CLAT PG exam-day guide
CLAT PG · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed admit card / hall ticket (multiple copies)
Download and print your admit card from the official CLAT PG portal once released. Carry at least two printed copies. Confirm with the provider whether a physical printout is mandatory and whether a digital copy is accepted, since this varies by consortium notification.
Valid photo ID in original
Carry the original government-issued photo ID you used in your application (Aadhaar, passport, PAN, driving licence, or similar). Photocopies and expired IDs are commonly rejected. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether the name must match the admit card exactly.
Passport-size photographs
Carry two to four recent passport-size colour photographs matching the one affixed to your application, in case the invigilator requires one for the attendance sheet. Confirm with the provider whether photographs are required on exam day.
Transparent water bottle
Carry a clear, unlabelled plastic water bottle. Many centres allow only transparent bottles; opaque bottles and branded labels are often refused. Confirm with the provider's instruction list.
Simple analogue watch (optional)
A basic non-smart analogue watch helps you pace sections if the hall clock is not visible. Smart watches, fitness bands, and any device with communication or storage capability are prohibited.
Black or blue ballpoint pens
Carry two or three working ballpoint pens of the colour specified in the instructions. The CLAT PG paper is an OMR-based test, so a reliable pen matters; confirm the permitted pen colour with the provider.
Reach the centre well before reporting time
Plan to arrive at least 60 to 90 minutes before the reporting time printed on your admit card, allowing for security checks and document verification. Late entry is frequently barred after a cutoff. Confirm the exact reporting and gate-closing times with the provider.
Read the official instruction sheet end to end
Go through the information bulletin and admit card instructions before the exam. Note the paper pattern, marking scheme, OMR filling method, and prohibited items rather than relying on second-hand summaries.
Leave prohibited items at home
Do not carry phones, Bluetooth earbuds, smart watches, calculators, study notes, books, or bags into the hall. Most centres have no secure storage, so arrange for a companion or leave valuables behind.
Prepare for OMR bubbling practice
Practise filling circles fully and darkening correctly; the CLAT PG uses an OMR answer sheet. Carry a spare pen and avoid any correction fluid or tape, which is generally not allowed.
Plan travel and backup transport
Scout the route to the centre in advance, note traffic bottlenecks, and identify a backup mode of transport. Keep the centre address and a local contact number saved offline on paper.
Confirm exam-day details with the provider
Check the official website for any last-minute change in centre, timing, or instructions. Policies on ID, photographs, and permitted items are set by the conducting body and can change between cycles.
Plan the day
Switch from new material to consolidation. Revise your own summary notes on constitutional law, jurisprudence, and the core statutes, and re-read landmark judgments you have already studied. Do one full-length timed mock under exam conditions and analyse every wrong answer for the reasoning error, not just the correct option. Do not start a brand-new topic now; the returns are low and the anxiety cost is high.
Confirm logistics: verify the centre address, travel time, and reporting time from the admit card, and print spare copies of the admit card and ID. Rehearse the OMR bubbling routine on a sample sheet so you know how long it takes to transfer 120 answers. Keep the documents in a single folder so nothing is misplaced.
Do a light revision of high-yield areas only: constitutional provisions, key doctrines, important case names, and the marking scheme. Pack the folder with admit card, original photo ID, photographs, pens, and transparent water bottle. Set two alarms and sleep at a normal hour; a rested brain outperforms an extra hour of cramming.
Eat a normal breakfast, avoid heavy caffeine if it makes you jittery, and leave home with a buffer of at least 30 minutes over your planned travel time. Re-check the folder before leaving. At the centre, complete verification calmly and locate your seat early.
Read the instructions on the OMR sheet before starting. Do a first pass answering questions you are confident about, mark doubtful ones in the booklet, and skip time-consuming items. Watch the clock and reserve the last 10 to 15 minutes for transferring or verifying answers and checking that roll number and booklet code are correctly bubbled.
Rules to check
Carry only the documents and items permitted by the conducting body. Mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, books, and notes are prohibited in the hall, and possession can lead to disqualification. Confirm the exact prohibited-items list with the provider.
Your identity will be verified against the admit card and original photo ID. Ensure the name and details match your application; if there is a discrepancy, contact the provider before exam day rather than at the gate.
Entry after the gate-closing time is generally not permitted, and candidates are usually not allowed to leave the hall before the test ends. Confirm the exact entry and exit rules with the provider.
Follow invigilator instructions and the printed OMR instructions. Fill the answer sheet with the specified pen, darken circles fully, and do not use correction fluid or make stray marks that could confuse scanning.
The CLAT PG is scored on a defined marking scheme with negative marking for incorrect answers; confirm the current scheme with the provider before deciding how aggressively to guess. Unattempted questions are typically not penalised.
Do not communicate with other candidates, exchange material, or look at another candidate's sheet during the test. Any unfair-means practice can result in cancellation of your candidature.
Keep the question booklet and OMR sheet intact and hand them over as directed at the end of the test. Do not tear pages or carry any exam material out of the hall.
If you face a medical emergency or a discrepancy in your question booklet, raise it immediately with the invigilator and follow the provider's grievance procedure rather than resolving it yourself.