — is published only by the Consortium of National Law Universities at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Treat it as the final word.