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CLAT Is a Newspaper in Disguise: 3-Year Question Paper Analysis Finds 127 News-Linked Questions Across 22 Pass
Newspaper reports, published articles and official statements formed 47 of 120 questions in the CLAT 2024, 34 in 2025 and 46 in the 2026 question paper. This was more than one-third of the paper in 2024 and 2026. The questions were drawn directly from major news sources such as The Hindu, The Times of India, The Indian Express, The Wire, Reuters and NBC News. The questions also included Press Information Bureau releases and official statements by public figures such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar. This makes newspaper reading a major part of CLAT preparation, beyond current affairs revision alone.
CLAT is a reading-intensive paper, featuring comprehension passages in almost all sections, including logical reasoning. CLAT past years’ question paper analysis demonstrates that CLAT’s heavy reliance on comprehension passages, sourced from current news, essentially makes it a compilation of important news and editorials disguised as a question paper.
Newspaper-Based Passages and Questions: Last 3-Year Analysis
Exam | Total passages | Passages from news/press/statements | Questions from news sources | Share of total paper |
CLAT 2026 | 21 | 8 passages (5 current affairs and GK+ 3 legal reasoning) | 46 questions | 38.3% |
CLAT 2025 | 21 | 6 passages (3 current affairs and GK+ 3 legal reasoning) | 34 questions | 28.3% |
CLAT 2024 | 20 | 8 passages (1 English, 2 current affairs and GK, 3 legal reasoning, 2 logical reasoning) | 47 questions | 39.1% |
In the CLAT 2026 question paper, all 5 passages in current affairs and general knowledge were drawn from major news sources, accounting for 28 questions.
In the legal reasoning section of the same question paper, 3 of the 5 passages, covering 18 of the 30 questions, drew on Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (6 questions) and The Hindu (12 questions across two passages).
Together, these 8 passages covered 46 questions, or 38.3% of the paper.
CLAT 2026: 46 Questions from News Sources
Section | Passage | Question range | No. of questions | Source | Topic |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | VI | 25 - 29 | 5 | The Times of India (21 Sep 2025) | Geopolitics: US-India ties, H-1B visas, 50% tariffs, and Chabahar waiver |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | VII | 30 - 34 | 5 | The Hindu (29 Jul 2025) | Sports: Divya Deshmukh winning the Women's Chess World Cup |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | VIII | 35 - 40 | 6 | EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar's Lok Sabha Statement (28 Jul 2025) | Foreign Policy: Response to Pahalgam / Operation Sindoor & Indus Waters Treaty |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | IX | 41 - 46 | 6 | PIB Press Release (1 Sep 2025) | International Summits: 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | X | 47 - 52 | 6 | Air India Press Release (26 Jul 2025) | Corporate/State Relief: AI-171 crash compensation & memorial trust |
III - Legal Reasoning | XI | 53 - 58 | 6 | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Milan Vaishnav et al., 28 Jul 2025) | Policy Analytics: 'One Nation, One Election' and simultaneous polls |
III - Legal Reasoning | XIV | 71 - 76 | 6 | The Hindu (8 Apr 2025) | Constitutional Law: State of TN v. Governor of TN; assent & 'pocket veto' |
III - Legal Reasoning | XV | 77 - 82 | 6 | The Hindu (27 Oct 2023) | Family/Constitutional Law: Supriyo v. Union of India same-sex marriage case |
CLAT 2025: 34 Questions (28.3% of total question paper)
In CLAT 2025, 6 of the 21 passages were news-based, making 34 questions, or 28.3% of the 120-question paper.
In the current affairs and GK section, 3 of the 5 passages total were based on news reports or official releases. One drew on NBC News for a passage on the Paris Olympics 2024. Another drew on Reuters for the BRICS Summit and India-China relations. The third one was from a press release covering Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir. These 3 passages combined covered 18 questions of the GK section’s 28 questions.
In CLAT legal reasoning, 3 of the 6 total passages drew on Carnegie India (5 questions), The Hindu (5 questions) and The Economic Times (6 questions). Together, they covered 16 of the section’s 32 questions.
CLAT 2025 Questions From News Sources
Section | Passage | Question Range | No. of Questions | Source | Core Topic / Domain |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | V | 25 - 30 | 6 | NBC News (2024) | Sports & Geopolitics: Paris Olympics 2024, post-COVID global sports dynamics, and India's placement |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | VI | 31 - 36 | 6 | Reuters (2024) | International Relations: BRICS Summit outcomes, Russia's diplomatic standing, and Modi-Xi harmony |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | VII | 37 - 42 | 6 | PIB / Union Home Ministry (Official Release) | Public Policy: Article 370 abrogation updates, Jammu & Kashmir reorganisation, and Ladakh administrative framework |
III - Legal Reasoning | XI | 58 - 62 | 5 | Carnegie India (Anirudh Burman, 2023/2024) | Tech Policy & Privacy: Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act frameworks, consent mechanics, and data rights |
III - Legal Reasoning | XII | 63 - 67 | 5 | The Hindu (2024) | Criminal Jurisprudence: Enforcement of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 |
III - Legal Reasoning | XIII | 68 - 73 | 6 | The Economic Times (2024) | Constitutional Law: Supreme Court linking Right to Life (Article 21) with climate justice and Directive Principles |
CLAT 2024: 39% Questions From News Sources
In CLAT 2024, 8 of 20 passages covered 47 questions (39.1%) using news reports, articles and public statements. The 8 passages appeared across four sections: English, current affairs including GK, legal reasoning and logical reasoning.
The English language had one passage from Frontline, a news magazine published by The Hindu Group.
CLAT Current affairs and GK had 2 passages drawn from media reports out of 5: a Hindustan Times report on the 2023 G20 Summit (4 questions) and PM Modi’s address on Chandrayaan-3 and ISRO milestones (6 questions).
Legal reasoning had three newspaper passages out of 5, from The Hindu (7 questions), The Wire (6 questions) and The Telegraph (6 questions). These passages covered 19 of the section’s 32 questions.
Logical reasoning had 2 passages directly sourced from newspapers out of 4: one from The Times of India (6 questions), and another from The Indian Express (6 questions). Together, they covered 12 questions out of 24.
CLAT 2024 Questions from News Sources
Section | Passage | Question range | No. of questions | Source | Topic |
I - English Language | I | 1 - 6 | 6 | Frontline (G. Mohan Gopal) | Socio-Legal Essay: "Justice and the Two Ideas of India" (Middle class vs. the poor) |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | VII | 37 - 40 | 4 | Hindustan Times (2023) | Geopolitics: 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi (venues, guest lists, invitees) |
II - Current Affairs incl. GK | IX | 47 - 52 | 6 | PM Narendra Modi's Public Address (26 Aug 2023) | Space & Tech: Chandrayaan-3 moon landing and ISRO milestones |
III - Legal Reasoning | XI | 60 - 66 | 7 | The Hindu (Krishnadas Rajagopal) | Family Law: Supreme Court verdict on inheritance rights of children from void/voidable marriages |
III - Legal Reasoning | XII | 67 - 72 | 6 | The Wire (22 Aug 2023) | Data Privacy: Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023 and government exemptions |
III - Legal Reasoning | XIV | 79 - 84 | 6 | The Telegraph (7 Aug 2023) | Media Regulation: Editors Guild of India objections to the Press & Registration of Periodicals Bill |
IV - Logical Reasoning | XV | 85 - 90 | 6 | The Times of India (2023) | Tech Policy: AI regulation challenges and building indigenous Indian AI architecture |
IV - Logical Reasoning | XVI | 91 - 96 | 6 | The Indian Express (Akash Kumar, 2 Sept 2023) | Social Commentary: Coaching culture, systemic student stress, and the tyranny of merit in Kota |
Why Reading Newspapers Matters for CLAT Preparation
Reading newspapers daily helps aspirants get used to the language and writing style used in CLAT passages. Candidates can read newspapers such as The Indian Express or The Hindu to follow major national and international developments. Aspirants can also use daily CLAT current affairs and practise the MCQs that follow them.
Monthly current affairs quizzes can help revise important events. When a topic is unfamiliar, read the original news reports and official sources. The aim is to understand what happened, why it matters and what arguments the report presents, rather than memorising facts alone.
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Hello Student,
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Hello student,
CLAT 2027 aspirants can access these monthly current affairs compilations for regular revision. Use these resources to stay updated with important events and topics for CLAT 2027.
CLAT 2027 Current Affairs - Monthly Compilations
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Particular |
Download PDF |
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CLAT Current Affairs- August Month (2026) |
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CLAT Current Affairs- |
If you have only two months, use a highly structured plan: daily current affairs, English reading, legal reasoning practice, logical reasoning sets, basic quantitative practice and regular full-length mocks. Spend as much time analysing incorrect questions as taking the mock itself. Consistency during these two months can make a substantial
You can download the CLAT previous years' question papers from here:
https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-previous-year-question-papers
https://law.careers360.com/download/clat-sample-papers-previous-years
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