The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is an all-India entrance examination conducted for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programs offered by various participating law schools in India. The CLAT syllabus is designed to assess the aptitude of candidates in the areas of English Language, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques (for undergraduate programs), and Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, and Other Law Subjects (for postgraduate programs).
CLAT Exam Overview
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| Name of the Examination | Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) | |
| Conducting Body | The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) | |
| Purpose | Admission to undergraduate courses in Law.Admission to postgraduate courses in Law.PSUs recruitments. | |
| Exam Level | National Level | |
| Frequency | Once a Year | |
| Exam dates | December 2023 | |
| Duration | 120 Minutes, i.e. 2 Hours | |
| Medium | English | |
| Mode | Pen and Paper | |
| Total Question Count | CLAT UG- 150 QuestionsCLAT PG- 120 Questions | |
| Total Sections | 5 Sections (English Language, Logical Reasoning, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques.) | |
| Total Marks | CLAT UG- 150 MarksCLAT PG- 120 Marks | |
| Marking Scheme | 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer.One mark is awarded for every correct response.No marks for unattempted questions. | |
| Question Type | MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) | |
| Participating Institutions | 22 NLUs except for NLU, Delhi and other private institutions. | |
| Number of Seats | 3000 for UG Program1000 for PG Program |
CLAT Syllabus for UG and PG programmes.
Let’s take a closer look at the syllabus for CLAT 2024:
English Language: This section tests the candidate’s proficiency in the English language. The questions are designed to evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and the ability to read and understand passages.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Vocabulary
- Grammar
- Reading Comprehension
- Fill in the blanks
- Error Detection
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge: This section tests the candidate’s awareness of general knowledge and current events. The questions evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of national and international events, history, politics, economics, and other related topics.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Current Affairs
- General Knowledge
- History
- Geography
- Economics
- Polity
Legal Reasoning: This section tests the candidate’s ability to understand and apply legal principles to situations. The questions evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of legal concepts, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Legal Principles
- Legal Reasoning
- Legal Concepts
- Problem-solving
Logical Reasoning: This section tests the candidate’s ability to analyze and evaluate arguments. The questions assess the candidate’s knowledge of logical reasoning, analytical ability, and critical thinking.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Analogy
- Syllogism
- Blood Relations
- Direction Sense
- Series
- Coding-Decoding
Quantitative Techniques (for undergraduate programs only): This section tests the candidate’s ability to work with numbers, solve mathematical problems, and interpret data.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Mensuration
- Data Interpretation
Constitutional law (for postgraduate programs only): This section tests the candidate’s knowledge of the Indian Constitution and related laws. The questions evaluate the candidate’s understanding of constitutional provisions, landmark judgments, and legal concepts.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Indian Constitution
- Fundamental Rights
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- Separation of Powers
- Judicial Review
Jurisprudence (for postgraduate programs only): This section tests the candidate’s legal theory and philosophy knowledge. The questions evaluate the candidate’s understanding of legal principles, theories, and concepts.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Legal Theory
- Legal Philosophy
- Legal Systems
- Law and Morality
- Justice
Other Law Subjects (for postgraduate programs only): This section tests the candidate’s knowledge of other vital areas of law. The questions evaluate the candidate’s understanding of specific legal concepts and their application.
Topics covered in this section include:
- Contract Law
- Torts Law
- Criminal Law
- International Law
- Intellectual Property Rights
The syllabus for CLAT 2024 is vast and covers various areas of law, general knowledge, and reasoning ability. To prepare well for the exam, candidates should focus on understanding the concepts and practising mock tests regularly. Additionally, staying updated with current affairs and legal news can help candidates improve their chances of scoring well in the exam.
CLAT Important Topics
| Sections | Important Topics |
| Language (English) | Sentence Sequence Arrangement, Phrase Replacement, Synonyms & Antonyms, Spotting Errors, Tenses, Fill in the blanks, Active and Passive Voice. |
| Current Affairs | National & International Affairs, Summits and Conferences, Government Schemes, Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs, Arts and Culture, Awards and Honors, Sports, Science and Technology. |
| Legal Aptitude | Important Supreme Court Judgements, Legal Maxims, Tax Law, Environmental Law, Contract Law, International Treaties & Conventions affecting National Legal Framework, Public International Law, and Public Policy Questions. |
| Logical Aptitude | Syllogism, Statement & Course of Action, Cause and Effect, Statement & Assumption, Inference of Statements, Analogy. |
| Quantitative Techniques | Permutation and Combination, Average and Percentage, Time, Ratio and Proportion, Time and Work, Distance and Speed, Fractions and Equations, Mixtures and Allegations |
CLAT Preparation Books
Knowing the syllabus will help you determine which CLAT study books will be most helpful for CLAT 2024 preparation. Below is a list of books we shall recommend for CLAT exam preparations.
CLAT preparation Books: English Language
| Reference Books | High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & MartinBarron’s Pocket Guide to VocabularyWord Power Made Easy by Norman LewisEnglish is Easy by Chetananand SinghObjective General English by RS Aggarwal |
CLAT preparation Books: Current Affairs (including current affairs)
| Reference Books | Pearson General Knowledge Manual Manorama Year Book Lucent’s General KnowledgeCompetition Success ReviewPratiyogita DarpanIndia Year Book |
CLAT preparation Books: Quantitative Techniques
| Reference Books | Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal30 days wonder for Maths by K.J.S KhuranaClass 10th NCERT Textbook |
CLAT preparation Books: Legal Reasoning
| Reference Books | Universal’s CLAT GuideLexisNexis ButterworthsBare Acts of Indian ConstitutionLegal Awareness and Legal Aptitude by AP Bhardwaj |
CLAT preparation Books: Logical Reasoning
| Reference Books | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS AggarwalAnalytical and Logical Reasoning by RS AggarwalAnalytical Reasoning by MK Pandey |
The CLAT syllabus and the CLAT preparation books will help you navigate through the CLAT exam. You shall prepare according to the latest CLAT syllabus and textbooks.