CLAT 2026 Syllabus & Exam Pattern: Subject-Wise Guide & PDF Download

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) conducts the annual National Law Entrance Exams for both 5-year LLB and LLM programs. With over 22 prestigious NLUs and various private law schools participating, candidates must align their preparation with the latest CLAT syllabus and exam pattern. Scheduled for December 07, 2025, the CLAT 2026 exam requires a strategic approach. Below is the comprehensive syllabus and structure for both CLAT UG and PG examinations.

CLAT Syllabus 2026

The CLAT 2026 syllabus is divided into five core sections: English Language, Quantitative Techniques, Current Affairs (including General Knowledge), Legal Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning. For the CLAT PG exam, the syllabus focuses on core subjects from the LLB curriculum. Rather than testing rote memorization, CLAT evaluates the aptitude and critical thinking skills essential for legal studies. Questions are designed to test your comprehension, analytical depth, and logical interpretation. 

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 for UG Course

The CLAT 2026 exam is a 2-hour paper consisting of 120 multiple-choice questions, each worth 1 mark. Please note that a negative marking scheme applies, with 0.25 marks deducted for every incorrect answer. With the total question count reduced from 150 to 120, candidates should refine their time-management skills based on the updated pattern provided below. 

Comprehensive CLAT Exam Pattern 2026

Breakdown of the CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern
Number of Sections	5
CLAT UG Subjects	English including comprehension, General Knowledge and Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning,  Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques
CLAT PG Subjects	LLB Subjects
Number of questions	120
Marks per question	1
Exam Duration	2 hours (120 minutes)
Negative Marking	Yes (0.25 deducted for a wrong answer)
Mode of Examination	Pen and Paper Mode

Difficulty Level - The CLAT question paper is designed to assess aptitude at the following levels:

CLAT Syllabus 2026: Subject Wise Details

The CLAT UG syllabus covers five foundational areas: English, General Knowledge, Mathematics, Legal Aptitude, and Logical Reasoning. Legal aptitude specifically evaluates your ability to interpret legal principles and solve problems based on given scenarios. Since CLAT facilitates entry for both undergraduate (post-12th) and postgraduate (post-LLB) programs, the syllabus and difficulty level vary accordingly.

CLAT Syllabus 2026 for UG Course
Subject	Number of Questions	Weightage
English language	22-26	20%
Current Affairs including General Knowledge	28-32	25%
Legal Reasoning	28-32	25%
Logical Reasoning	22-26	20%
Quantitative Techniques	10-14	10%

CLAT Syllabus 2026 Subject-Wise Topics

The CLAT UG syllabus is benchmarked at the 12th-grade difficulty level, with the exception of Quantitative Techniques. Aspiring law students should prioritize these key topics to maximize their scoring potential in the Common Law Admission Test.

View the CLAT Provisional Answer Key 2026

CLAT English Language Syllabus

In the CLAT UG 2026 English section, you will encounter passages sourced from contemporary or classic fiction and non-fiction. These passages are calibrated to be readable by a 12th-standard student within a 5-7 minute timeframe.

Each passage is accompanied by a set of questions designed to test your comprehension and linguistic proficiency, specifically focusing on your ability to:

• Read and comprehend the main point discussed in the passage, as well as any arguments and viewpoints discussed or set out in the passage;
• Draw inferences and conclusions based on the passage;
• Summarise the passage;
• Compare and contrast the different arguments or viewpoints set out in the passage; and
• Understand the meaning of various words and phrases in the context that they are used in the passage

Download CLAT Previous Year Question Papers PDF

CLAT General Knowledge Syllabus

The exam features passages of up to 450 words derived from journalistic sources, news outlets, and non-fiction literature. Questions will evaluate your ability to identify legal information discussed within the text; however, no prior specialized knowledge of the law is required.

Questions following these passages will test your awareness of various current affairs and general knowledge topics, including:

• Contemporary events of significance from India and the world;
• Arts and culture;
• International affairs; and
• Historical events of continuing significance.

CLAT Legal Reasoning Syllabus

Legal reasoning passages contain roughly 450 words detailing scenarios, public policy dilemmas, or moral and philosophical inquiries. Maintaining a general awareness of current legal and ethical issues will assist you in applying relevant principles to the provided fact-based scenarios.

These sections include follow-up questions designed to assess your ability to:

• Identify and infer the rules and principles set out in the passage;
• Apply such rules and principles to various fact situations; and
• Understand how changes to the rules or principles may alter their application to various fact situations.

CLAT Logical Reasoning Syllabus

The Logical Reasoning section of the UG-CLAT 2026 comprises short passages of approximately 300 words. The questions in this section are framed to evaluate your analytical and deductive capabilities. 

• Recognise an argument, its premises and conclusions;
• Read and identify the arguments set out in the passage;
• Critically analyse patterns of reasoning, and assess how conclusions may depend on particular premises or evidence, and how conclusions may be strengthened or weakened as a consequence of an alteration in premises or supporting facts;
• Infer what follows from the passage and apply these inferences to new situations;
• Draw relationships and analogies, identify contradictions and equivalence, and assess the effectiveness of arguments.

CLAT Maths Syllabus

The Quantitative Techniques section includes short data sets, graphs, or other visual/textual representations of numerical data. You will be tested on your ability to derive information from these sources and apply mathematical operations to reach the correct conclusions.

The syllabus covers mathematical concepts and operations up to the 10th-standard level.

• Algebra
• Ratios and Proportions
• Mensuration
• Statistics
• Pie Chart
• Bar Graph
• Line Graph
• Table Chart

CLAT PG Syllabus 2026

The CLAT PG Entrance Exam is the gateway for candidates aspiring to pursue postgraduate law degrees at top Indian universities.

The CLAT PG exam lasts 2 hours and consists of 120 marks, featuring a mix of multiple-choice and subjective questions.

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 for PG Course

The CLAT PG examination structure is a two-hour test worth 120 marks.

➤ The CLAT UG syllabus is assessed through 120 multiple-choice questions.

➤ The paper includes 120 objective-type questions, each carrying 1 mark. A negative marking of 0.25 marks applies to every incorrect answer.

CLAT Exam Pattern 2026 for PG Course
Particulars	Details
Maximum Marks	120
MCQ's	120
Marks per MCQ	1
Duration	2 Hours
Negative Marking	0.25 for wrong answer in MCQ's

CLAT PG Syllabus 2026 Topics

CLAT 2026 focuses heavily on comprehension. The CLAT PG syllabus covers mandatory subjects from the UG program, including: 

1. Constitutional Law
2. Jurisprudence
3. Administrative Law
4. Law of Contrac
5. Torts
6. Family Law
7. Criminal Law
8. Property Law
9. Company Law
10. Public International Law
11. Tax Law
12. Environmental Law
13. Labour & Industrial Law

Download CLAT Syllabus & Exam Pattern PDF

CLAT Syllabus for PG Course

For the PG CLAT 2026, passages are based on judicial decisions, statutes, and legal regulations. Each passage is followed by questions that evaluate the candidate’s ability to:

1. Demonstrate reading comprehension, including identifying key issues, arguments, and viewpoints. 

2. Exhibit awareness of the issues discussed in the passage, along with related legal facts and the implications of the underlying statute or judgment.

3. Summarize complex legal passages effectively. 

4. Demonstrate expertise in the specific fields of law discussed within the passage.