Common Law Admission Test Pattern

The CLAT 2025 exam for both UG and PG courses was conducted offline in a pen-and-paper format, lasting for 2 hours (120 minutes). Candidates were required to answer 120 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in English, with each correct answer awarding a +1 mark and each incorrect answer incurring a penalty of -0.25 marks. Unanswered questions did not result in any deductions.

For CLAT UG, the exam included sections on English Language, and Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. 

For CLAT PG, the exam tested knowledge in Constitutional Law and various other law subjects such as Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law, and Labour & Industrial Law.

If you're preparing for the next CLAT cycle, here's everything you need to know about the exam pattern, sectional weightage, marking scheme, and syllabus overview.

CLAT 2025 Exam Pattern Highlights

Here’s an overview of the CLAT 2025 exam pattern, including important details about the format, sections, and marking scheme.

CLAT UG 2025 Sectional Weightage

For the CLAT UG exam, the sections are distributed as follows: English Language comprises 22–26 questions and accounts for 20% of the total score, Current Affairs including General Knowledge has 28–32 questions, contributing 25%, Legal Reasoning also has 28–32 questions, making up 25%, Logical Reasoning contains 22–26 questions, contributing 20%, and Quantitative Techniques consists of 10–14 questions, contributing 10%.

CLAT PG 2025 Sectional Weightage

For the CLAT PG exam, the weightage is divided between Constitutional Law, which has 60 questions and contributes 50%, and Other Law Subjects (such as Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law, and Labour & Industrial Law), which also contains 60 questions and accounts for the remaining 50%.

CLAT 2025 Marking Scheme

The CLAT 2025 marking scheme followed a clear pattern for both UG and PG exams. For every correct answer, candidates were awarded a +1 mark. However, there was a penalty for incorrect answers, with -0.25 marks deducted for each wrong response. Unanswered questions did not carry any penalty, and candidates received no marks deducted for leaving questions unanswered. This marking system was designed to reward accuracy while discouraging random guessing. Here’s an overview of the CLAT 2025 marking scheme along with the details in a table format:

CLAT Syllabus 2025

The CLAT 2025 syllabus is designed to evaluate candidates' skills and knowledge required for law studies, divided into two sections: CLAT UG (Undergraduate) and CLAT PG (Postgraduate). Below is an overview of the syllabus for both levels:

CLAT UG 2025 Syllabus

The CLAT UG 2025 is designed to assess candidates' comprehension and reasoning abilities, focusing on aptitude and skills essential for legal education. The exam duration is 2 hours, featuring 120 multiple-choice questions, each carrying 1 mark. A negative marking of 0.25 marks is applicable for each incorrect answer. The questions are distributed across the following five sections:

• English Language: This section evaluates reading comprehension and language skills. Candidates will encounter passages of approximately 450 words, derived from contemporary or historically significant fiction and non-fiction writings. The questions will assess the ability to comprehend the main points, draw inferences, summarize the passage, compare and contrast different arguments, and understand the meaning of various words and phrases in context.
• Current Affairs, including General Knowledge: This section tests awareness of contemporary events and general knowledge. Candidates will be provided with passages of up to 450 words, sourced from news articles, journalistic writings, and other non-fiction materials. The questions may include examinations of legal information or knowledge discussed in or related to the passage, but no additional legal knowledge beyond the passage is required.
• Legal Reasoning: This section assesses the ability to identify and apply legal principles. Candidates will read passages of around 450 words each, which may relate to fact situations or scenarios involving legal matters, public policy questions, or moral philosophical inquiries. No prior knowledge of law is required; however, a general awareness of contemporary legal and moral issues will be beneficial.
• Logical Reasoning: This section evaluates critical thinking and analytical skills. It includes short passages of about 450 words each, followed by questions that require recognizing arguments, critically analyzing patterns of reasoning, and assessing how conclusions may depend on particular premises or evidence.
• Quantitative Techniques: This section tests mathematical skills up to the 10th standard level. It includes short sets of facts or propositions, or other textual representations of numerical information, followed by questions that require deriving, inferring, and manipulating numerical information, and applying mathematical operations such as ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration, and statistical estimation.

CLAT PG 2025 Syllabus

The CLAT PG 2025 focuses on assessing candidates' comprehension abilities and knowledge of core legal subjects. The exam duration is 2 hours, consisting of 120 objective-type questions, each carrying 1 mark, with a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer. The paper is based on the mandatory subjects of the undergraduate law program and includes the following areas:

• Constitutional Law
• Jurisprudence
• Administrative Law
• Law of Contract
• Torts
• Family Law
• Criminal Law
• Property Law
• Company Law
• Public International Law
• Tax Law
• Environmental Law
• Labour & Industrial Law

In the objective section, candidates will be provided with extracts from primary legal materials such as important court decisions, statutes, or regulations. Each passage will be followed by a series of questions that require demonstrating the ability to read and comprehend the issues discussed, awareness of legal issues and facts related to the passage, summarization skills, and the ability to apply knowledge of the relevant legal fields.

Preparation Tips for CLAT 2025

To succeed in CLAT 2025, a well-organized approach and consistent effort are essential. Here are some in-depth tips to guide you toward excelling in the exam:

Familiarize Yourself with the Syllabus and Exam Pattern: Understanding the structure and content of the exam is crucial. Review the official CLAT syllabus and exam pattern to identify key areas and allocate your study time effectively.

Develop a Structured Study Plan: Create a timetable that balances all sections of the exam. Allocate more time to areas where you feel less confident, and ensure regular revision sessions to reinforce your knowledge.

Enhance Reading and Comprehension Skills: Since the exam includes extensive reading passages, practice reading diverse materials such as newspapers, journals, and books to improve speed and comprehension. Regular reading will also help in the English Language and Current Affairs sections.

Stay Updated with Current Affairs: Dedicate time daily to read newspapers and magazines to stay informed about national and international events, government schemes, and important judgments. This is particularly beneficial for the Current Affairs and General Knowledge section.

Practice Legal Reasoning: Engage with materials that present legal scenarios and practice applying legal principles to these situations. This will enhance your analytical skills and prepare you for the Legal Reasoning section.

Sharpen Logical and Analytical Abilities: Solve puzzles, practice logical reasoning questions, and engage in activities that stimulate critical thinking to improve performance in the Logical Reasoning section.

Strengthen Quantitative Techniques: Review basic mathematics concepts, including arithmetic, algebra, and data interpretation. Regular practice will help you manage the Quantitative Techniques section effectively.

Take Regular Mock Tests: Simulate the exam environment by taking timed mock tests. This practice will help you manage time efficiently, identify strengths and weaknesses, and build exam-day confidence.

Analyze Previous Year Question Papers: Review past CLAT question papers to understand the exam's difficulty level, question types, and frequently tested topics. This analysis will guide your preparation strategy.

Maintain Physical and Mental Well-being: Ensure you get adequate sleep, eat healthily, and engage in regular physical activity to keep your mind and body in optimal condition for studying.

CLAT 2025 Exam Pattern FAQs