Candidates are urged to start preparing for CLAT 2026 exam. Check key updates

The registration window for CLAT 2026 officially closed on November 7, 2025, followed by a brief correction period until November 9, 2025. With application formalities now complete, the countdown to the exam day, December 7, 2025, begins in earnest. Aspirants must dedicate the next three weeks to rigorous revision and mock tests. This is a critical final stretch; review the exam pattern, understand the negative marking scheme, and devise a robust 20-day strategy to maximize your performance in India's biggest law entrance exam.

The journey to the prestigious National Law Universities (NLUs) has entered its final and most critical phase. The Consortium of NLUs confirmed that the CLAT 2026 (Common Law Admission Test) registration deadline officially passed on November 7, 2025. A subsequent two-day correction window, which allowed candidates to rectify crucial errors in their applications, also closed on November 9, 2025. As of today, November 18, 2025, the focus has entirely shifted from administrative tasks to intensive, last-minute preparation.

​The non-negotiable final test date is set for Sunday, December 7, 2025. With only about three weeks remaining, every aspirant who successfully completed their registration must now pivot their entire strategy toward maximizing their score on exam day. This final period is about high-intensity revision, strengthening weak areas, and perfecting time management through mock tests. The final 20 days demand discipline, strategy, and mental fortitude.

​The CLAT 2026 Exam Structure: What to Expect on December 7th 

​The CLAT is a highly competitive, aptitude-based test designed to assess the reasoning and comprehension skills essential for legal studies. Understanding the exam pattern is paramount to structuring an effective final-stretch preparation plan.

• ​Mode and Duration: The CLAT 2026 will be conducted in an offline, pen-and-paper format for a total duration of 2 hours (120 minutes), scheduled from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on December 7, 2025.
• ​Total Questions and Marks: The paper consists of 120 Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs), with each question carrying 1 mark. The total maximum score is 120 marks.
• ​Critical Marking Scheme: The CLAT employs negative marking. For every incorrect answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted. This makes accuracy as important as speed, forcing candidates to avoid wild guesses.
• ​Sectional Breakdown (UG CLAT): 
  • ​English Language: 22-26 Questions (Approx. 20% weightage) – Focus on reading comprehension, inference, and vocabulary.
  • ​Current Affairs, including General Knowledge (GK): 28-32 Questions (Approx. 25% weightage) – Heavily passage-based, covering contemporary and historically significant events, arts, and international affairs.
  • ​Legal Reasoning: 28-32 Questions (Approx. 25% weightage) – Tests the ability to apply principles and rules to various fact scenarios. No prior legal knowledge is required.
  • ​Logical Reasoning: 22-26 Questions (Approx. 20% weightage) – Focuses on critical reasoning, identifying arguments, and drawing inferences.
  • ​Quantitative Techniques (QT): 10-14 Questions (Approx. 10% weightage) – Passage-based questions requiring the application of basic 10^{th} standard mathematical operations (e.g., ratios, profit/loss, data interpretation).

​The Final 20-Day Power-Strategy for Maximum Score 

​With the CLAT 2026 only weeks away, this is not the time to start new topics but to consolidate, refine, and build speed. Aspirants must now transition from learning to performance optimization.

• ​High-Frequency Mock Tests and Analysis:
  • ​Take at least one full-length, timed mock test every alternate day (or even daily, if possible) to simulate the actual exam environment (2 PM to 4 PM).
  • ​Dedicate an equal amount of time (2-3 hours) immediately after the mock test for detailed analysis. Identify exactly where time was lost and why questions were answered incorrectly (e.g., reading error, conceptual mistake, time pressure).
  • ​Review the Quantitative Techniques section every day, as this small section is often a reliable score-booster if practiced consistently.
• ​Current Affairs Revision (The Crux of CLAT):
  • ​Stop reading new monthly compilations. Focus intensely on revising current affairs notes from the past 12-14 months, paying special attention to Legal GK and Supreme Court judgments of continuing significance.
  • ​Quickly review major International Events, Government Schemes, and significant Acts of Parliament from 2025. Since the CLAT passages can be dense, the revision should focus on key personalities, timelines, and the central theme of each event.
• ​Admit Card and Logistics (The Final Check):
  • ​The CLAT 2026 Admit Card is expected to be released shortly (typically 10-15 days before the exam). Candidates must download it immediately upon release and verify all personal details, including the test centre location.
  • ​Plan the travel route to the centre a few days in advance to ensure punctuality and minimize stress on the morning of December 7th.
  • ​Prepare the mandatory items: Admit Card printout, Photo ID proof, pen, and follow all instructions strictly regarding prohibited items.

​Beyond the Exam: Understanding the Counselling Roadmap 

​For candidates who have successfully completed the registration process, the ultimate goal is securing a seat through the CLAT counselling process. Keeping this final stage in mind provides crucial motivation during the last leg of preparation.

• ​Merit List and Counselling Invitation: The CLAT result, followed by the consolidated merit list, is usually declared in the third or fourth week of December. Candidates will then be invited to register for the centralized online counselling process based on their rank.
• ​The Seat Allotment Process:
  • ​The counselling involves submitting an initial registration fee (approx. ₹30,000 for General category) and locking in NLU preferences (ranking the National Law Universities).
  • ​Seat allotment is conducted in multiple rounds, based on the candidate's CLAT rank and the preferences they have submitted.
  • ​Candidates will have the options to 'Freeze' (accept the seat), 'Float' (accept the seat but wish to upgrade in subsequent rounds), or 'Exit' the process.
• ​Document Verification: All offers are provisional. The final stage involves the physical or online verification of key documents like the CLAT Admit Card and Scorecard, 10^{th} and 12^{th} Mark Sheets, Category Certificates (if applicable), and passport-size photographs.

​Conclusion: Stay Calm, Stay Focused 

​The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 is less than three weeks away. With the application and correction windows definitively closed, aspirants have no choice but to pour all their energy into a structured, high-intensity revision plan. Remember that most successful CLAT aspirants secure their edge in the final 20-30 days through strategic mock test analysis and revision of their weakest sections. Trust your preparation, prioritize sleep and mental well-being, and approach December 7, 2025, with a sharp, focused mind. Your NLU dream is now just a matter of performance.

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