The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) serves as a crucial stepping stone for those aspiring to pursue a career in law. With the exam offered at two distinct levels – Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) – understanding the difference between CLAT UG and CLAT PG is essential for candidates.
While both exams open doors to prestigious National Law Universities (NLUs) in India, they cater to different academic stages and career aspirations. CLAT UG is designed for students aiming to enroll in undergraduate law programs, such as BA LLB, whereas CLAT PG targets those who seek to advance their legal studies with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree.
This blog post will break down the difference between CLAT UG vs CLAT PG, highlighting their objectives, eligibility criteria, exam patterns, and syllabus.
What is CLAT UG?
The Common Law Admission Test, a national-level law entrance test, is administered by the Consortium of NLUs for admission to a 5-year integrated LLB (UG) program. All 24 NLUs currently offer UG courses.
CLAT UG is designed to evaluate a candidate’s comprehension and logical reasoning skills, legal aptitude, knowledge of current affairs, and proficiency in English. By testing these areas, the CLAT UG exam aims to identify candidates who possess the analytical abilities and critical thinking skills necessary for a successful career in law.
The exam serves as a standardized entry point for programs such as the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and integrated degrees like BA LLB, BBA LLB, B.Com LLB, etc., facilitating a fair and merit-based admission process to the nation’s leading law schools.
In addition to the NLUs, some private institutions accept CLAT test scores.
UG applicants who received 45% in their 12 exams can apply for admission; applicants from the reserved category receive a waiver in qualifying marks. The students appearing for class 12th can also apply for CLAT UG, but their admission is subject to receiving 45% marks in the 12th exams.
The exam is conducted in the pen-and-paper format (offline), with multiple-choice questions, and last 2 hours. English, Current Affairs, including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques, are the 5 sections of the CLAT undergraduate exam. Applicants taking the exam should study the subject-specific curriculum to achieve a good score and gain admission to a top NLU.
Also Read: Prepare for CLAT Without Coaching? Expert Tips
What is CLAT PG?
CLAT PG is a nationwide law admission exam for students who wish to pursue postgraduation. It emphasizes the students’ comprehension abilities. The CLAT PG score is accepted in several private and government law universities to enable admission to applicants in postgraduate legal programs. Every National Law University conducts the CLAT exam on a rotating basis every year. Moreover, the CLAT PG results are used for recruitment by various public corporations, such as BHEL and ONGC.
The paper is based on the mandatory subjects of the UG course, which include Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Jurisprudence, Law of Contract, Torts, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Family Law, Public International Law, Environmental Law, Tax Law, and Labour and Industrial Law.
The exam lasts 120 minutes and includes one section with 120 objective-type questions, each carrying 1 mark. There’s a negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer.
In the Objective section of the CLAT PG, candidates are provided with extracts from primary legal materials, like important court decisions in several law fields, statutes, or regulations. Every passage is followed by a series of questions that require candidates to:
- Read and comprehend the matters discussed in the passage and any arguments and viewpoints discussed or set out.
- Be aware of the issues discussed in the passage, legal matters and facts related to and arising out of it, and the statute or judgment from which it is taken.
- Summarise the passage.
- Apply the knowledge of the fields of law discussed in the passage.
While preparing for the CLAT PG, candidates must:
- Read and refresh their knowledge of important judgments. They must try to discern several issues discussed in such judgments.
- Refresh their knowledge of constitutional and legislative provisions, especially those discussed in the latest judgments. Also, they must be aware of historical case law and amendments related to such provisions.
For further information, visit the official website: https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/
Difference Between CLAT UG and CLAT PG
The general difference between clat UG and PG is as follows:
| Particulars | CLAT UG | CLAT PG |
| Conducting Body | The Consortium of National Law Universities | The Consortium of National Law Universities |
| Exam Level | National-level | National-level |
| Number of Participating Institutes | 24 NLUs + Private Colleges | 24 NLUs + Private Colleges |
| Educational Qualification | Class 12 or equivalent exam | Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks | General – 45%, SC/ST – 40% | General – 50%, SC/ST – 45% |
| Age Limit | No upper age limit | No upper age limit |
| Application Mode | Online | Online |
| Application Fee | ₹4000 | ₹4000 |
| Subjects | English Language, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Current Affairs, Quantitative Techniques | Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, and other law subjects, including Contemporary issues |
| Difficulty Level of Exam | Moderate | Moderate-Difficult |
Also Read: CLAT vs LSAT Difference 2024: Full Comparison
CLAT UG vs CLAT PG: Exam Pattern
The paper pattern differs for both exams. The detailed exam pattern of the Common Law Admission Test for UG and PG programs shows the difference between CLAT PG and CLAT UG.
Take a look at the exam pattern for CLAT UG vs. PG, as mentioned in the table below:
| Particulars | CLAT UG | CLAT PG |
| Exam mode | CLAT UG is conducted in a paper-based test mode. | CLAT PG is also conducted in a paper-based test mode. |
| Test duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Type of questions | Objective-type question-based. Reading comprehension passages of about 300-450 words. | The questions are comprehension-based on various legal subjects of graduation level. |
| Total Questions | 120 | 120 |
CLAT Marking Scheme | +1 for a correct answer-0.25 for an incorrect answer | +1 for a correct answer-0.25 for an incorrect answer |
Also Read: Benefits of CLAT Mock Tests to Boost Preparation
Difference Between CLAT UG and CLAT PG: Syllabus
Take a look at the syllabus for CLAT UG vs. PG, as mentioned in the table below:
| CLAT UG | CLAT PG |
| Current Affairs, including GK Contemporary events of national and international significance Arts and Culture International affairs Historical events of continuing significance | Section A – Constitutional Law Legislative Power – Procedure, Privileges Judicial Power – Organisation of the Judiciary, The Jurisdiction of SC of India Federal Idea – Nature of Indian Polity, Co-operative Federalism Freedoms of Inter-state Trade and Commerce Impact of Emergency on Center-state Relations |
| English Language Correcting Incorrect Grammar Sentences Synonyms & Antonyms Tenses Fill in the Blanks Spotting Grammatical Errors Active & Passive Voice | Section B – Jurisprudence Administrative Law Law of Contract Torts, Family Law Criminal Law Property Law Company Law Public International Law Tax Law Environmental Law Labour & Industrial Law |
| Logical Reasoning Analogies Relationships Syllogism Cause & Effect Premises & Conclusion Inferences | Section C – Law Topics and Contemporary Issues Important constitutional and legislative provisions recent judgments historical case law and amendments legal issues facts. |
| Quantitative Techniques Short sets of facts or propositions Graphs Other textual material Pictorial or diagrammatic representations of numerical information 10th standard mathematical operation, including ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration, and statistical estimation Derive, infer, and manipulate numerical information | |
| Legal Reasoning Legal Maxims Important Supreme Court Judgments Legal GK Indian Constitution Important Acts and Amendments of the Legislature Current Affairs |
Conclusion
CLAT UG and CLAT PG are entirely different exams regarding their nature, scope, syllabus, and eligibility.
To succeed in these exams, candidates should consider their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and career goals. Aspirants can crack the CLAT UG or CLAT PG exams with adequate preparation and consistent practice.
Free Resources for CLAT Preparation
| CLAT Current Affairs | CLAT Previous Year Papers |
| CLAT Legal Updates | CLAT Express Magazine |
| Free CLAT Classes | CLAT Current Affairs Quizzes |
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