Careers360 Logo
ask-icon
share
    CLAT Last 3 years Question Papers with New Pattern

    CLAT Last 3 years Question Papers with New Pattern

    Isha GargUpdated on 03 Dec 2025, 05:04 PM IST

    CLAT has primarily become a comprehension-based, critical thinking exam since 2020. The total number of questions was reduced from 200 to 150 in 2020. The number of questions was further reduced to 120 in the CLAT 2024 exam to make it student-friendly and to ease exam stress. While the exam remains moderate to difficult, sections like English, legal reasoning, and logical reasoning mainly test inference and reasoning skills. Solving CLAT past year question (PYQ) papers is crucial for cracking the CLAT because it helps understand the comprehension-based format and improves speed and accuracy.

    CLAT Last 3 years Question Papers with New Pattern
    CLAT 2026 Last 3 years Question Papers with New Pattern

    The English Language section of the CLAT exam evaluates reading comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary through passage-based questions. The general knowledge and current affairs still require prior knowledge of national and international events. Legal reasoning applies legal principles to factual situations, and logical reasoning is often the toughest, involving puzzles and patterns. Quantitative techniques cover basic arithmetic, percentages, ratios, and data interpretation. Even though the questions are fewer in number, but require accuracy and speed.

    Comparison of Exam Patterns (2020 vs 2024-2026)

    Exam period

    Total questions

    Sections

    Duration

    Marking scheme

    Pre-2020

    200

    English, GK, Legal Aptitude, LR, QA

    2 hours

    +1 mark for correct answer and -0.25 for incorrect answer

    2020-2023


    150

    English Language, Current Affairs (including General Knowledge), Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques

    2 hours

    +1 mark for correct answer and -0.25 for incorrect answer

    2024 onwards


    120

    Same as 2020-2023 (passage-based format)

    2 hours

    +1 mark for correct answer and -0.25 for incorrect answer

    CLAT UG Exam Section-wise Question Distribution (2024-2026)

    The CLAT UG exam features 120 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 2 hours. Each correct answer awards 1 mark, with a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect response, and no penalty for unanswered questions. Questions are passage-based across five sections, testing comprehension, reasoning, and awareness skills at a 12th-grade level.

    CLAT 2026 - Section-wise Distribution of Questions

    Section

    Number of questions

    Weightage (%)

    English Language

    22-26

    20

    Current Affairs including GK

    28-32

    25

    Legal Reasoning

    28-32

    25

    Logical Reasoning

    22-26

    20

    Quantitative Techniques

    10-14

    10

    CLAT Exam Analysis - Last 3 Years (2023, 2024, 2025)

    In 2023, the English section was easy, with 28-30 good attempts out of 30 questions. General knowledge was also easy to moderate with 30-35 good attempts, while quantitative aptitude was more challenging, with only 8-9 good attempts. Logical reasoning and legal reasoning were moderate to difficult, with good attempts ranging from 25-27 and 32-34, respectively. Overall, the exam was moderate to difficult.

    In 2024, the CLAT exam pattern changed to 120 questions. English and general knowledge were easier, with good attempts above 20 and 25+, respectively. Quantitative aptitude and logical reasoning ranged between easy and moderate difficulty. Legal reasoning was easier compared to previous years. Overall, the exam was easy to moderate with about 105+ good attempts.

    In 2025, English and general knowledge remained easy to moderate. Quantitative aptitude got relatively tougher, with good attempts rising to 24-25 from fewer questions. Legal reasoning stayed moderately difficult, while logical reasoning was considered easier compared to earlier. The total good attempts were about 90-95, indicating moderate difficulty overall.

    Section-wise Difficulty and Attempts for 2023-2025

    Year

    Section

    Good attempts

    Difficulty level

    Total questions

    2023

    English Language

    28 - 30

    Easy

    30

    General Knowledge

    30 - 35

    Easy to moderate

    35

    Quantitative Aptitude

    8 - 9

    Moderate to difficult

    15

    Logical Reasoning

    25 - 27

    Moderate to difficult

    30

    Legal Reasoning

    32 - 34

    Tough but easy

    40

    Overall

    110+

    Moderate to difficult

    150

    2024

    English

    20+

    Easy

    24

    General Knowledge & Current Affairs

    25+

    Easy

    28

    Quantitative Aptitude

    7+

    Easy to moderate

    12

    Legal Reasoning

    25+

    Easy

    32

    Logical Reasoning

    20+

    Easy to moderate

    24

    Overall

    105+

    Easy to moderate

    120

    2025

    English

    18 - 19

    Easy to moderate

    22-26

    General Knowledge

    21 - 22

    Easy to moderate

    28-32

    Quantitative Aptitude

    24 - 25

    Moderate

    10-14

    Legal Reasoning

    17 - 18

    Moderate

    28-32

    Logical Reasoning

    8 - 9

    Easy to moderate

    22-26

    Overall

    90 - 95

    Moderate

    120

    Category-wise Expected Good Score in CLAT 2026 in Top NLUs

    NLU name

    General

    EWS

    OBC

    SC

    ST

    NLSIU Bengaluru

    100+

    95+

    90+

    83+

    78+

    NALSAR Hyderabad

    100+

    95+

    90+

    82+

    78+

    WBNUJS Kolkata

    98+

    -

    56+*

    80+

    74+

    NLU Jodhpur

    95+

    -

    88+

    79+

    74+

    GNLU Gandhinagar

    95+

    90+

    87+

    77+

    70+

    MNLU Mumbai

    93+

    81+

    77+*

    71+*

    41+*

    RMLNLU Lucknow

    91+

    85+

    82+*

    53+*

    41+*

    *state category reservation

    Based on past year data and expected trends for CLAT 2026, for general category candidates, a score between 90 and 100+ marks out of 120 is considered competitive for top NLUs. EWS candidates should aim for 85-95+ marks to secure good chances. For OBC candidates, a score of around 80-90+ marks is advisable. SC and ST candidates can secure admissions with scores in the range of 75-85 marks. Generally, to rank among the top candidates, scoring above 90 marks is highly recommended. Reserve categories have slightly lower cut-offs, but high scores always increase the chances of securing the preferred NLU seat.

    Articles
    |
    Upcoming Law Exams
    Ongoing Dates
    LU LLB Application Date

    17 Apr'26 - 25 Jun'26 (Online)

    Ongoing Dates
    MJPRU LLB Entrance Exam Others

    16 Jun'26 - 30 Jun'26 (Online)

    Certifications By Top Providers
    Indian Government and Politics
    Via University of Kashmir, Srinagar
    Literary Criticism From Plato to Leavis
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
    Applied Econometrics
    Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
    Study from Still Life
    Via Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi
    Geography of India
    Via University of Mysore, Mysore
    Swayam
     168 courses
    Edx
     129 courses
    NPTEL
     80 courses
    Futurelearn
     74 courses
    Explore Top Universities Across Globe
    University of Essex, Colchester
    Wivenhoe Park Colchester CO4 3SQ
    University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen
    King's College, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX
    Keele University, Newcastle
    Staffordshire, UK, ST5 5BG
    The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
    Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, Post Code EH8 9YL
    Queen Mary University of London, London
    Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
    University of East London, London
    University Way London, E16 2RD United Kingdom
    MBBS Abroad Fees for Indian Students in 2026
    5 minJun 12, 2026 09:06 AM IST
    Is MBBS Abroad Valid in India?
    5 minJun 12, 2026 06:06 AM IST

    Questions related to CLAT

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to CLAT ?

    Hello Dear Student,

    You can get CLAT PG Previous Year Question Papers (last 10 years) including answers from the Careers360 page below:

    https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-pg-previous-year-question-paper

    Best wishes for your CLAT PG preparation!

    Hello Abhijit,

    Check the link below to download the CLAT LLM 2022 exam question paper with solutions in PDF format.

    https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-2022-question-paper-with-solution

    Hi there,

    The CLAT 2026 cut-off is not a single score because it varies for every National Law University (NLU), category, domicile quota, and counselling round. For top NLUs such as NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata, the General category closing ranks were among the most competitive, typically closing

    Hello Dear Student,

    With a CLAT AIR of 19,688 , getting admission through the regular counselling rounds at most NLUs is difficult. However, as a Tamil Nadu domicile candidate under the BCO category , your best opportunity is usually Tamil Nadu National Law University , which has seats reserved for

    Hello Dear Student,

    Several coaching institutes and online learning platforms offer preparation programs for CLAT PG and CLAT UG aspirants. The type of course you choose should depend on your preparation level, available time, and budget.

    Test Series and Mock Test Programs

    For students who have already covered most of