CLAT UG 2027 time management can add several marks without any extra studying. The paper has 120 questions in 120 minutes, but the sections don’t take equal time. This guide gives a minutes-per-section plan, an attempt order and a rule for guessing, with every term explained in plain words.
main article: CLAT 2027 Syllabus & Exam Pattern: Subject-Wise Weightage & Changes
What Is Official and What Is Widely Reported
Official: The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will hold CLAT 2027 on Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Applications close on 31 October 2026.
Widely reported by prep sources (confirm in the official brochure):
- 120 multiple-choice questions, 120 marks, five sections, English medium.
- 1 mark for each correct answer, a 0.25 mark deduction for each wrong answer, and no penalty for unattempted questions.
- Offline pen-and-paper mode with an OMR sheet (a sheet where you shade bubbles). One news report calls it computer-based, but most sources say offline.
- The Consortium’s Governing Body has said the syllabus, pattern and sections are unchanged for 2027.
The Consortium runs CLAT under its own notification, and no Act of Parliament governs it.
CLAT 2027 Exam Pattern by Section
| Section | Approx. questions | Approx. share |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 22 to 26 | 20% |
| Current Affairs and General Knowledge | 28 to 32 | 25% |
| Legal Reasoning | 28 to 32 | 25% |
| Logical Reasoning | 22 to 26 | 20% |
| Quantitative Techniques (Maths) | 10 to 14 | 10% |
These ranges come from recent papers, not from the 2027 notice. Only your total score counts, since no sectional cut-offs are reported.
Recommended Minutes per Section
This plan uses the middle of each range and keeps 10 minutes for OMR work and review.
| Section | Questions | Minutes | Seconds per question |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 24 | 24 | 60 |
| Current Affairs and GK | 30 | 18 | 36 |
| Legal Reasoning | 30 | 32 | 64 |
| Logical Reasoning | 24 | 22 | 55 |
| Maths | 12 | 14 | 70 |
| OMR and review | 10 | ||
| Total | 120 | 120 |
This split is my own suggestion, not an official figure. Test it in mocks and adjust.
CLAT Negative Marking: When to Guess
With a 0.25 deduction, a guess is worthwhile when your chance of being right is above 20%.
| Options left after elimination | Chance of being right | Expected gain per guess |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (blind guess) | 25% | +0.06 |
| 3 | 33% | +0.17 |
| 2 | 50% | +0.38 |
A blind guess is only slightly positive, so skip it if you have no clue. Guess when you can remove at least one option.
Section-Wise Time Tips
- English: Passages run around 450 words. Read the questions first, then skim for answers.
- Current Affairs and GK: If you don’t know it in 30 seconds, mark it and move on.
- Legal Reasoning: Find the principle first, then apply it to the facts. Follow the passage’s rule even if real law differs.
- Logical Reasoning: Skip long puzzles at first and return if time is left.
- Maths: Read data tables carefully and leave heavy calculations for last.
Don’t Lose Marks on the OMR Sheet
Practise bubbling in your mocks. One source says candidates unfamiliar with OMR can lose 3 to 5 minutes to bubbling errors. Bubble each section’s answers in batches, and check that the question number matches the row.
FAQs
About one minute on average, but it varies by section.
Many students start with current affairs or legal reasoning. Test yours in mocks.
Reported as 0.25 per wrong answer, with no penalty for unattempted questions.
Only if you can guess with a chance above 20%.
None is reported.
