CLAT 2026: Check Last 3 Years Legal Reasoning Previous Years Questions

CLAT 2026 Legal Reasoning Weightage and Syllabus

Below given are the CLAT Exam Syllabus for the Legal Reasoning Section along with the weightage of the exam.

CLAT 2026 Legal Reasoning Recent Trends

Below are the exam-focused recent trends in the CLAT Legal Reasoning Section over the last 5 years. These analyses of past CLAT papers are based on the last 5 years of CLAT question paper trends

• Shift from rote/principle-recall to situational application: passages increasingly present fact-scenarios where you must apply legal principles (not merely recall their statements).

• More legal-current-affairs: several passages/questions use recent statutes, amendments or contemporary legal developments (so knowledge of timely legal news helps).

• Case-extract / statute-extract style passages: instead of purely conceptual paragraphs, CLAT now often gives short extracts from a statute/case and then asks application/inference questions.

• Emphasis on reasoning & inference over mere definitions: questions probe implied consequences, best-next-step, and put you in the role of a decision-maker (liability, remedy, mens rea, etc.)

• Scenario complexity varies; more multi-step reasoning: some items require chaining two or three legal ideas (e.g., constitutional principle + statutory exception + facts).

• Increase in current law: (e.g., a short newsy paragraph about a recent law followed by fact patterns asking for legal application).

• Cross-discipline overlap: Legal Reasoning sometimes borrows from Logical Reasoning (syllogistic/comparative logic), requiring you to apply both legal and logical tools to the same question.

CLAT Legal Reasoning Most Repeated Topics and Sections

Below are the most repeated and important topics and sections for the CLAT Legal Reasoning Section.

CLAT Legal Reasoning Last 5 Years Questions With Solutions

The CLAT Previous year Question Papers are one of the most important tools for the preparation strategy to score good marks in the CLAT 2026 Exam. Below are the Year-wise CLAT Legal Reasoning sections.

CLAT 2025 Legal Reasoning Question With Solutions

Children come in contact with the criminal justice system either as victims or witnesses to a crime or as children in conflict with law (CICL). As CICL, they could be alleged of, accused or recognised as having broken the law by committing a crime. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Report 2021, India recorded a total number of 1,49,404 instances of crimes against children in 2021 — a rise of over 16 per cent from the previous year. In terms of percentage, the top categories under crime against children were kidnapping and abduction, followed by cases registered under the POCSO Act. Further, the NCRB report revealed that of the total cases, 53,874 were registered under POCSO Sections. Sexual offences against children shows a steady ascent, with 47,221 such cases being recorded in 2020, and 47,335 cases in 2019. In 2019, as many as 32,669 cases were registered across the country, while the 2021 report registered a decline of 3.5 per cent, recording 31,170 cases.

The Criminal Justice system of any country broadly refers to agencies of the government charged with enforcing law, adjudicating crime, and correcting criminal conduct. The main objective of the criminal justice system is ‘deterrence’, i.e., to punish the ‘transgressors and the criminals’ and to maintain law and order in society. Globally, children and young people are routinely exposed to various forms of violence if they are before the criminal justice system. They are at risk of physical and psychological abuse, sexual assault, and other harms, including inadequate educational opportunities, poor and outdated vocational training. They face several challenges, including mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. Children who are victims of violence or exposed to violence during childhood are more likely to have difficulty in school, abuse drugs or alcohol, act aggressively, suffer from depression or other mental health problems and engage in criminal behaviour as adults.

[Extracted, with edits and revisions from “Child Rights in the Criminal Justice System: Need for Law Reform” written by Dr Asha Bajpai, published in the Journal of the National Human Rights Commission, India].

1. Which of the following issues do children who are victims of violence during childhood face in life, as per the author of the above passage?
Options:
(A) They may have difficulties in school
(B) They may abuse drugs or alcohol and suffer from mental health problems
(C) They may act aggressively and engage in criminal behaviours
(D) All of the above

Answer: D) All of the above

Explanation: The passage states:

"Children who are victims of violence or exposed to violence during childhood are more likely to have difficulty in school, abuse drugs or alcohol, act aggressively, suffer from depression or other mental health problems and engage in criminal behaviour as adults."

This directly mentions all the issues listed in options A, B, and C. Hence, the correct answer is D.

2. What is the primary objective of the criminal justice system as mentioned in the passage?
Options:
(A) Rehabilitation of offenders
(B) Punishment of the offenders
(C) Reformation of the offenders
(D) Protection of victims from the offender

Answer: B) Punishment of the offenders

Explanation: The passage mentions:

"The main objective of the criminal justice system is ‘deterrence’, i.e., to punish the ‘transgressors and the criminals’ and to maintain law and order in society."

Here, the emphasis is on punishing the offenders to deter crime, which matches option B.

3. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in India is responsible for:
Options:
(A) Conducting forensic investigations of the Records of Criminals
(B) Maintaining a national database of fingerprints of Criminals
(C) Compiling and analysing crime data
(D) Maintaining a national database of the enforcement of criminal laws

Answer: C) Compiling and analysing crime data

Explanation: The passage refers to the NCRB Report 2021, which contains statistical data about crimes against children. This indicates that NCRB’s function is compiling and analysing crime data, making option C correct.

4. Which category had the highest number of cases under crimes against children according to the NCRB Report 2021?
Options:
(A) POCSO
(B) Kidnapping and abduction
(C) Sexual Offences
(D) All of the above

Answer: B) Kidnapping and abduction

Explanation: The passage states:

"In terms of percentage, the top categories under crime against children were kidnapping and abduction, followed by cases registered under the POCSO Act."

Hence, kidnapping and abduction had the highest number of cases.

5. Which one of the following is the correct expansion of the term POCSO used in the passage?
Options:
(A) Protection of Children from Sexual Offences
(B) Protection of Criminals & Sexual Offences
(C) Prevention of Children & Women from Sexual Offences
(D) None of the above

Answer: A) Protection of Children from Sexual Offences

Explanation: POCSO is a well-known legal term in India, referring to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, which deals with sexual crimes against children. Therefore, the correct option is A.

CLAT 2024 Legal Reasoning Question With Solution

The Indian legal system places a significant emphasis on protecting the rights and welfare of children. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, is a major legislation in this regard. It defines a child as a person below the age of 18 years and provides mechanisms for the treatment, care, and rehabilitation of children who are in conflict with law and those who need care and protection.

One of the key provisions of the Act is the establishment of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), which are special courts constituted to hear cases involving children accused of committing offences. The aim behind creating such boards is to ensure that children are treated differently from adult offenders, as they are more vulnerable and need guidance and support rather than punishment.

The Act makes a clear distinction between “a child in conflict with law” and “a child in need of care and protection”. A child in conflict with law refers to any child alleged or found to have committed an offence whereas a child in need of care and protection is one who is found without a home or means to support them.

The Act also provides a unique approach to dealing with children who are in conflict with law. Instead of penalising children through imprisonment, the Act focuses on rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Special homes and observation homes are established to care for such children during their period of observation and rehabilitation.

The Act further emphasises that child offenders should be treated based on their age at the time of the offence. For instance, children below the age of 16 who commit serious offences cannot be tried as adults. However, children above 16 years who commit heinous offences may be tried as adults, after following specified procedures.

The Juvenile Justice Boards maintain strict rules for the publication of information that could harm the privacy of the child. For example, no publication of name, school details, or photographs of the child is permitted. This is done to protect the dignity and future prospects of the child.

1. What is the primary objective of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015?
(A) To punish child offenders
(B) To criminalise and stigmatise children in conflict with the law
(C) To ensure care, protection and rehabilitation of children
(D) To try children as adults

Answer: (C) To ensure care, protection and rehabilitation of children

Explanation: The passage emphasises that the Act focuses on the treatment, care, and rehabilitation of children, rather than punishment. It mentions that children in conflict with the law are to be guided and reintegrated into society rather than penalised, which aligns with option (C). Options (A), (B), and (D) are incorrect because the Act does not aim to punish, criminalise, or automatically try children as adults.

2. Who forms the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)?
(A) Two Metropolitan Magistrates and two Lawyers
(B) A Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate of the first class and two Social Workers
(C) Three Police Officers

(D) Three Police Officers

Answer: (B) A Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate of the first class and two Social Workers

Explanation: The passage states that JJBs are special courts constituted to hear cases involving children. Although the exact members are not listed word-for-word, it is established under the Act that a JJB consists of a magistrate and two social workers, making option (B) correct. Options (A), (C), and (D) are incorrect as they either include police officers or the wrong combination of officials.

3. What is the role of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)?
(A) To determine the punishment for each child offender
(B) To determine whether a child committed the crime or not
(C) To assess the child’s circumstances, the nature of the juvenile, and make decisions on rehabilitation
(D) To prosecute child offenders

Answer: (C) To assess the child’s circumstances, the nature of the juvenile, and to make decisions on rehabilitation

Explanation: The passage explains that JJBs ensure children are treated differently from adults, focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration. They are not meant to punish (A) or prosecute (D). While they determine whether a child committed an offence, their primary role is to assess circumstances and decide on rehabilitation, making (C) correct.

4. What is the distinction between “a child in conflict with law” and “a child in need of care and protection”, as per the Act?
(A) A child in conflict with law is always above 16 years old while a child in need of care and protection is below 16
(B) A child in conflict with law has committed an offence, while a child in need of care and protection has no home or means of support
(C) A child in conflict with law will always be sent to jail
(D) A child in need of care and protection will always be tried as an adult

Answer: (B) A child in conflict with law has committed an offence, while a child in need of care and protection has no home or means of support

Explanation: The passage clearly defines the distinction:

• Child in conflict with law: Alleged or found to have committed an offence.

• Child in need of care and protection: Found without a home or means to support them.
  Option (B) directly reflects this. Other options are factually incorrect.

5. What protection is given to children mentioned in the passage?
(A) They are allowed to be tried as adults
(B) Their personal details be kept confidential
(C) They can be imprisoned depending on the severity
(D) When found guilty, their name must be published

Answer: (B) Their personal details be kept confidential

Explanation: The passage mentions strict rules about publication of information to protect the child’s privacy, dignity, and future prospects. This aligns with option (B). Options (A), (C), and (D) are incorrect as children are not automatically tried as adults, imprisoned indiscriminately, or publicly named.

CLAT 2023 Legal Reasoning Question With Solution

Direction: Surrogacy is defined by law as "a practice whereby one woman bears and gives birth to a child for an intending couple" and intends to hand over the child to them after the birth, as per the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 (the "SRA"). The SRA restricts altruistic surrogacy to legally wedded infertile Indian couples. The couple is deemed eligible for surrogacy only if they have been married for five years. The SRA sets an age limitation for the couple. A husband must be between 26 and 55 years of age and a wife between 23 and 50 years. Further, Indian couples with biological or adopted children are prohibited from undertaking surrogacy, save for some exceptions such as mentally or physically challenged children, or those suffering from a life-threatening disorder or fatal illness. The SRA provides that the surrogate mother has to be a close relative of the couple (such as a sibling of one of the members of the couple), a married woman with a child of her own, aged between 25 and 35 years, who has been a surrogate only once in her life. Even within this category of people, commercial surrogacy is banned in India and that includes the "commercialisation of surrogacy services or procedures or its component services or component procedures". The surrogate woman cannot be given payments, rewards, benefits or fees, "except the medical expenses and such other prescribed expenses incurred on the surrogate mother and the insurance coverage for the surrogate mother".

A legal commentator points out some criticisms of the law. "Permitting limited conditional surrogacy to married Indian couples and disqualifying other persons on basis of nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or age does not pass the test of equality," he writes. He adds that reproductive autonomy, inclusive of the right to procreation and parenthood is protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. The intending parents typically sign a contract with the surrogate. The Indian Contract Act, 1972 (the "ICA") provides that a valid contract has to be in writing, and signed in the presence of two witnesses. The ICA also provides that a contract that is prohibited by any other law will not be valid under the ICA.

1. Rani and Shiva would like to opt for surrogacy. They have been married for 6 years. Rani is aged 51, and Shiva is aged 53. Both Rani and Shiva have built successful business empires. They are now working together on a joint initiative. Due to the demanding nature of their work, they have not thought about having a child previously. However, they are now willing to have a child.

Option 1: Yes, because they have been married for more than 5 years.

Option 2: Yes, because they have financial capacity to bring up a child.

Option 3: No, because they do not fall within the legal requirements of intending parents.

Option 4: No, because they are not an infertile couple.

Correct Answer: No, because they do not fall within the legal requirements of intending parents.

Explanation: No, because they do not fall within the legal requirements of intending parents. The age limit set by the SRA act says that the woman must be within the age of 23-50 here the wife has exceeded the age limit thus, they cannot go for surrogacy.

2. Assume Rani and Shiva are eligible for surrogacy under the SRA. They approach Geeta to act as a surrogate. Geeta is Rani’s sister. She is 29 years old. She is married, has one child, and has been a surrogate twice before. Which of the following statements are false?
i. Geeta is eligible to be a surrogate because she is a close relative.
ii. Geeta is eligible to be a surrogate because she is married.
iii. Geeta has been a surrogate only twice before and is now eligible to be a surrogate for Rani.
iv. Geeta is eligible to be a surrogate because she is 29.

Option 1: Statement iii

Option 2: Statements i and iii

Option 3: Statements ii and iii

Option 4: Statements ii, iii, and iv

Correct Answer: Statement iii

Explanation: As the third statement says that the woman can be a surrogate twice but as seen and stated in accordance to the act that the woman must be surrogate only once, thus, as per the rules Geeta cannot be the surrogate for the intending couple mentioned.

3: Joseph and Neena are keen to have a child via surrogacy. They have been married for 8 years and have been unable to conceive biologically due to infertility. Joseph is 40 years old, and Neena is 42 years old. They have an adopted daughter, Maya, who is 4 years old. Maya has been diagnosed with Stricker’s Syndrome, which would cause slow neurological deterioration, with the risk of death. Devastated, Joseph and Neena decide to opt for surrogacy to become parents to their biological child. Are they eligible for surrogacy?

Option 1: Yes, because they have no biological children.

Option 2: No, because they have an adopted child.

Option 3: Yes, because their adopted child has been diagnosed with Stricker's Syndrome.

Option 4: Yes, because their right to procreation and parenthood is protected under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

Correct Answer: Yes, because their adopted child has been diagnosed with Stricker's Syndrome.

Explanation: Yes, because their adopted child has been diagnosed with Stricker's Syndrome. Even though they have an adopted child, the child is diagnosed with a terminal illness; thus, they are capable of having a surrogate child under SRA.

4: Karan and Daniel are in a homosexual relationship. As per the Hindu Marriage Act, marriage is allowed only between heterosexual couples. As a result, Karan and Daniel are not married. However, they wish to have children and decide to go in for surrogacy. When they approach Queen's clinic, they are informed that they do not meet the requirements for an intending couple under the SRA. Karan and Daniel wish to challenge the SRA for violating their constitutional right to non-discrimination. The non-discrimination clause under the Constitution of India reads: No citizen shall be discriminated on the basis of sex, caste, religion, nationality, place of birth or any other ground'. Karan and Daniel argue that the SRA discriminates against them on the basis of sexual orientation, because it restricts surrogacy to heterosexual couples alone. Which of the following arguments would most strongly support their claim in court?

Option 1: The non-discrimination clause does not explicitly mention sexual orientation.

Option 2: Discrimination on the basis of sex could include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Option 3: The non-discrimination clause is not restricted to explicitly mentioned grounds.

Option 4: Surrogacy is restricted under the SRA to married couples, and only heterosexual couples can get married.

Correct Answer: The non-discrimination clause is not restricted to explicitly mentioned grounds.

Explanation: The non-discrimination clause is not restricted to explicitly mentioned grounds. It is discriminatory that homosexual couples are not allowed which seems like a violation of their fundamental right but no non-discrimination clause is mentioned.

5: Queen runs a surrogacy clinic. She employs 54 women, aged between 25 and 35 years. They are all married women with one or more children. Most of them belong to economically disadvantaged backgrounds. They choose to be surrogates because it gives them a reliable source of income. Kishore and Noor are intending parents. They have been married 5 years, are both aged 35, and do not have children. Kishore has been certified as infertile. So, they decide to approach Queen’s clinic. They sign a contract with the surrogate. The contract is in writing and is signed in the presence of two witnesses. As per the contract, Kishore and Noor are required to remunerate the surrogate with 2 lakh per child born as a result of surrogacy, and take care of her medical needs, including providing her with medical insurance. A healthy baby girl is born as a result of surrogacy. Kishore and Noor are overjoyed. They take care of the surrogate’s medical expenses. However, they do not pay the surrogate the 2 lakh. The surrogate, supported by Queen, now wants to take Kishore and Noor to court, to demand that they make the payment. Will she succeed?

Option 1: Yes, because Kishore and Noor are bound by the contract under the ICA.

Option 2: Yes, because the intending parents and the surrogate meet the eligibility requirements under the SRA.

Option 3: Yes, because the surrogate meets the eligibility requirements under the SRA.

Option 4: No, because SRA allows only altruistic surrogacy, so the contract is not valid under the ICA.

Correct Answer: No, because SRA allows only altruistic surrogacy, so the contract is not valid under the ICA.