How to prepare for CLAT 2026 in 1 Year? Check Month-wise preparation Strategy
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How to prepare for CLAT 2026 in 1 Year? Check Month-wise preparation Strategy

Ritika JonwalUpdated on 08 Jul 2025, 11:19 AM IST

Ever wondered if a whole year is enough to crack one of India’s toughest CLAT 2026? Pitch this with a focused 12-month study plan, and you can turn your CLAT 2026 dream into reality, even if you’re starting from scratch today!

How to prepare for CLAT 2026 in 1 Year? Check Month-wise preparation Strategy
How to prepare for CLAT 2026 in 1 Year

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is not just another entrance exam; it's your golden ticket to the top National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. But with thousands of aspirants and limited seats, a smart, well-planned strategy becomes your ultimate weapon.

In this article, we break down a comprehensive month-by-month preparation plan for CLAT 2026. From building strong fundamentals to mastering advanced CLAT 2026 Mock Test strategies, you’ll discover how to pace your CLAT 2026 preparation, stay motivated, and boost your chances of getting into your dream NLU - all within one year!

Why a 12-Month Preparation Strategy is Essential?

Cracking CLAT needs more than just hard work; it necessitates a purposeful, systematic strategy. A 12-month preparation Strategy ensures:

  • Comprehensive Coverage: Allocates enough time to comprehensively cover the whole CLAT 2026 Syllabus, leaving no topic uncovered.

  • Strong Fundamentals: Allows enough time to understand fundamental concepts, particularly in difficult areas such as legal reasoning and quantitative procedures.

  • Effective time management: It entails doing regular CLAT Mock Tests and analyses to increase speed, accuracy, and exam-day efficiency.

  • Consistent revision: It ensures retention by focusing on work and revisiting weaker areas.

  • Motivation and Discipline: Keeps preparation reasonable by setting clear goals and preventing burnout.

CLAT 2026 12 Months Preparation Strategy

Given below is a breakdown of the 12-month preparation Strategy to maximise your preparation:

Months

Month-wise Strategy

Short Tips

1st Month- 2nd Month

  • Focus on the foundation more in the first two months of preparation.

  • Start by learning in depth about the syllabus and the types of questions asked in the exam.

  • Analyse the previous year's question paper.

  • Knowing that the CLAT exam consists of five sections, allot time equally to all the sections.

Even if you don't comprehend everything right away, start by answering a few questions from prior papers. The purpose is to become acquainted with the examination style.


3rd Month- 4th Month

  • For the 3rd and the 4th month of preparation, it is advised to divide the sections and start subject-specific preparation.

  • For example- focus on comprehension and grammar, for the General Knowledge sections take up current affairs and law-related changes, followed by the legal sections where you can focus on basic law, new judgements and amendments, next comes the Logical Reasoning sections emphasize repeating questions topics in the previous year exams and lastly the Quantitative Aptitude Section practice as much as possible.

If you find difficulty in managing time with all the sections in the CLAT exam. Start by creating a road map for preparation by ensuring that you don't miss out on any of the sections.

5th Month- 6th Month

  • As in the first 4 months of preparation, the strategy and road map are ready.

  • Now, in the 5th and 6th months of preparation, allocate more time for preparation, increase your study hours, and try allocating more time to the weaker sections.

  • It is advised to appear for a mock test now and try to appear for one test per week, as it will help you to keep up with the pace of the preparation.

Join a reliable batch or coaching program to get expert guidance and peer support.


7th Month- 9th Month

  • It's time to increase the intensity of practice in the 7th and 9th months. Attempt 2-3 mock tests a week.

  • After appearing for the mock test, review the answers and try spotting the errors and weak points.

  • It is also advised to solve past years' question papers to improve time management.

Take guidance from seniors or teachers who have prior experience or have appeared in the CLAT exam.

10th Month- 11th Month

  • In the 10th- 11th Month of preparation, focus on polishing what you have learnt earlier.

  • Keep handwritten notes ready, as they will help in quick revision.

  • Focus on the weak areas and try to revise them again and again for better results.

Take regular pauses to prevent burnout and retain mental clarity.

12th Month

  • In the final months of preparation, it is advised to appear for mocks 4-5 times a week.

  • Prioritise accuracy above attempting every question.

  • Maintain a positive mindset and avoid studying new things at this time.

To handle pre-exam anxiety, practise mindfulness or relaxation techniques.

Books To Follow For CLAT 2026

The Common Law Admission Test consists of five sections: English language, general knowledge (including current events), legal reasoning, logical reasoning, and quantitative techniques. The CLAT books listed below are subject-specific recommendations from legal experts for CLAT preparation.

Subjects

Books to Follow

English language

  • English is Easy by Chetananand Singh

  • General English by SP Bakshi

  • Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

  • 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary by Norman Lewis

  • Barron's Pocket Guide to Vocabulary Objective


General knowledge (including current events)

  • General Knowledge by Lucent Publication

  • Competition Success Review

  • Pratiyogita Darpan

  • Manorama Yearbook by Manorama

  • General Knowledge 2023, 2022, and 2021 by Arihant Publications


Legal Reasoning

  • Objective Legal Aptitude by R.S Aggarwal

  • Important Judgment That Transformed India by Alex Andrews George

  • The Pearson Guide to the CLAT by Harsh Gagrani

  • LST’s Legal Reasoning Module

  • Legal Awareness and Legal Reasoning by Pearson


Logical reasoning

  • Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal

  • Logical Reasoning by Arun Sharma

  • Analytical Reasoning by M. K. Pandey

  • Analytical and Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal

  • A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal


Quantitative techniques

  • Data interpretation by R.S Aggarwal

  • Elementary Mathematics with Numerical Ability by Prateek Jain

  • Magical Book on Quicker Maths by M Tyra

  • Quantitative Aptitude by R.S Aggarwal

  • Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Arihant Publications

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What was the difficulty level for CLAT 2025?
A:

The difficulty level for CLAT 2025 was easy to moderate.

Q: When will be the CLAT 2026 be conducted?
A:

The Consortium of NLUs conducts the CLAT exam in the december month of the preceding year.

Q: Will CLAT 2026 be easy?
A:

After analysisg the previous year question papers and the types of questions asked in the CLAT exam it is expected that CLAT 2026 will be moderate to difficult.

Q: What is the pattern for CLAT 2026?
A:

The CLAT 2026 consists of 5 sections, and the total number of questions will be 120 questions and 120 minutes is the time allotted for the exam.

Q: When will the registration process for CLAT 2026 begin?
A:

The tentative registration dates for CLAT 2026 will start from july 2025.

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Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

With an AIR of 34724 and OBC category rank of 7153, chances of getting a seat in DSNLU Visakhapatnam are low in early rounds. However, since you are already invited for counselling, there may be some chance in later rounds depending on seat vacancy and cut-off movement. You should participate

With a CLAT LLM rank of 13656, getting a top NLU is difficult. You may have chances in lower-ranked NLUs or private law universities, depending on seat availability and category.


You can check CLAT LLM counselling details here:

https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-llm-cut-off


Hello there,

Having a 15000 general rank and 1740 as your SC category rank, your chances of securing a seat are very low. As per the previous trends, it is a direct no for you to get into the top-tier NLUs since the closing general rank is around 1500-3000. If

With a CLAT PG rank of 1257 in the SC category and being a woman candidate with Rajasthan domicile, you do have a realistic chance of securing admission to several National Law Universities, though the top NLUs may be difficult at this rank. Admission chances depend heavily on category-wise cut-offs,

With a CLAT PG rank of around 11,000, getting admission into the top National Law Universities (NLUs) is not likely, as their general category cut-offs usually close much earlier. However, you still have realistic chances in lower-ranked and newer NLUs, especially in the later rounds of CLAT counselling or through