The CLAT PG 2026 exam was conducted on December 7, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM in offline (pen-and-paper) mode across designated exam centres nationwide. The paper comprised 120 multiple-choice questions spread across 24 reading-comprehension passages (5 questions per passage), covering Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Law of Contract, Criminal Law, Family Law, Administrative Law, Public International Law, and Environmental Law. The overall difficulty was Moderate, with the paper’s sheer length — over 40 pages — posing the single biggest challenge for students.

Shortly after the exam ended, Collegedunia gathered feedback from students across exam centres. Most students found the paper manageable but extremely reading-intensive. Jurisprudence and Law of Contract passages were rated the toughest, while Family Law and Environmental Law offered quick-scoring opportunities. A distinctive feature of CLAT PG 2026 was the appearance of questions based on the new criminal laws — BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, and BSA 2023 — in place of the traditional IPC/CrPC framework, which caught some students off guard.

Collegedunia gathered real-time reactions from students at exam centres across the country to bring you an authentic account of the CLAT PG 2026 experience.

"The paper was doable but very long. Jurisprudence passages needed careful re-reading. I managed around 100 questions with confidence — hoping for 92+ marks." — Student at a Delhi exam centre, CLAT PG 2026

  • 120 passage-based MCQs across 24 comprehension passages — 5 questions each, paper ran over 40 pages.
  • Constitutional Law had the highest weightage (~35 questions) and was rated Moderate in difficulty.
  • Jurisprudence passages featuring Bentham’s utilitarian theory and Hohfeld’s jurial relations were the conceptually toughest segment.
  • Criminal Law questions referenced BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, and BSA 2023 (India’s new criminal laws) — a first in CLAT PG history.
  • The paper was heavily reading-comprehension driven; most answers were traceable within the passage for attentive readers.
  • Family Law and Environmental Law offered the easiest scoring opportunities of the paper.
  • Expert coaching institutes estimate 88–95 attempts as a strong-performance target for top-NLU qualification.

Overall, CLAT PG 2026 rewarded students who combined solid legal knowledge with strong reading speed and comprehension. Based on initial expert estimates and student reactions, the expected score range for top-NLU qualification is approximately 92–105 marks out of 120.

CLAT PG 2026 Question Paper with Solution PDF

CLAT PG 2026 Question Paper Download PDF Check Solutions

CLAT PG 2026 Students’ Feedback

CLAT PG 2026 was held in a single afternoon shift on December 7, 2025. The overall paper was rated Moderate in difficulty, though its exceptional length meant that time management defined performance more than raw knowledge for many students. Constitutional Law passages were engaging but time-consuming; Jurisprudence was conceptually demanding; and the Other Law Subjects section was mixed — easier in Family Law and Criminal Law (for students aware of the new laws), tougher in Contract Law and Public International Law.

  • The passage-heavy format rewarded students with high reading speed and applied legal reasoning.
  • Questions from BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, and BSA 2023 replaced IPC/CrPC references in Criminal Law passages — students who had updated their preparation scored better.
  • Jurisprudence passages on Bentham and Hohfeld demanded deeper theoretical grounding beyond surface-level definitions.
  • Environmental Law and Family Law passages offered quick, reliable marks for well-prepared students.
  • Expert institutes place 88–95 attempts as the good-performance band for top-NLU aspirants.
Section No. of Questions Marks Difficulty Level Good Attempts
Constitutional Law 35 35 Moderate 28–30
Jurisprudence 20 20 Moderate to Difficult 15–17
Law of Contract 15 15 Difficult 11–12
Criminal Law 12 12 Easy to Moderate 10–11
Administrative Law 10 10 Moderate 8–9
Family Law 8 8 Easy 7–8
Public International Law 8 8 Moderate to Difficult 6–7
Environmental & Other Law 12 12 Easy to Moderate 10–11
Total 120 120 Moderate 88–95

CLAT PG 2026 Students’ Reaction (Ground Feedback)

Students leaving CLAT PG 2026 exam centres shared a broad range of reactions. Those with thorough knowledge of the new criminal laws and strong reading comprehension speed were confident of high scores. Students who had not updated their Criminal Law preparation to the new BNS/BNSS/BSA framework or who struggled with the paper’s reading load found the exam more stressful than expected.

Student-Wise Insights

Student Attempt Type Exam Experience Score Expectation Key Observations
Rahul (Delhi) First attempt Tough in parts due to new criminal laws 85–90 marks BNS/BNSS questions were unexpected; Jurisprudence passages were very long
Pooja (Mumbai) Second attempt Manageable but tricky in spots 100–105 marks RC-heavy format favoured strong readers; Contract Law passage was the most complex
Arjun (Bengaluru) First attempt Moderate — balanced overall 92–96 marks Constitutional Law passages were well-structured; time pressure near the end
Shreya (Chennai) First attempt Lengthy but doable 88–93 marks Family Law and Criminal Law offered easy marks; PIL section was dense and time-heavy

Constitutional Law Section Feedback

  • Constitutional Law carried the highest weightage with approximately 35 questions across 6–7 passages.
  • Questions tested applied understanding of Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, federalism, and judicial review — not mere factual recall.
  • Recent Supreme Court judgments (on Article 32 jurisdiction, Article 21 scope, and inter-state disputes) were prominently featured.
  • Students with strong case-law preparation found most answers traceable within the passage with minimal guesswork.
  • Overall verdict from students: Moderate — demanding in breadth but fair in framing.

Jurisprudence Section Feedback

  • Jurisprudence was widely rated the conceptually toughest section of CLAT PG 2026.
  • Bentham’s utilitarian theory and Hohfeld’s analysis of rights and duties featured in long, dense passages.
  • The Bentham passage was reportedly one of the longest in the entire paper and required careful multiple reads.
  • Natural Law Theory, Hart’s positivism, and Kelsen’s Pure Theory of Law were also tested.
  • Students without dedicated jurisprudence preparation found this section difficult to complete within time.

Other Law Subjects Section Feedback

  • Law of Contract — Passages on offer, acceptance, consideration, and specific performance required fine doctrinal distinction; rated Difficult by most students.
  • Criminal Law — Questions referenced BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, and BSA 2023; students updated on the new framework found it easy, others found it confusing.
  • Family Law — Hindu Marriage Act and succession passages were the easiest in the paper; most students completed these quickly.
  • Administrative Law — Judicial review of administrative action and natural justice principles were tested at moderate difficulty.
  • Public International Law — Treaty obligations and human rights convention passages were dense and conceptually demanding; rated Moderate to Difficult.
  • Environmental Law — NGT jurisdiction and the precautionary principle passages were short and accessible; rated Easy to Moderate.

Attempt & Score Expectations

  • Students targeting NLSIU Bangalore or NALSAR Hyderabad should aim for 100+ marks to be safe.
  • A score of 90–95 marks is expected to be competitive for Tier-2 NLUs such as NUJS Kolkata and NLU Jodhpur.
  • Expert estimates place 88–95 attempted questions as the good-performance band; attempting fewer risks losing rank to peers even with high accuracy.
  • Students who completed the paper (95+ attempts) hold a clear advantage over those who left questions unanswered.
  • Negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer makes random guessing risky — informed elimination strategies are strongly recommended.

CLAT PG 2026 Constitutional Law Analysis

Aspect Details
Number of Questions ~35 questions across 6–7 passages
Difficulty Level Moderate
Key Topics Covered Fundamental Rights (Articles 14, 19, 21), DPSP, Federalism, Judicial Review, Constitutional Amendments, Parliamentary Privileges
Type of Questions Application-based; doctrine identification within scenario; answers traceable within passage with sound constitutional knowledge
Recent Judgments Featured Landmark SC decisions on Article 21 right to livelihood, Article 32 jurisdiction, and federalism disputes
Good Attempts 28–30 out of 35
Student Verdict Moderate — manageable with thorough preparation in constitutional doctrines and recent judgments

CLAT PG 2026 Jurisprudence Analysis

Aspect Details
Number of Questions ~20 questions across 4 passages
Difficulty Level Moderate to Difficult
Key Theories Covered Bentham’s Utilitarianism, Hohfeld’s Jurial Relations (rights, duties, privileges, immunities), Natural Law Theory (Aquinas, Fuller), Hart’s Positivism, Kelsen’s Pure Theory of Law
Type of Questions Conceptual-application; required understanding of jurisprudential frameworks beyond surface definitions
Challenging Passage Bentham passage — one of the longest in the paper; required careful reading and analytical application of utilitarian principles
Good Attempts 15–17 out of 20
Student Verdict Difficult for under-prepared students; rewarding for students who had studied jurisprudential theory in depth

CLAT PG 2026 Other Law Subjects Analysis

Aspect Details
Number of Questions ~65 questions across 13 passages (Contract, Criminal, Family, Administrative, PIL, Environmental and other subjects)
Difficulty Level Easy to Moderate (varies by subject)
Easiest Subjects Family Law, Environmental Law, Criminal Law (for students updated on new laws)
Most Difficult Subjects Law of Contract (complex doctrine), Public International Law (dense conceptual passages)
Distinctive 2026 Feature Criminal Law questions based on BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, BSA 2023 — replacing IPC/CrPC for the first time in CLAT PG history
Good Attempts 53–57 out of 65
Student Verdict Mixed — strong for students current on new laws; tricky where new criminal law framework applied unexpectedly

CLAT PG 2025 Paper Analysis

CLAT PG 2025 was conducted on December 1, 2024, in a single afternoon shift (2:00 PM to 4:00 PM) in offline mode. The paper maintained the passage-based MCQ format with 120 questions across 24 passages. The 2025 paper was rated Moderate overall — slightly easier than CLAT PG 2023 but broadly consistent with 2024. Constitutional Law remained the dominant section; Jurisprudence was moderately challenging (Austin, Dworkin, and Rawls featured); and Criminal Law questions still referenced the traditional IPC/CrPC framework, unlike 2026. The 2025 paper rewarded consistent, all-round preparation — no single section was unusually easy or abnormally tough.

  • Constitutional Law was Moderate — focused on landmark judgments and constitutional doctrines; well-framed passages.
  • Jurisprudence was Moderate — Austin’s command theory, Dworkin’s rights thesis, and Rawls’ theory of justice were tested without the extreme difficulty seen in 2026.
  • Law of Contract was Moderate — passages on contract formation and enforcement were standard; no unexpected doctrinal complexity.
  • Criminal Law (IPC/CrPC-based) was Easy to Moderate — students with standard preparation had no difficulty; 2026 would be the year this changed.
  • Family Law and Environmental Law were Easy — reliable quick-scoring segments, as in most years.
  • Strong performers attempted 90–100 questions; expert-estimated good-attempts range was 88–98.
Subject Difficulty (2025) Most Asked Topics Remarks
Constitutional Law Moderate Fundamental Rights, Judicial Review, Emergency Provisions, Federalism Dominant section; well-framed passages; manageable with preparation
Jurisprudence Moderate Austin’s command theory, Dworkin’s rights thesis, Rawls’ theory of justice Conceptual but less demanding than 2026; Dworkin passages were the toughest
Law of Contract Moderate Formation of contract, consideration, breach and remedies Standard difficulty; no unusual doctrinal complexity
Criminal Law Easy to Moderate IPC provisions, mens rea, actus reus, criminal liability Pre-new-laws format (IPC/CrPC); student-friendly for well-prepared aspirants
Family Law Easy Hindu Marriage Act, succession, maintenance, divorce grounds Most accessible section; reliable scoring opportunity
Environmental Law Easy to Moderate NGT jurisdiction, precautionary principle, polluter-pays doctrine Short passages; straightforward questions
Public International Law Moderate Treaty law, human rights conventions, state responsibility Moderately complex; longer passages but less dense than 2026

CLAT PG Paper Analysis Last 10 Years

CLAT PG’s format has shifted significantly over the past decade. Between 2017 and 2020, the paper used a traditional direct MCQ format focused on factual recall, where students could attempt 95–110 questions comfortably. From 2021 onwards, the Consortium of NLUs progressively introduced passage-based comprehension questions, completing the transition in 2022. This structural shift made the paper more reading-intensive, dropped good attempts sharply in 2022, and permanently changed the preparation strategy needed to succeed. Since 2024, the format has stabilised and good attempts have recovered as students adapted their approach.

  • 2017–2019: Easy to Moderate — traditional MCQ; factual recall dominant; good attempts 95–108.
  • 2020–2021: Moderate to Difficult — transitional period; mix of direct questions and short passages; reading load increased.
  • 2022: Difficult — full passage-based format introduced; students unprepared for the new approach; good attempts dropped to 75–85.
  • 2023: Moderate to Difficult — passages became more predictable structurally but remained conceptually demanding; Jurisprudence was the hardest section.
  • 2024–2026: Moderate — format stabilised; RC-driven approach rewarded trained readers; good attempts recovered to 88–100+.
CLAT PG has consistently rewarded students who combine rigorous legal knowledge with strong reading comprehension. The 2022 format shift permanently elevated reading speed and inference skills as core requirements — pure memorisation no longer suffices for top-NLU scores.
Year Overall Difficulty Constitutional Law Jurisprudence Other Subjects Paper Nature Good Attempts
2026 Moderate Moderate Moderate–Difficult Easy–Moderate Passage-Based MCQ (24 passages × 5 Qs) 88–95
2025 Moderate Moderate Moderate Easy–Moderate Passage-Based MCQ (24 passages × 5 Qs) 90–100
2024 Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Passage-Based MCQ (24 passages × 5 Qs) 88–98
2023 Moderate–Difficult Difficult Moderate–Difficult Moderate Passage-Based MCQ 82–92
2022 Difficult Difficult Difficult Moderate–Difficult Passage-Based MCQ (new format, first year) 75–85
2021 Moderate–Difficult Moderate–Difficult Difficult Moderate Transitional (MCQ + short passages) 78–88
2020 Moderate Moderate Moderate Easy–Moderate MCQ + short passage 85–95
2019 Moderate Moderate Easy–Moderate Moderate Traditional MCQ 88–98
2018 Easy–Moderate Easy–Moderate Easy Moderate Traditional MCQ 92–105
2017 Easy–Moderate Easy Easy–Moderate Easy–Moderate Traditional MCQ 95–108

CLAT PG Section-wise Dominance

Section 10-Year Trend (2017–2026)
Constitutional Law Consistently the highest-weightage section across all 10 years; 28–35% of the paper every year; difficulty rose from Easy (2017) to Difficult (2022–23) before settling at Moderate (2024–26)
Jurisprudence Weight has grown steadily since 2021; moved from Easy (2017–19) to Moderate–Difficult (2021–23); stabilised at Moderate–Difficult in 2026; consistently the most conceptually challenging section
Law of Contract Moderate to Difficult in most years; passage format from 2022 increased complexity; requires doctrinal clarity and fact-pattern application
Criminal Law Easy to Moderate through 2025; 2026 difficulty spiked due to transition from IPC/CrPC to BNS/BNSS/BSA; expected to stabilise as students adapt
Family Law Consistently Easy across all 10 years; reliable quick-scoring section; Hindu Marriage Act and succession law are perennial topics
Administrative Law Moderate in most years; judicial review of administrative action and natural justice principles are standard fare
Public International Law Moderate to Difficult; dense passage format makes it challenging; low scorer for average students in passage-based era (post-2022)
Environmental Law Easy to Moderate throughout; NGT jurisdiction and precautionary principle are recurring themes; short passages favour quick attempts

CLAT PG Constitutional Law Analysis (2017–2026)

  • Constitutional Law has been the anchor section of CLAT PG for all 10 years — never fewer than 28% of total questions.
  • Pre-2022, questions were factual (identify the article, name the case); from 2022 onwards, they became application-based (identify the doctrine in a live scenario from the passage).
  • Difficulty peaked in 2022–2023 when the passage format was new and questions required multi-layered constitutional reasoning.
  • Since 2024, difficulty has stabilised at Moderate as students have adapted their preparation to the comprehension-application model.
Year Difficulty Key Topics Question Nature Remarks
2026 Moderate Fundamental Rights, Judicial Review, Federalism, Parliamentary Privileges, recent SC judgments Application-based passages; doctrine identification in scenario Recent Supreme Court decisions prominently featured
2025 Moderate Article 21, DPSP, Emergency Provisions, Federalism Application-based passages Well-framed passages; manageable with thorough preparation
2024 Moderate Fundamental Rights, Constitutional Bodies, Judicial Review Passage-based; application oriented Consistent with 2023 in structure; slightly easier in framing
2023 Difficult Federalism, Constitutional Amendments, Separation of Powers Complex multi-step passages Required multi-layered doctrinal reasoning; toughest year since format change
2022 Difficult Article 32, Article 14, Constitutional Morality, Basic Structure New passage format introduced Students caught off-guard by the format shift; low scoring year
2021 Moderate–Difficult Constitutional amendments, federalism, judicial independence Transitional — mixed direct and passage questions Difficulty rising; traditional prep no longer sufficient
2020 Moderate Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Preamble MCQ + short passage Balanced difficulty; high attempts possible
2019 Moderate Fundamental Rights, Emergency Provisions, Federalism Traditional MCQ Standard difficulty; knowledge-based recall dominant
2018 Easy–Moderate Basic constitutional provisions, landmark cases (Kesavananda, Maneka) Traditional MCQ; fact-recall Fact-oriented; high scoring year for prepared students
2017 Easy Constitutional provisions, famous amendments, articles Traditional MCQ; straightforward Easiest year on record; direct questions with minimal application

CLAT PG Jurisprudence Analysis (2017–2026)

Year Difficulty Key Topics Question Nature Remarks
2026 Moderate–Difficult Bentham’s Utilitarianism, Hohfeld’s Jurial Relations, Natural Law, Hart’s Positivism, Kelsen’s Pure Theory Conceptual passage-based; application of theory to scenarios Longest passages in the paper; Bentham section was particularly demanding
2025 Moderate Austin’s command theory, Dworkin’s rights thesis, Rawls’ theory of justice Passage-based; conceptual application Concept-intensive but more accessible than 2026
2024 Moderate Natural Law, Positivism, Realist School, Hart Passage-based Standard Jurisprudence questions; manageable with dedicated preparation
2023 Moderate–Difficult Kelsen’s Pure Theory, Hart vs. Fuller debate, Dworkin Debate-style complex passages Nuanced understanding required; adversarial framing in passages
2022 Difficult Hohfeld, Salmond, juristic personality, rights analysis First passage-based year; entirely new format Heavy conceptual load; under-prepared students poorly attempted this section
2021 Difficult Natural Law, Positivism, Legal Realism Transitional format; mix of direct and passage Toughest section in the paper that year
2020 Moderate Schools of Jurisprudence, Austin, Savigny, Pound MCQ-based; knowledge-focused Balanced difficulty; rewarded students who read key thinkers
2019 Easy–Moderate Definitions, schools of law, Hart, key legal concepts Traditional MCQ Straightforward for students who had studied standard jurisprudence texts
2018 Easy Basic jurisprudence, schools, key thinkers, definitions Traditional MCQ; definition-recall Definitional questions dominated; easy to score high
2017 Easy–Moderate Natural Law, Positivism, key theorists, basic concepts Traditional MCQ Introductory-level difficulty; accessible even to students new to jurisprudence

CLAT PG Other Law Subjects Analysis (2017–2026)

Year Difficulty Nature of Questions Key Focus Areas Remarks
2026 Easy–Moderate Passage-based; application-oriented BNS/BNSS/BSA (new criminal laws), Contract formation, Family Law, Administrative Law, PIL, Environmental New criminal law framework was the defining differentiator; Family Law easiest; Contract Law hardest
2025 Easy–Moderate Passage-based; doctrinal application Contract, IPC/CrPC, Family Law, PIL, Environmental, Administrative Law Consistent with 2024; IPC/CrPC framework still in use; no major surprises
2024 Moderate Passage-based; moderate length Contract, Criminal Law, Family Law, Environmental, Administrative Law Stable difficulty; format well-understood by students; passage length increased
2023 Moderate Complex passages; doctrinal depth required Contract Law, PIL, Criminal Law, Tax Law, Company Law Contract and PIL were the challenging sub-sections; Criminal Law moderate
2022 Moderate–Difficult New passage format; reading-intensive Contract, Criminal Law, Property Law, Labour Law, Family Law Format transition year; students struggled with time in all sections
2021 Moderate Transitional — direct MCQ plus short passages Contract, Criminal, Family, Environmental, Administrative Moderate difficulty across subjects; format shift beginning to show
2020 Easy–Moderate MCQ + short passage Contract, IPC, Family Law, PIL, Property Law Generally easy across most subjects; high attempts possible
2019 Moderate Traditional MCQ; balanced across subjects Contract, IPC, Family Law, Company Law, Tax Law Even difficulty across subjects; no unusual spikes
2018 Moderate Traditional MCQ; factual-recall dominant Contract, IPC, Property Law, Tax Law, Family Law Fact-oriented; high scoring for well-read students
2017 Easy–Moderate Traditional MCQ; definitional and factual Contract, IPC, Family Law Easiest year overall; directly knowledge-based; minimal application required

Disclaimer: The CLAT PG 2026 paper analysis presented on this page is based on information gathered from students, expert coaching institutes, and initial post-exam reviews. Difficulty levels, good-attempt counts, and expected score ranges are indicative estimates and may vary by individual performance and final official data. For the official question paper, answer key, result, and cutoff marks, visit the Consortium of NLUs official website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

CLAT PG 2026 Paper Analysis — FAQs

Q. When was CLAT PG 2026 conducted?
CLAT PG 2026 was conducted on December 7, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM in offline (pen-and-paper) mode.

Q. What was the overall difficulty level of CLAT PG 2026?
The overall difficulty was Moderate. The paper’s length — 120 questions across 24 comprehension passages — was the biggest challenge rather than the difficulty of individual questions.

Q. How many questions were in CLAT PG 2026?
CLAT PG 2026 had 120 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), divided into 24 passages of 5 questions each. Total marks: 120, with a negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer.

Q. Which was the toughest section in CLAT PG 2026?
Jurisprudence was widely rated the toughest section, followed by Law of Contract. Passages on Bentham’s Utilitarianism and Hohfeld’s Jurial Relations were particularly demanding.

Q. Which was the easiest section in CLAT PG 2026?
Family Law was the easiest section, followed by Environmental Law. These sections consistently offered quick-scoring opportunities across all 10 years of the exam.

Q. What is a good score in CLAT PG 2026?
A score of 100+ marks is considered strong for NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad. For Tier-2 NLUs, a score of 90–95 marks is expected to be competitive.

Q. What are the expected cutoff marks for CLAT PG 2026?
Based on initial expert estimates, the expected cutoffs are: NLSIU/NALSAR: 95+; NUJS Kolkata: 90+; NLU Jodhpur, NLU Bhopal, GNLU: 85+. Official cutoffs are published by the Consortium of NLUs after seat allotment.

Q. What was the key distinctive feature of CLAT PG 2026 compared to previous years?
CLAT PG 2026 was the first year in which Criminal Law questions were based on BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, and BSA 2023 (India’s new criminal laws), replacing traditional IPC/CrPC references. Students who had updated their preparation to the new framework had a clear advantage.

Q. What is a good attempt count for CLAT PG 2026?
Expert coaching institutes estimate 88–95 attempts as the strong-performance band. Students who completed 95+ questions with reasonable accuracy are expected to score in the top percentiles.

Q. Where can I download the CLAT PG 2026 question paper?
The official question paper and answer key are available on the Consortium of NLUs website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.