How to Prepare for CLAT: Preparation Tips & Strategy, Best Books

CLAT Preparation Strategy

CLAT 2026 is going to be held on December 7, 2025. Students have a few months at hand to prepare for CLAT by studying the prescribed syllabus and solving mock tests. With the proper study plan for CLAT, you can achieve accuracy and efficiency in solving questions within the time limit. Practising previous year question papers and sample tests also help in getting an understanding of the exam to get a good score. While preparing for CLAT, make sure you allot sufficient time for revision.

Test takers get two hours to attempt 120 questions distributed across five sections in CLAT - English Language, General Knowledge and Current Affairs, Quantitative Techniques, Legal Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning. Preparing for CLAT is not easy, as it is counted as one of the most competitive entrance exams for pursuing law education. Therefore, we are providing a few tips and tricks for preparing for the exam, which will help you obtain a Good Score in CLAT 2026. 

How to Start CLAT 2026 Preparation

Before beginning the CLAT 2026 preparation, it is important for the candidates to have a good understanding of the exam pattern and CLAT syllabus. The syllabus will help define the important topics and at the same time, you will not waste time reading some irrelevant topics which will not be asked in the question paper.

CLAT 2026 exam pattern will help in understanding the exam structure. For example, there will be negative marking of 0.25, which implies that candidates need to work on the accuracy while answering the questions. The exam pattern also helps in understanding the marks distribution in CLAT. This will help you prioritise the section which carries more weightage.

How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 in a Month

Here is the weekly CLAT preparation 2026 schedule for a month.

Week 1:

• Try improving your vocabulary and learning at least 100 new words every day.
• Make it a habit to read newspapers and watch the news daily.
• Discover and jot down the basics and fundamental from each subject.
• Try solving 2-3 practice papers or mock tests every day.

Week 2:

• Analyse your performance in the mock test and practice papers and circle out the weak areas.
• Work on the weak areas.
• Try solving 2-3 previous year's question papers as it provides familiarity with the type of questions and exam pattern.
• Keep watching and reading the news and learning new words.
• Practice important questions from all the subjects and remember consistency is the key.

Week 3:

• Try solving as many mock tests, practice papers and last year question papers as possible.
• Identify the silly errors and blunders you are making and try to improve them for better performance in the exam.
• Keep revisiting the notebook with important topics and formulas.
• Practice should be enhanced.
• News and headlines should be watched daily without a miss.

Week 4:

• Do not panic and focus on revision.
• Important topics and formulas should be memorised again and again.
• Read the newspapers daily.
• Try working on weak areas and going through the questions of the last years' question papers.

Subject-Wise Preparation Plan for CLAT 2026

Here are the section-wise tips and important pointers that can help in preparing for CLAT 2026.

CLAT 2026 Legal Reasoning Preparation Strategy

• CLAT 2026 Legal Reasoning section is the most important section. The total number of questions in the Legal Reasoning section of CLAT 2026 will be 35-39 and each question will carry 1 mark.

• Dig out the legal issues of the last 10 months and read everything about them.

• Take out time to comprehend the landmark judgments and important cases from the last year.

• The candidates must first understand the meaning of the questions asked before attempting them.

• To ace the Legal Knowledge section, the candidates must master the common Legal terminology.

• The candidates must have a fair idea of the recent happenings in the Legal world.

CLAT 2026 General Knowledge and Current Affairs Preparation Strategy

• CLAT 2026 General Awareness section comprises 50 questions of 1 mark each.

• The questions will be asked from Current Affairs and Static General Knowledge like History, Geography, and Sciences.

• Awareness plays a crucial role while preparing for this section. Indulge in the habit of watching the news and reading the newspaper daily.

• Preparing properly for CLAT 2026 General Awareness section will enhance the candidate's knowledge of Legal General Knowledge as well.

• This is a time-saving section and the candidates can exploit it by using the extra time to attempt questions from other significant sections of the CLAT 2026 exam.

CLAT 2026 Quantitative Techniques Preparation Strategy

• This section will consist of 20 questions based on the syllabus of Class X Mathematics.

• The key to preparing for this section is the constant practice of basic mathematical concepts.

• Revision and constant practice are the keys to ace this section. They improve accuracy and enhance speed.

• The candidate will be provided around 10-15 minutes to attempt and complete the section.

• The candidates must practice quantitative aptitude questions related to topics like Percentages, Number Systems, Time and Work, Time Speed and Distance, Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, and Probability.

CLAT 2026 Logical Reasoning Preparation Strategy

• The Logical Reasoning section of CLAT 2026 will contain a total number of 40 questions carrying 1 mark each.

• The questions will be asked from a wide range of topics like Family Tree, Syllogisms, Coding-Decoding, Arrangements, and Critical Reasoning.

• To score well in this section, the candidates must prepare well for Critical Reasoning.

• The candidates must aim to attempt a minimum of 35 questions in this section.

• Candidates with a clear conceptual understanding will successfully ace the CLAT 2026 Logical Reasoning section.

CLAT 2026 English Language Preparation Strategy

• The CLAT 2026 English Language section tests the reading skills of the candidates.

• This section is time-consuming with a low accuracy level.

• Make reading your habit.

• Learning new words every day must be encouraged.

• This section will test the vocabulary and grammatical skills of the candidates.

• The candidates must look for ways to enhance their reading speed which will come in handy in the comprehension passage section.

• The candidates must possess sound knowledge regarding the basic rules of Grammar.

• Reading newspapers on a daily basis will improve the vocabulary and word base of the candidates.

• The CLAT 2026 English Language section will have 40 questions for 1 mark each and the candidates must aim to attempt at least 30 questions in 25 minutes.

How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 at Home

Preparing from home is a great option for those aspirants who do not like going to coaching institutes or are facing issues from online mediums. Here are a few pointers explaining how to prepare for CLAT 2026 at home.

• Analyse your daily schedule and try to prepare a study plan as per the observation.
• Devote at least 8-12 hours daily to studies and include curricular activities as well to keep the brain fresh.
• Take planned breaks for 5 minutes after every 30 minutes. Longer breaks can be taken after every hour. It maintains concentration and keeps the memory fresh.
• Stay away from gadgets that can act as a distraction.
• While preparing a timetable, try to maintain the coordination between essential/ necessary tasks and study. 
• A timetable is a tool that needs to be curated and implemented perfectly. Following a well-designed preparation, the plan provides a guaranteed result.
• Keep a notebook and note down all the important concepts and ideas. Revisit them often so that the memory does not fade away.
• Recall and jot down a brief explanation of the activities done in the last 3 days. This will provide a better insight into the areas and time slots that you can use in a better way. It will also provide an idea of the areas where you have failed in following the timetable and in your daily planning. 
• Plan your schedule with a proper strategy and break down the subjects into topics and further into ideas. Do not create a vague timetable. Be clear and precise.
• Keep aside a month or two for revision and practice only. Solve as many CLAT previous year question papers, mock tests and sample papers as you can. It will help you in evaluating your performance and kicking it up a notch.
• Keep in mind to include your favourite activities along with the preparation in the timetable. It can be a great way to utilise the break time as it can help in maintaining focus and preparation stamina.
• Getting distracted is very easy at home. Do not let yourself get distracted for too long, as it might consume a lot of your time which will reflect in your final performance.

How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 in 6 Months

CLAT is considered to be the most popular entrance examination for law aspirants. The level of difficulty in the entrance is pretty high, experts advise that with a proper preparation plan and ample amount of time, you will be able to encounter any sort of difficulties. CollegeDekho has provided the aspirants who want to ace the entrance with 6 months of preparation strategy for CLAT in the section below. It is advisable for the candidates to incorporate the tips given below in their preparation strategy for effective results. 

• Knowing about the entrance - The primary step is to know about the entrance examination. This includes knowledge of the exam pattern and marking scheme in detail. Incorporating this step in the preparation strategy will help you get an idea about the structure of the examination. Only then can you prepare an effective strategy for CLAT. 

• Realising the amount of time left - Next, you must assess the amount of time left for CLAT preparation and design a timetable accordingly.  

• Deciding the approach - You are advised to decide the approach you want to adopt. This is considered to be a very important element. It is to be noted that candidates will have to figure out how much effort they have to put into each subject to do well in the examination.

• Section-wise Analysis - Candidates who want to ace the CLAT 2026 entrance should do a section-wise analysis before they start preparing for the entrance examination. 

• Set Short-time Goals - Candidates wanting to prepare for CLAT 2026 entrance in six months are required to set short time goals. It is very important for them to achieve short goals and focus on the next. In this manner, they will be able to complete the syllabus of the CLAT on time. 

• Joining Coaching Institutes - You can also try to join coaching centres if you need external assistance. The coaching institutes will provide you with an opportunity to appear in several mock tests. It will help you grow self-confidence and identify the areas where you fall behind.

• Revising in Regular Intervals - Many a time, you lose grip on the syllabus which you have already studied. In order to avoid such circumstances, candidates are required to invest their time in regular intervals.

• Going through the Previous Years Question Papers - This can be considered to be one of the last steps of the preparation procedure. Once the candidates are done with covering all the topics in the syllabus of CLAT 2026, they should go through the previous years question papers of the entrance. This will help them to understand the types of questions asked in the exam. It is also considered to be one of the most effective ways of revising the pre learnt topics.

How to Prepare for CLAT from Class 11

Many students start their CLAT preparation from class 11th. Those who are certain about pursuing a career in the field of law as early as the 11th standard have the added advantage of having more time at hand. With the correct strategy, students can start preparing for CLAT in class 11th and ace the exam.

• First, aspirants must go through the entire syllabus of CLAT and understand the exam pattern. By doing this, they will get an idea of the basics of the exam.
• Time management is of utmost importance when starting your CLAT preparation in class 11th. While students do have about two years to prepare for the law entrance exam, they will also have to balance their school studies and other activities.
• Candidates can divide their CLAT preparation into three phases. 
  • Phase 1: In this phase, candidates will go through the whole syllabus, exam pattern, and collect study material for CLAT preparation. They will make a timetable, devoting at least 2-3 hours to study for CLAT every day.
  • Phase 2: The second phase will be the longest and in this, candidates will cover the entire syllabus of CLAT. They will study all the subjects that can be asked in the exam and leave sufficient time for revision as well.
  • Phase 3: In the third phase, the candidates will focus majorly on solving mock tests and sample papers. They will get ready for the exam by practising questions on a regular basis.
• The appetite for studying varies from student to student, therefore every individual must make a study plan that suits his/ her capabilities. Candidates must not burden themselves with studies and chalk out a plan that is inclusive of other things as well.
• Candidates must make the most out of weekends. If they fail to stick to their schedule during the week, they must ensure to cover it up over the weekend so that the next week's study plan does not get disrupted.
• During school exams and tests, it is natural for students to not spend much time on their CLAT preparation as they will be busy with their school studies. However, they must make it a point to make up for it after the exams are over.
• Starting the CLAT preparation from NCERT books is advised by most experts. Students should go through all the NCERT books that include the CLAT syllabus at least once.
• If a candidate winds up with his/ her CLAT preparation and still has some time left at hand, he/ she can buy test series from a reputed CLAT coaching centre. These tests and mock papers will help in becoming comfortable and familiar with the exam pattern and will also boost the candidate's speed and accuracy.

General Tips and Tricks to Master CLAT 2026

To maximize you chances of scoring well in the CLAT 2026 examination, you must have a good understanding of the CLAT 2026 exam pattern and various other things like CLAT cutoff trends of previous years, CLAT 2026 exam marking scheme etc., which will help you strengthen the fundamental and basic concepts. Here are some tried and tested methods which will help the candidates to ease past a tough entrance exam like CLAT 2026:

Prepare a Time-Table

Check out the entire syllabus of CLAT and prepare a time-table according to the important topics and weak areas. Cover all the concepts, ideas and topics in the plan. Allocate time and days for preparation as per your understanding of the topic.

Time Management

While preparing for CLAT 2026, it is highly recommended to the aspirants to device an effective time-management strategy which will help them to attempt all the questions within the provided time. If the candidates aim to answer all the questions, they must have an effective time-management strategy to do so otherwise it will hamper their accuracy level.

Practice Is The Success Mantra

Candidates who aim to score excellent marks in CLAT 2026 should target attempting more than 160 questions. Candidates with an accuracy level of over 90% in CLAT 2026 exam will have a better chance of pursuing their dream course from their desired college. There is no better way of achieving accuracy than practice. With practice, the candidates will be able to identify those sections in which they are good at and can utilize their time in strengthening their weak sections.

Study Material

Referring to the right kind of study materials is an important part while preparing for CLAT 2026. Those books and study materials which provides relevant information in easy language must be used for reference. The candidates must abstain themselves from experimenting with new books before the exam as it will lead to confusion.

Regular Mock Tests

Candidates must solve CLAT 2026 mock test papers on a regular basis to secure good marks in the CLAT 2026 examination. Mock test paper is an effective method to know more about the CLAT 2026 exam pattern and type of questions to be expected by the candidates. Those candidates solving mock test papers will also have a fair bit of knowledge about how to attempt questions from various sections.

Exam Day Tips for CLAT 2026

Check out the exam day tips for the preparation of CLAT 2026.

• Reach the examination centre at least 30 minutes prior to the commencement of the exam.
• Do not forget to carry important documents such as CLAT 2026 Admit Card, identity proof which must be produced at the CLAT 2026 exam centres on the exam date.
• Do not try cramming up new topics on the day of the examination.
• Check the CLAT admit card or hall ticket for the reporting time so that you and plan when to start from your home accordingly.
• Check the seating arrangements if not mentioned in the hall ticket or admit card.
• Read the CLAT question paper instructions carefully before you start attempting them.
• Check if the number of questions and pages are in sync with the instructions provided on the CLAT 2026 question papers.
• If the current question seems difficult, it is recommended that you must move to the following questions. Later on, you can turn your focus on the unattempted questions.