CLAT Previous Year Papers: Which to Solve & How
CLAT previous year papers are available from 2008 to 2026 with answer keys — but they are not equally useful. The 2024–2026 papers match the current 120-question, passage-based pattern and should be your priority; the 2020–2023 papers (150 questions, same style) are strong extra practice; papers before 2020 follow an obsolete 200-question format.
Download CLAT Papers Year-Wise (with Answer Keys)
Each paper opens with its official question paper and final answer key. Start with the current-format papers (2024–2026) and work backwards.
Papers and final answer keys are the property of the Consortium of NLUs and are published officially on consortiumofnlus.ac.in after each exam. Pre-2020 papers (200-question format) are best mined for static GK rather than attempted as full timed papers.
Not All CLAT Papers Are Equal: the Three Pattern Eras
Most lists show every year flat. What actually matters is which papers still match the exam you will sit.
| Era | Years | Format | How to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current | 2024–2026 | 120 Qs · 2 hrs · passage-based | Priority — attempt as timed, full-length tests |
| Transitional | 2020–2023 | 150 Qs · 2 hrs · passage-based | Strong extra practice — same style, faster pace |
| Legacy | 2008–2019 | 200 Qs · knowledge-based MCQs | Skip for practice; static-GK mining only |
Why it matters: CLAT changed fundamentally in 2020 (fully passage-based) and again from CLAT 2024 (150 → 120 questions). A 2017 paper teaches you a format you will never face. Spend your timed attempts on 2024–2026, use 2020–2023 for volume, and treat the older papers as a question bank for static GK at most.
CLAT Paper Trend, Year by Year (Current Era)
Section splits from published paper analyses. Verify against the official Consortium key before relying on exact counts.
| Paper (held) | Qs | Eng | CA&GK | Legal | Logical | Quant | Difficulty* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLAT 2026 (7 Dec 2025) | 120 | 24 | 28 | 30 | 26 | 12 | Moderate |
| CLAT 2025 (1 Dec 2024) | 120 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 24 | 12 | Easy–moderate |
| CLAT 2024 (3 Dec 2023) | 120 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 24 | 12 | Moderate |
| CLAT 2023 (18 Dec 2022) | 150 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 30 | 15 | Moderate |
| CLAT 2022 (19 Jun 2022) | 150 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 30 | 15 | Moderate–tough |
| CLAT 2021 (23 Jul 2021) | 150 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 30 | 15 | Moderate |
*Difficulty reflects consensus from post-exam analyses and is indicative. Exact section counts vary slightly by year within the Consortium's published weightage; verify against the official question paper and final answer key on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The stable takeaways: Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs & GK are consistently the largest sections, and recent papers reward accuracy over attempts.
How to Actually Use a CLAT Previous Year Paper
A previous paper is only worth as much as the analysis after it. This is the attempt → analyse → re-attempt method our toppers run on every paper.
- 1
Attempt it like the real exam
One sitting, two hours, OMR sheet, no pauses — ideally 2:00–4:00 PM, the real slot. Print the paper; CLAT is offline, and screen practice misses the OMR rhythm.
- 2
Tag every answer Sure or Guess
As you go. This is the single highest-value habit: it separates accuracy problems from confidence problems when you review.
- 3
Score it with the official key
+1 correct, −0.25 wrong. Record total AND section-wise scores in a log — the trend across papers matters more than any single score.
- 4
Analyse in three buckets
Wrong-but-Sure (concept gaps — fix first), wrong-but-Guess (stop guessing these), and right-but-slow (speed work). Re-read every passage you misread.
- 5
Re-attempt after 3–4 weeks
Not to inflate your score — to confirm the gaps you found are actually closed.
A good rhythm for CLAT 2027: one previous paper every 1–2 weeks from mid-preparation, switching to full mock-series intensity in the final three months — PYPs tell you what the exam was; fresh mocks simulate what it will be.
What 'good' looks like in a PYP
Recent cut-off context: top NLUs have closed around the high-90s to low-100s out of 120 in recent cycles, and a score in the 85–100 band on a timed 2024–2026 paper puts you in serious NLU contention. Treat sub-scores, not the total, as the signal — a 90 built on weak Legal + strong English needs a different plan from the reverse. (Indicative; cut-offs vary by year.)
Previous Papers, Sample Papers and Mocks: What Each Is For
Previous year papers are the real exam — the ground truth for pattern, difficulty and style; their one limit is that there are only six in the current format. Sample papers are unofficial imitations of varying quality — useful for volume, only as good as their setter. Mock tests are the bridge: fresh, exam-calibrated papers with current-affairs windows matched to YOUR cycle, rank benchmarking against other aspirants, and section analytics. The sequence that works: learn the exam from PYPs, build volume with sectional practice, then live in a proctored mock series for the final months.
Previous papers
The real exam — ground truth for pattern, difficulty and style. Limit: only six in the current format.
Sample papers
Unofficial imitations of varying quality. Useful for volume — only as good as their setter.
Mock tests
Fresh, exam-calibrated papers with current-affairs windows for your cycle, rank benchmarking and analytics.
Previous Year Papers FAQs
Where can I download CLAT previous year question papers?
CLAT previous year papers from 2008 to 2026 are available year-wise on this page with answer keys, and the official question paper and final answer key for each cycle are published by the Consortium of NLUs on consortiumofnlus.ac.in after the exam. Start with the 2024–2026 papers — they match the current 120-question pattern — and work backwards.
Are CLAT previous year papers available for free with answer keys?
Yes. CLAT previous year papers are freely available with answer keys — the Consortium publishes the official paper and provisional/final keys after each exam, and year-wise PDFs are accessible through this page. Use the official final answer key for scoring, since provisional keys occasionally change after the objection window.
How many years of CLAT previous papers should I solve?
Prioritise the six current-format papers — CLAT 2024, 2025 and 2026 (120 questions) first, then 2020–2023 (150 questions, same passage-based style) for volume. That is six to nine genuinely useful papers. Papers before 2020 follow an obsolete 200-question, knowledge-based format and are not worth timed attempts; at most, mine them for static GK.
Which CLAT papers match the current 120-question pattern?
Three papers match the current format exactly: CLAT 2024 (held 3 December 2023, the first 120-question paper), CLAT 2025 (1 December 2024) and CLAT 2026 (7 December 2025). All are 120 passage-based questions in 2 hours with +1/–0.25 marking. These are your highest-value timed attempts — treat each like the real exam before scoring it with the official key.
Are CLAT papers from before 2020 still useful?
Mostly no. Pre-2020 CLAT papers used a 200-question, knowledge-based format — direct GK, standalone legal and vocabulary questions — that the exam abandoned when it became fully passage-based in 2020. Attempting them builds the wrong skills and miscalibrates your timing. Their only modern use is as a static-GK and legal-maxims question bank, mined selectively rather than attempted as papers.
Do questions repeat from CLAT previous year papers?
Exact questions almost never repeat — CLAT sets fresh passages every year. What repeats is the architecture: question types (inference, principle–fact application, strengthen/weaken), section structure, passage sources and difficulty calibration. That is exactly why PYPs matter: you are not memorising answers, you are internalising the pattern, pacing and traps the exam reuses year after year.
How should I attempt a CLAT previous year paper?
Replicate the real exam: one uninterrupted 2-hour sitting, ideally 2:00–4:00 PM (the actual slot), on a printed paper with an OMR sheet — CLAT is offline, and OMR rhythm matters. Tag each answer 'Sure' or 'Guess' as you go, attempt sections in your planned exam order, and only check the answer key after the full attempt. Treat every PYP as a dress rehearsal.
How do I analyse a CLAT paper after attempting it?
Score with the official key (+1/–0.25), then sort errors into three buckets: wrong-but-Sure (concept gaps — fix these first), wrong-but-Guess (eliminate this guessing), and right-but-slow (speed work). Log total and section-wise scores across papers to see trends, and re-read every passage you misread. The analysis hour after a paper is worth more than the attempt itself.
What is a good score in a CLAT previous year paper?
On a timed 2024–2026 paper, a score of 85–100 out of 120 puts you in serious NLU contention — top NLUs have closed around the high-90s to low-100s in recent cycles (indicative; cut-offs vary by year and category). But read sub-scores, not just the total: a 90 with weak Legal Reasoning needs a different plan from a 90 with weak Quant.
When should I start solving previous year papers?
Attempt one paper early — even in your first month — as a diagnostic, without worrying about the score; it shows you exactly what the exam is. Then return to regular PYP attempts from mid-preparation (one every 1–2 weeks) once your concepts and reading speed have a base, and shift to full mock-series intensity in the final three months before the exam.
Should I solve the same CLAT paper more than once?
Yes — once, strategically. Re-attempt a paper 3–4 weeks after your first attempt and analysis, not to inflate your score (you will remember some answers) but to verify the gaps you identified are actually fixed: are the wrong-but-Sure questions now right for the right reasons? Beyond one re-attempt, fresh papers and mocks are a better use of time.
Which matters more: previous year papers or mock tests?
Both, in sequence. PYPs are the ground truth — the real exam's pattern, difficulty and style — but only six exist in the current format. Mocks are fresh, exam-calibrated papers with current-affairs windows matched to your cycle and rank benchmarking against real competitors. Learn the exam from PYPs first, then live in a proctored mock series for the final months.
Are CLAT sample papers the same as previous year papers?
No. Previous year papers are the actual exams set by the Consortium — authentic in difficulty, style and structure. Sample papers are unofficial imitations of widely varying quality; a poorly set sample paper can miscalibrate your sense of difficulty. Use PYPs as your reference standard, good mock series for fresh practice, and treat random sample papers with caution.
Where does the Consortium publish official CLAT papers and answer keys?
The Consortium of NLUs publishes the official question paper and the provisional answer key on consortiumofnlus.ac.in shortly after each exam, opens an objection window, and then releases the final answer key. The final key is the authoritative scoring source. Older official papers have also been made available through the Consortium's portal and during the application cycle.
Are CLAT PG previous year papers available?
Yes. CLAT PG (LLM) papers and answer keys are published alongside the UG papers after each cycle — the PG paper is 120 questions in 2 hours on core law subjects (Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence and others) rather than aptitude. PG aspirants should apply the same method: attempt timed, score with the official key, and analyse error patterns by subject.
What is the difficulty trend of recent CLAT papers?
Recent papers have been moderate overall, with a clear internal pattern: Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs & GK carry the most questions, English has trended easier with shorter passages, and Quantitative Techniques stays small (10–14 questions) but time-consuming. Since the 150→120 reduction, per-question time rose to ~60 seconds, and the papers increasingly reward accuracy and selective attempting over raw speed.
How was the latest CLAT paper (CLAT 2026)?
CLAT 2026, held on 7 December 2025, followed the 120-question pattern — approximately English 24, Current Affairs & GK 28, Legal Reasoning 30, Logical Reasoning 26 and Quantitative Techniques 12 — and was rated moderate overall by most analyses. It is your single most representative practice paper for CLAT 2027, since it is the newest paper in the current format. Attempt it timed, late in your preparation.
Should I solve previous papers section-wise or as full papers?
Both, at different stages. Early on, use PYP questions section-wise to learn each question type without time pressure. From mid-preparation, attempt full papers in one timed sitting — stamina, section-order strategy and OMR pacing only develop in full-length conditions. A useful split: section-wise for learning, full-length for testing; never let section-wise practice replace complete timed attempts.
Should I practise previous papers on OMR sheets?
Yes. CLAT is an offline, pen-and-paper exam answered on an OMR sheet, and bubbling takes real time that screen practice hides — students routinely lose 3–5 minutes to OMR transfer if they have never practised it. Print the paper, use a proper OMR sheet, and decide your bubbling rhythm (per question vs per passage) before exam day.
Do CLAT coaching institutes provide solved previous year papers?
Yes — at our Delhi NCR centres, solved previous year papers with explanations are part of the study material, and mentors review your PYP attempts section by section: where you lost marks, whether errors were concept, guessing or speed, and what to fix next. The programme then layers a 60+ full-length OMR mock series in the real exam format on top of the PYP base.
How do previous year papers fit into a CLAT 2027 study plan?
Use one PYP as an early diagnostic, build concepts and reading speed, then attempt one paper every 1–2 weeks from mid-preparation with full analysis after each. Reserve the newest papers (CLAT 2025, 2026) for the later months when attempts are most informative, and shift to mock-series intensity in the final quarter. PYPs map the exam; mocks and analysis close the gap to your target NLU score.
Turn papers into a plan
Previous year papers tell you what CLAT is; a mentor tells you what YOUR attempts mean. Get your PYP scores reviewed, find where the marks are leaking, and follow a plan built to close the gap — with a 60+ mock series in the real OMR format.
Start your CLAT 2027 journey today
CLAT 2027 is expected on 6 December 2026 — the earlier you start, the more reading and mock practice compounds. Book a free demo class at any Delhi NCR centre. No commitment: attend one session and decide.