CLAT Previous Year Question Papers: Where to Get Them and How to Use

CLAT previous year question papers are sold officially by the Consortium of National Law Universities for ₹500, as an add-on in the CLAT application, and the Consortium publishes provisional answer keys on consortiumofnlus.ac.in a few days after each exam. For CLAT 2027 on 6 December 2026, the most useful papers are CLAT 2024, 2025 and 2026, the three papers set in the current 120-question format. Solve them under a strict 2-hour clock and analyse every error; do not just read them.

Where to get CLAT previous year question papers

The Consortium’s CLAT 2027 UG instructions state that the cost of previous years’ question papers is ₹500, over and above the application fee of ₹4,000 (General and OBC) or ₹3,500 (SC, ST, BPL and PwD). The option sits inside the application. The application window closes on 31 October 2026; no extension had been announced when this guide was written. If you are applying in the last days, tick the papers option if you want the official set.

Many education websites also host a CLAT question paper PDF for recent years. They can be convenient, but check that the paper is complete, that the answer key matches the Consortium’s final key, and that the year is labelled correctly (CLAT 2026 was held in December 2025). Do not rely on a typed copy with missing passages.

Which CLAT papers matter for the 2027 pattern

The CLAT UG paper has changed twice in recent years. From CLAT 2020, the Consortium moved to the comprehension-based format, where questions follow passages. From CLAT 2024, the paper was cut from 150 to 120 questions. The CLAT 2027 format keeps that structure: 120 questions, 2 hours, five sections, +1 and minus 0.25.

• CLAT 2024, 2025 and 2026: treat these as full mocks. Save at least one for the last fortnight.
• CLAT 2020 to 2023: passage-based but 150 questions. Use them section by section, not as timed full papers.
• Papers before 2020: mostly direct, fact-recall questions. They train the wrong skill for today’s paper.

What CLAT PYQs teach you

A previous paper is a map of how the examiner thinks. When you study the recent CLAT PYQs, look for these features, which follow directly from the official syllabus:

1. Passage length. Passages run to about 450 words, so reading speed decides how many questions you reach.
2. Legal Reasoning gives the rule. The answer comes from the principle in the passage, even when real law might differ.
3. Current Affairs is passage-led. The passage introduces a theme, and questions often go into background the passage does not fully state, which is why broad 2026 reading matters.
4. Quant is Class 10 maths in data form. Short sets of facts, tables or text with numbers.
5. Close options. Two options often look right. The best answer is the one the passage fully supports.

How to use CLAT previous papers: a five-step method

1. Write it at 2:00 pm, the real exam slot, with a wall clock and no phone.
2. Score with negative marking. Correct minus 0.25 × wrong.
3. Classify every error: misread, did not know, trap, or time.
4. Re-solve wrong questions without the key the next day, before reading the explanation.
5. Compare with your mocks. If a mock feels far easier than the real paper, trust the real paper’s level.

Our guide on CLAT mock test analysis gives a full error-log format.

Original practice questions in the CLAT style

These are written by Lexfolio for practice, not taken from any CLAT paper.

Principle: A person who voluntarily agrees to a known risk cannot later claim damages for harm arising from that risk. Facts: Meera buys a ticket for a cricket match in Pune. The ticket says spectators sit at their own risk of being hit by the ball. A ball hits her during play. Separately, a loose railing collapses and she falls.

Question A: Can Meera claim for the ball injury? Under the principle, no: being hit by a ball is a known risk of watching cricket, and she agreed to it. Question B: Can she claim for the railing? Yes: a collapsing railing is not a risk of the game she agreed to. The trap in such questions is to apply the consent to every harm that happens at the venue.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get CLAT previous year question papers?

The Consortium of NLUs offers previous years’ question papers for ₹500 as an add-on in the CLAT application, according to its CLAT 2027 UG instructions. Several education websites also host past papers, but check them against the Consortium’s final answer key. Focus on CLAT 2024, 2025 and 2026, which follow the current 120-question format.

Where is the CLAT answer key published?

The Consortium publishes the provisional answer key on consortiumofnlus.ac.in after the exam, with a window for objections. For CLAT 2026, the key came out on 10 December 2025 and objections closed at 5:00 pm on 12 December, at ₹500 per objection, refunded if upheld.

Are CLAT papers before 2020 useful?

Only a little. Before 2020, CLAT asked many direct fact-recall questions, while the current paper is entirely passage-based. Use older papers, if at all, for a few general knowledge ideas.

Is the CLAT 2026 question paper useful for CLAT 2027?

Yes. CLAT 2026 was held on 7 December 2025 in the same 120-question, five-section format that applies to CLAT 2027. It is the best single benchmark of current difficulty.

Quick quiz

Sources

• Consortium of National Law Universities, CLAT 2027 UG instructions (fees; previous years’ papers ₹500)
• Consortium of National Law Universities, CLAT 2027 UG question paper format
• Consortium of National Law Universities, CLAT 2026 provisional answer key notice, 10 December 2025 (as reported by LiveLaw)
• Reporting on the CLAT 2020 pattern change and the CLAT 2024 reduction to 120 questions (Careers360, Bar and Bench)

Finished the real papers? Move on to the CLAT UG 2027 Mock Tests.

This page is for education and general information. Lexfolio is not affiliated with the Consortium of NLUs and does not reproduce any CLAT question paper. Exam details as on 29 October 2026.