Candidates must know the necessary information before applying for CLAT 2023. These crucial specifics include knowledge of the CLAT exam structure and syllabus, among other things. The CLAT exam pattern is described in full in this article. You’ll be better able to understand the CLAT exam format.
CLAT 2023 Exam
The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) administers the CLAT examination annually. Except for NLU Delhi, all NLUs accept applications via the CLAT exam. Admission to numerous additional private colleges is also based on CLAT scores. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed between the Consortium and these universities. They only participate in the CLAT entrance process after that.
On December 18, 2022, the CLAT 2023 exam will be administered. The exam often occurs in May. Due to the fact that the majority of entrance and board exams are scheduled for May, many conflicts arise. Conflicts and a jam-packed exam schedule often make candidates anxious and stressed. The change has been made to give the candidates a break and remove some pressure. From 2023 on, the CLAT will take place in December.
The test is scheduled from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Depending on the situation, the times may alter. The procedure for applying for the same has started. The application period began on August 8 2022, and ended on November 13 2022, at 11:59 PM.
| S.No. | Particular | Details |
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Name of the Examination | Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) |
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Exam Date | 18 December 2022 |
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Conducting body | The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) |
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Frequency | Once a Year |
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Exam Level | National Level |
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Exam timings | 2 PM – 4PM (Might be subjected to changes if needed) |
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Duration | 120 Minutes i.e. 2 Hours |
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Mode | Pen and Paper |
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Medium | English |
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Question Type | MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) |
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Participating Institutions | 22 NLUs except NLU, Delhi and other private institutions. |
CLAT Exam Pattern: Overview
The Consortium conducts CLAT exams for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes. The exam pattern for both exams differs slightly.
| S.No. | Important Details | CLAT 2023 UG | CLAT 2023 PG |
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Maximum Marks | 150 | 120 |
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Mode of Examination | Pen and Paper Mode | Pen and Paper Mode |
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Exam Duration | 2 hours (120 minutes) | 2 hours (120 minutes) |
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Question types | Passage-MCQ Type | Passage-MCQ Type |
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Total Questions | 150 Questions | 120 Questions |
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Marking scheme | 1 mark awarded for every correct responses,
Deduction of 0.25 for every incorrect response. |
1 mark awarded for every correct responses,
Deduction of 0.25 for every incorrect response. |
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No. of Sections | 5 Sections
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2 Sections
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CLAT Section-wise Marks and Question Distribution
The section-wise distribution and weighting must be examined by applicants when they are well familiar with the CLAT syllabus and exam structure. In essence, it aids candidates in improving their CLAT score. The distribution and weighting for each section of the CLAT exam are shown in the table below.
CLAT Exam Pattern UG: Section-wise Marks and Question Distribution
| S. No. | Subject Area | Expected no. of Questions | Weightage in Percentage |
| 1. | English Language | 28-32 Questions | 20% |
| 2. | Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 35-39 Questions | 25% |
| 3. | Legal Reasoning | 35-39 Questions | 25% |
| 4. | Logical Reasoning | 28-32 Questions | 20% |
| 5. | Quantitative Techniques | 13-17 Questions | 10% |
CLAT Exam Pattern PG: Section-wise Marks and Question Distribution
| S.No. | Subjects | Questions
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CLAT total marks | Weightage |
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Constitutional Law | 60 | 60 | 50% |
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Other Laws 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 | 60 | 60 | 50% |
| TOTAL | 120 | 120 | 100% |
CLAT Exam Pattern: Difficulty Level & Passage Word Limit
The Consortium has released details about the difficulty level of each section and the word limit of the passages included in each section. Knowing how challenging each section is will help determine the necessary preparation.
Each segment offers a few passages, followed by a set of questions. Candidates must read the material and use the facts and stories to respond to the question. The paragraphs in each part have a set word count that must be adhered to.
| S. No. | Subject Area | Difficulty Level | Passage Word Limit |
| 1. | English Language | 12th level | 450 Words |
| 2. | Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 12th level | 450 Words |
| 3. | Legal Reasoning | 12th level | 450 Words |
| 4. | Logical Reasoning | 12th level | 300 Words |
| 5. | Quantitative Techniques | 10th level | No prescribed |
You can begin studying for the exam with these points in mind regarding the CLAT exam format. These specifics will enable you to prepare for the actual exam. Understanding the CLAT exam format is crucial.
