CLAT 2026 Eligibility, Syllabus & Preparation Strategy

Parameters

Details

CLAT educational qualification

Candidates who have passed in 10+2 or an equivalent examination with a minimum of:

1. 45% of marks or its equivalent in grade, or
2. 40% of marks or equivalent in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories.

Age criteria

There is no upper age limit

Appearing candidates

• Candidates appearing for the qualifying examination in March/ April 2025 are also eligible to apply. However, they shall be required to produce evidence of their passing the qualifying examination.
• The result of the qualifying examination (i.e., 10+2) shall be submitted by the candidate at the time of admission.

Tie-breaker rule

If more than one candidate secures an equal number of marks in the CLAT 2025, the break of the tie shall be by the following procedure and order as under:

1. Higher marks in the component/section on Legal Aptitude in the CLAT 2025 exam;
2. Higher age;
3. Computerised draw of lots.

Parameters

Details

CLAT educational qualification

An LL.B. Degree or an equivalent examination with a minimum of 50% marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to General/OBC/NRI categories, and 45% marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD categories.

Age criteria

There is no upper age limit

Appearing candidates

Candidates appearing for their qualifying examination in April/May 2025 are also eligible to apply.

Tie-breaker rule

Tie Breaker Rule: In case of equal marks, the break of the tie shall be by the following procedure and order as under:
I Higher age;
ii. Computerised draw of lots.

CLAT exam sections

Important topics

English

The candidate will be provided passages of about 450 words each. These passages will be derived from contemporary or historically significant fiction and non-fiction writing, and would be of a standard that a 12th standard student may be able to read in about 5-7 minutes.

Each passage will be followed by a series of questions that will require you to demonstrate your comprehension and language skills, including your abilities 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 in which they are used in the passage.

General knowledge & Current affairs

Each passage will be followed by a series of questions that will require you to demonstrate your awareness of various aspects of current affairs and general knowledge, including:

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

Legal reasoning

The candidate will be expected to read passages of around 450 words each. The passages may relate to fact situations or scenarios involving legal matters, public policy questions, or moral philosophical enquiries. You will not require any prior knowledge of law to attempt the questions in this section. You will benefit from a general awareness of contemporary legal and moral issues to better apply general principles or propositions to the given fact scenarios.

Each passage would be followed by a series of questions that will require you 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.

Logical reasoning

• 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.

Quantitative techniques

It will include short sets of facts or propositions, or other textual representations of numerical information, followed by a series of questions. You will be required to derive information from the passages or questions and apply mathematical operations on such information.

The questions will require you to:

• Derive, infer, and manipulate numerical information set out in such passages; and
• Apply various 10th standard mathematical operations on such information, including areas such as ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration, and statistical estimation.

Subject

Total number of questions

Weighatge

English

22-26

20%

General knowledge & Current affairs

28-32

25%

Legal reasoning

28-32

25%

Logical reasoning

22-26

20%

Quantitative techniques

10-14

10%