CLAT Marking Scheme 2027, Total Marks, Negative Marking & Subject-Wise Marks

The CLAT Marking Scheme 2027 follows a +1 and −0.25 scoring system. The examination consists of 120 multiple-choice questions carrying 120 marks, with one mark awarded for every correct answer and 0.25 mark deducted for every incorrect answer. No marks are awarded or deducted for unanswered questions. The same marking rules apply to all five sections of the CLAT UG examination. 

CLAT 2027 is scheduled to be conducted on 6 December 2026, from 2 PM to 4 PM, in offline mode. The question paper covers English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques. The section-wise marks distribution and score calculation method are explained below.

CLAT Marking Scheme 2027: Key Highlights 

The CLAT marking scheme is prescribed by the Consortium of National Law Universities. Each question carries one mark, and negative marking is applied only to incorrect responses. 

Particulars	CLAT 2027 Details
Examination	Common Law Admission Test (UG)
Conducting Body	Consortium of National Law Universities
Total Questions	120
Total Marks	120
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions
Correct Answer	+1 Mark
Incorrect Answer	−0.25 Mark
Unattempted Question	0 Mark
Exam Duration	2 Hours
Exam Mode	Offline (OMR-Based)
Total Sections	5
Exam Date	6 December 2026

The marking system remains the same for all subjects. However, the number of questions and the approximate weightage assigned to each section vary.

Read more: CLAT Syllabus

What Are the Total Marks in CLAT 2027? 

The total marks in CLAT 2027 are 120, with 120 questions carrying one mark each. The paper must be completed within two hours. 

The maximum score of 120 marks can be obtained when all questions are answered correctly. For incorrect responses, a deduction of 0.25 mark is made from the total marks earned. 

The examination includes five sections: 

• English Language 
• Current Affairs including General Knowledge 
• Legal Reasoning 
• Logical Reasoning 
• Quantitative Techniques 

The number of questions in each section is determined according to the approximate weightage prescribed in the official examination pattern.

Read more: CLAT PG Exam Pattern

CLAT Marking Scheme Subject Wise: Questions and Marks Distribution 

The CLAT marking scheme subject wise follows a uniform marking pattern, although the number of questions varies across the five sections. Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs including General Knowledge carry the highest approximate weightage at 25% each.

The official CLAT 2027 subject-wise marks distribution is given below. 

Subject	Number of Questions	Maximum Marks	Approximate Weightage
English Language	22–26	22–26	20%
Current Affairs including GK	28–32	28–32	25%
Legal Reasoning	28–32	28–32	25%
Logical Reasoning	22–26	22–26	20%
Quantitative Techniques	10–14	10–14	10%
Total	120	120	100%

The question ranges are approximate and should not be treated as fixed counts for individual sections. 

English Language: Approximately 22–26 questions are included, representing around 20% of the paper. 

Current Affairs including GK: Around 28–32 questions are included, accounting for approximately 25% of the total marks. 

Legal Reasoning: Approximately 28–32 questions are asked, contributing around 25% of the examination. 

Logical Reasoning: The section includes approximately 22–26 questions, with around 20% weightage. 

Quantitative Techniques: Around 10–14 questions are included, accounting for approximately 10% of the paper. 

One mark is awarded for a correct response in every section, while 0.25 mark is deducted for an incorrect response.

Read more:  CLAT Merit List

Is There Negative Marking in CLAT 2027? 

Yes. Negative marking of 0.25 mark is applicable to every incorrect answer in CLAT 2027. The deduction is applied across all five sections, without any subject-specific difference. For every four incorrect answers, one mark is deducted from the total score. 

Number of Wrong Answers	Marks Deducted
1	0.25
2	0.50
4	1.00
5	1.25
10	2.50
15	3.75
20	5.00
25	6.25
30	7.50
40	10.00

For example, if 20 answers are marked incorrectly, a total deduction of 5 marks is applied.  The final CLAT score is calculated after the marks lost through incorrect responses have been deducted.

Read more:  CLAT Previous Year Question Papers. 

How Is the CLAT 2027 Score Calculated? 

The CLAT paper marking scheme uses a straightforward formula. Marks are first awarded for correct answers, after which the penalty for incorrect answers is deducted. 

CLAT Score = (Correct Answers × 1) − (Incorrect Answers × 0.25) 

Unattempted questions carry zero marks and do not affect the calculation. 

For example, if 110 questions are attempted, with 90 correct and 20 incorrect responses, the final score is calculated as: 

90 − (20 × 0.25) = 85 marks 

The score would therefore be 85 out of 120.

The following table shows the marks obtained for different combinations of correct and incorrect responses. 

Correct Answers	Wrong Answers	Unattempted	Final Score
110	5	5	108.75
105	10	5	102.50
100	10	10	97.50
95	15	10	91.25
90	20	10	85.00
85	15	20	81.25
80	20	20	75.00
75	25	20	68.75

These calculations are illustrative and show the effect of negative marking on the final score. 

Are Marks Deducted for Unattempted Questions in CLAT? 

No marks are deducted for questions left unanswered in CLAT 2027. 

An unattempted question carries zero marks, whereas an incorrect answer results in a deduction of 0.25 mark. 

For example, if 80 correct answers, 15 incorrect answers and 25 unanswered questions are recorded, the final score would be: 

80 − (15 × 0.25) = 76.25 marks 

The 25 unanswered questions would not result in any additional deduction. 

This difference is important when mock-test scores are analysed because unanswered questions and incorrect responses affect the final marks differently.

How Does Accuracy Affect the CLAT Score? 

Accuracy refers to the percentage of attempted questions answered correctly. Under the CLAT marking scheme, the score depends on both the number of correct answers and the marks deducted for incorrect responses. 

Accuracy is calculated using the formula: 

Accuracy (%) = (Correct Answers ÷ Total Attempts) × 100 

For example, if 90 out of 100 attempted questions are answered correctly, the accuracy rate is 90%.

The relationship between accuracy and the final marks can be understood through the following table. 

Accuracy	Correct Answers	Wrong Answers	Final CLAT Score
100%	100	0	100.00
95%	95	5	93.75
90%	90	10	87.50
85%	85	15	81.25
80%	80	20	75.00
75%	75	25	68.75
70%	70	30	62.50

The figures are based on 100 attempted questions in each case.  A five-percentage-point increase in accuracy produces an additional 6.25 marks when the total number of attempts remains 100.  Therefore, accuracy and negative marks should be considered together when evaluating CLAT mock-test performance.

CLAT UG Marking Scheme 2027: Has the Exam Pattern Changed? 

No change has been announced in the basic CLAT UG marking scheme 2027.  The Consortium of National Law Universities has retained the existing undergraduate examination format, including 120 multiple-choice questions across five sections.  The important marking rules remain: 

• 120 maximum marks 
• One mark for every correct response 
• A deduction of 0.25 mark for every incorrect response 
• Zero marks for unanswered questions 
• Two-hour examination duration 

The paper will continue to be conducted in offline mode, with answers recorded on an OMR sheet.

CLAT Marking Scheme 2025 vs 2026 vs 2027 

The basic CLAT marking pattern has remained unchanged in recent examination cycles. However, the final maximum marks used for evaluation were revised in CLAT 2025 and CLAT 2026 following the withdrawal of certain questions. 

CLAT Marking Scheme 2025 

The CLAT marking scheme 2025 initially prescribed 120 questions for 120 marks, with +1 for every correct response and −0.25 for every incorrect response. 

During the answer-key review process and subsequent proceedings, changes were made to the evaluation. 

Following the revisions notified in May 2025, a total of seven questions were withdrawn. The final evaluated maximum was consequently reduced to 113 marks. 

The marking rule itself remained unchanged. 

CLAT Marking Scheme 2026 

The CLAT marking scheme 2025 was originally set up with 120 questions each worth one mark giving a total of 120 marks. For every answer the CLAT marking scheme 2025 awarded +1 mark and for each incorrect answer the CLAT marking scheme 2025 deducted −0.25 mark.

Later during the review of the answer key and, in the steps the CLAT marking scheme 2025 evaluation method was changed.

After the changes announced in May 2025 seven questions were removed. The CLAT marking scheme 2025 maximum score was lowered to 113 marks.

Despite these adjustments the CLAT marking scheme 2025 scoring rule remained unchanged.

CLAT Marking Scheme 2027 Comparison 

Particulars	CLAT 2025	CLAT 2026	CLAT 2027
Scheduled Questions	120	120	120
Scheduled Maximum Marks	120	120	120
Correct Answer	+1	+1	+1
Incorrect Answer	−0.25	−0.25	−0.25
Unattempted Question	0	0	0
Final Evaluated Maximum	113	119	120 (as scheduled)

The published maximum marks for CLAT 2027 remain 120. Any subsequent change would depend on official notifications issued after the examination.

How Have the Total Marks in CLAT Changed Over the Years? 

The total marks in the CLAT examination have been revised several times since its introduction. 

From 2009 to 2019, the question paper carried 200 marks. The maximum was reduced to 150 marks in 2020 and subsequently to 120 marks in 2024. 

Examination Year	Originally Prescribed Maximum Marks
CLAT 2008	190
CLAT 2009–2019	200
CLAT 2020–2023	150
CLAT 2024	120
CLAT 2025	120
CLAT 2026	120
CLAT 2027	120

The 120‑mark format has stayed the same from CLAT 2024 up to the CLAT 2027 examination pattern that is currently published.

The numbers show the maximum marks, for the question paper not any changes made later because of questions that were removed.

What Are the Minimum Passing Marks in CLAT 2027? 

No fixed minimum passing marks have been prescribed for CLAT 2027 undergraduate admission. 

Candidates are ranked based on their examination scores, while admission to participating National Law Universities is determined through the counselling process. 

Admission outcomes depend on factors such as: 

• All India Rank 
• Candidate category 
• University preferences 
• Applicable reservation and domicile rules 
• Available seats 
• Counselling round 

The minimum marks needed for admission can differ from one NLU to another. It can also change between different counselling rounds. Therefore, CLAT passing marks and NLU admission cut-offs should not be treated as the same.

What Happens When Two Candidates Obtain Equal Marks in CLAT? 

When two or more candidates secure the same total marks, the official tie-breaking rules are applied. 

The rank is determined in the following order: 

1. Higher Legal Aptitude Marks: Preference is given to the candidate with higher marks in Legal Aptitude. 
2. Higher Age: If the tie remains unresolved, the older candidate is given preference. 
3. Computerised Draw of Lots: If the tie continues, the rank is determined through a computerised draw of lots. 

These criteria are applied in the prescribed order to determine the final ranking.

How Can the CLAT Marking Scheme Be Used During Mock-Test Analysis? 

The CLAT marking scheme provides a consistent method for analysing mock-test performance. 

The following details can be recorded after every mock test: 

• Total questions attempted 
• Correct responses 
• Incorrect responses 
• Unattempted questions 
• Accuracy percentage 
• Marks deducted through negative marking 
• Final score 
• Section-wise performance 

For example, if 100 questions are attempted and 85 responses are correct, the remaining 15 responses are incorrect. 

The final score is: 

85 − (15 × 0.25) = 81.25 marks 

A similar calculation can be made after each mock test to compare performance. 

Changes in accuracy, correct attempts and negative marks can then be identified separately.

CLAT Marking Scheme 2027: Key Points to Remember 

The most important details of the CLAT 2027 marking scheme are summarised below. 

• CLAT 2027 includes 120 questions carrying 120 marks. 
• Each correct response is awarded 1 mark. 
• Every incorrect response attracts 0.25 negative mark. 
• Unattempted questions carry zero marks. 
• The same marking system applies to all five sections. 
• Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs including GK together carry approximately 50% weightage. 
• The examination duration is two hours. 
• The examination is conducted in offline mode. 
• The exam is scheduled for 6 December 2026.