CLAT

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance examination in India. It serves as the primary gateway for admission to 5-year integrated undergraduate (UG) law programs (like BA LLB, BBA LLB) and 1-year postgraduate (PG) law programs (LLM) offered by 22+ National Law Universities (NLUs) and various participating private institutions.

It is conducted once a year by the Consortium of National Law Universities.

How CLAT Works

Eligibility Criteria

• Undergraduate (UG): Candidates must have completed or be appearing for Class 12 (10+2) with at least 45% aggregate marks (40% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). There is no upper age limit.
• Postgraduate (PG): Candidates must hold an LLB degree or its equivalent with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST candidates).

Exam Pattern & Format

CLAT is a pen-and-paper (offline) exam. It tests comprehension, analytical ability, and logical reasoning rather than memorized legal knowledge.

Parameter	Specification
Duration	2 Hours (120 Minutes)
Total Questions	120 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Marking Scheme	+1 mark for every correct answer
Negative Marking	−0.25 marks for every incorrect answer
Question Format	Passage-based (450-word reading passages followed by 4–5 MCQs each)

Section-Wise Detailed Syllabus

Almost every section consists of comprehension passages (approx. 300–450 words) followed by multiple-choice questions based on the text.

1. English Language

Format: Passages taken from contemporary/historical non-fiction and fiction writing.

Key Topics/Skills Tested:

• Main idea, central theme, and tone of the author.
• Drawing inferences and conclusions.
• Contextual vocabulary and word meanings.
• Comparing viewpoints within the text.

2. Current Affairs & General Knowledge

Format: Passages derived from news editorials, journalistic reports, and non-fiction.

Key Topics:

• Contemporary national & international events.
• Arts, culture, and heritage.
• Major Supreme Court judgments, legal policies, and constitutional updates.
• Historical developments of ongoing significance.
• International relations, summits, and government schemes.

3. Legal Reasoning

Format: Passages discussing legal scenarios, facts, principles, or public policy issues. Prior legal knowledge is not strictly required, as the facts and rules are provided in the passage.

Key Topics:

• Fundamental Rights, Duties, and Constitutional Law.
• Law of Torts (Negligence, Defamation, Vicarious Liability).
• Law of Contracts (Offer, Acceptance, Breach).
• Criminal Law (IPC/Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita basics).
• General principles of law and environmental/contemporary legal issues.

4. Logical Reasoning

Format: Short passage-based critical reasoning sets (approx. 300 words each).

Key Topics:

• Identifying arguments, premises, and conclusions.
• Assumptions, flaws, and logical gaps in arguments.
• Strengthening and weakening arguments.
• Identifying patterns, analogies, and cause-and-effect relationships.

5. Quantitative Techniques

Format: Short sets of facts, textual data, graphs, or charts followed by numerical questions (Data Interpretation style).

Key Topics (Class 10th Standard Math):

• Data Interpretation (Tables, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts).
• Percentages, Ratios, and Proportions.
• Profit, Loss, and Discounts.
• Simple and Compound Interest.
• Averages, Time & Work, Time, Speed & Distance.

Sectional Weightage

Section	Approx. Questions	Total Marks	Weightage
Current Affairs including General Knowledge	28–32	28–32	~25%
Legal Reasoning	28–32	28–32	~25%
English Language	22–26	22–26	~20%
Logical Reasoning	22–26	22–26	~20%
Quantitative Techniques	10–14	10–14	~10%
Total	120	120	100%

Admission & Selection Process

• Application: Candidates apply online through the official portal of the Consortium of NLUs.
• Merit List & Ranks: Scores are calculated, and All India Ranks (AIR) are generated based on performance.
• Centralized Counseling: Seats are allocated across different NLUs through a centralized online seat allocation process based on rank, category reservations, and college preferences.