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CLAT Marking Scheme Explained (2026): Sections, Negative Marking & Strategy
By the Mentora Academic Team · Updated 1 August 2026 · 6 min read
CLAT UG is a 120-mark exam with 120 comprehension-based multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer earns +1 and each wrong answer loses 0.25, so your score = correct − (wrong × 0.25). Because the penalty is only a quarter mark but every question is passage-based, careful reading matters more than raw speed.
CLAT rewards comprehension and reasoning rather than memorised facts, and its marking scheme reflects that. This guide explains the 2026 CLAT UG marking scheme, the five sections, and how the small negative penalty should shape your strategy.
How is CLAT scored in 2026?
CLAT UG has 120 questions for 120 marks, to be answered in 2 hours, across five sections. Every question is worth the same:
| Section | Approx. weight |
|---|---|
| English Language | ~20% |
| Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | ~25% |
| Legal Reasoning | ~25% |
| Logical Reasoning | ~20% |
| Quantitative Techniques | ~10% |
- Correct answer: +1 mark
- Wrong answer: −0.25 mark
- Unattempted: 0 marks
So your score = correct − (wrong × 0.25), out of 120. The exact number of questions per section can vary slightly year to year, so treat the weights above as indicative and confirm the latest split on the Consortium of NLUs’ official site. You can compute your score with the CLAT score calculator.
How does CLAT negative marking affect strategy?
CLAT’s penalty is only a quarter of a mark, which is gentler than NEET or CUET. That changes the maths of guessing: if you can eliminate even one option, an educated guess usually has positive expected value. Take a worked example — 95 correct and 15 wrong:
Score = 95 − (15 × 0.25) = 95 − 3.75 = 91.25 out of 120. Fifteen wrong answers cost under 4 marks, so thoughtful attempts are rarely a big risk — but blind guessing on a long passage still wastes time you could spend reading.
What kind of questions does CLAT ask?
Every section in CLAT UG is comprehension-based: you read a passage — a news piece, a legal scenario, a logical argument or a data set — and answer several questions from it. There is no separate section that simply tests memorised static GK; even Current Affairs questions are anchored to a passage. This means reading speed and accuracy, not rote learning, are the core skills. Practising with full-length, passage-based mock tests is the most reliable way to build them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CLAT marking scheme for 2026?
CLAT UG awards +1 mark for each correct answer and −0.25 for each wrong answer, with 0 for unattempted, across 120 comprehension-based questions for a maximum of 120 marks.
How is the CLAT score calculated?
CLAT score = correct − (wrong × 0.25). For example, 95 correct and 15 wrong gives 95 − 3.75 = 91.25 out of 120.
Is CLAT negative marking harsh?
Comparatively no — the penalty is only a quarter mark. If you can eliminate an option, an educated guess usually pays off, though blind guessing on long passages wastes reading time.
What sections are in CLAT UG?
Five: English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques — all comprehension-based.
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