The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2026) concluded on December 7 , 2025. The Consortium of National Law Universities conducted the examination from 2 pm to 4 pm . Testing took place across 141 cities throughout the country. Initial student feedback indicates the overall paper difficulty was moderate. The English section was identified as easy, while Quantitative Techniques proved to be particularly challenging for many candidates.
Exam Format and Scoring
The CLAT 2026 question paper contained 120 multiple-choice questions . Each question carried 1 mark for a correct answer. A deduction of 0.25 marks applied for every incorrect response. This negative marking scheme required candidates to balance attempts with accuracy. Test takers focused on minimizing errors to achieve competitive scores.
Candidate Responses to CLAT 2026 Sections
Students provided detailed feedback on individual sections. The English Language section was generally easy, according to test takers. However, it featured long passages and numerous vocabulary-based questions, demanding thorough reading comprehension. The Quantitative Techniques section emerged as the most difficult and time-consuming for many participants. Questions in this section were described as tricky but manageable, often requiring advanced problem-solving skills. Arithmetic questions were particularly challenging for several students.
Feedback also indicated some legal reasoning questions were confusing. The Current Affairs section was reported as mediocre, with no unexpected themes or highly obscure topics. An important aspect of the paper was that most questions across various sections were based on legal reasoning topics, underpinning the exam’s focus on legal aptitude.
Section-Wise Difficulty Analysis
A section-by-section analysis of CLAT 2026 difficulty levels highlights specific challenges. The English Language section received an ‘Easy’ rating. Current Affairs, including General Knowledge, was rated ‘Easy to Moderate’. Legal Reasoning also fell within the ‘Easy to Moderate’ range. In contrast, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques were rated ‘Moderate to Difficult’. These ratings align with direct student comments on the varying levels of complexity experienced during the exam.
| CLAT Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| English Language | Easy |
| Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | Easy to Moderate |
| Logical Reasoning | Moderate to Difficult |
| Legal Reasoning | Easy to Moderate |
| Quantitative Techniques | Moderate to Difficult |
Recommended Attempts and Accuracy Focus
For CLAT 2026, attempting approximately 105 questions is considered a strong performance. This recommendation is valid when paired with a high level of accuracy. High precision was critical to counteract the negative marking system and secure a favorable overall score. The optimal number of attempts for each candidate would depend on their individual strengths and weaknesses across the five sections.
CLAT 2026 Answer Key Release Schedule
The Consortium of National Law Universities has not yet announced a definitive release date for the CLAT 2026 answer key. Historically, the provisional answer key is released within one to two days following the examination. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in , for official updates regarding the answer key and subsequent results.