CLAT 2023 Question Paper
150 questions · passage-based (current pattern) · official answer key included.
Source: Consortium of NLUs official CLAT 2023 paper + provisional answer key. Used for educational practice.
CLAT 2023 paper: pattern and analysis
The CLAT 2023 question paper carried 150 questions to be answered in 120 minutes, fully passage-based across all five sections, marked +1 for a correct answer, −0.25 for a wrong one and 0 for a blank, and set by the Consortium of National Law Universities. This is a 150-question paper — the format CLAT used from 2020 to 2023 — which means the pace pressure is real: 150 questions in 120 minutes leaves you under 50 seconds per question, reading included. If you want a reminder of what each section actually tests, keep the CLAT syllabus open alongside this paper as you work through it.
| Section | Questions | Approx weight |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Reasoning | 40 | ~27% |
| Current Affairs & GK | 35 | ~23% |
| English Language | 30 | ~20% |
| Logical Reasoning | 30 | ~20% |
| Quantitative Techniques | 15 | ~10% |
What the 2023 paper demands
- A high question count. With 150 questions packed into 120 minutes, there is almost no slack — you cannot afford to stall on a single passage and hope to make up the time later.
- Genuine reading speed. Every section sits behind a passage, so the marks go to candidates who can read accurately and quickly, then answer without re-reading the whole paragraph each time.
- A clear sense of where the marks live. Legal Reasoning (40 questions) and Current Affairs & GK (35 questions) together make up half the paper, so strength in these two sections moves your score the most.
💡 The hidden upside of a 150-question paper
CLAT now sets 120 questions, not 150 — so practising the heavier 2023 paper builds reading stamina the way training with a slightly heavier load does. Sit through all 150 questions in one timed go and the current 120-question paper will feel calmer and roomier on exam day. Use the 2023 paper precisely because it is demanding.
How to use the CLAT 2023 paper
- 1
Attempt it once, strictly timed, like a real mockSit the whole paper in one unbroken sitting — 150 questions, 120 minutes, no phone, no checking answers midway. Treat it exactly like exam day. For the closest experience, attempt it on the real exam screen as a timed mock rather than reading it on paper.
- 2
Review against the official answer keyOnce you have scored it, go through every wrong and skipped question with the official Consortium answer key open. For each miss, return to the passage and find the exact line that justifies the correct option — that is where the real learning sits, not in the score itself.
- 3
Drill your weakest sectionYour error log will point clearly to one or two soft spots. Spend the following days on focused practice there — most often Legal Reasoning or Current Affairs & GK, since they carry the most marks — before moving on to the next paper.
🗓️
CLAT 2024 paper
The next year's paper — a 120-question comprehension paper. A natural follow-on once you have worked through 2023.
🗓️
CLAT 2022 paper
Another 150-question comprehension-era paper, ideal for back-to-back stamina and pattern practice.
📚
All question papers
Every CLAT past paper in one place, with PDFs, answer keys and the option to attempt each year online.
🎯 CLAT 2023 in a nutshell
- 150 questions in 120 minutes, fully passage-based, set by the Consortium of NLUs.
- Marking is +1 for correct, −0.25 for wrong and 0 for unattempted.
- Section split: Legal Reasoning 40, Current Affairs & GK 35, English 30, Logical Reasoning 30, Quantitative Techniques 15.
- Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs & GK together make up roughly half the paper.
- It is a 150-question paper — heavier than today's 120-question format — so use it to build reading speed and stamina.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions were in CLAT 2023?
The CLAT 2023 paper had 150 questions to be answered in 120 minutes. It belonged to the 150-question comprehension format that CLAT used from 2020 to 2023. Today's CLAT paper is shorter, with 120 questions, so the 2023 paper is heavier than the current pattern and useful for stamina.
What was the CLAT 2023 pattern?
CLAT 2023 was fully passage-based across all five sections — Legal Reasoning, Current Affairs and GK, English Language, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques. There were 150 questions in 120 minutes, set by the Consortium of NLUs, with each question carrying a comprehension passage you read before answering.
How much time per question did CLAT 2023 allow?
With 150 questions in 120 minutes, CLAT 2023 left under 50 seconds per question on average — and that includes reading the passage. This tight pace is exactly why the paper rewards fast, accurate reading and why practising it builds the speed you need for the exam.
What is the section-wise breakdown of CLAT 2023?
The CLAT 2023 paper had Legal Reasoning with 40 questions, Current Affairs and GK with 35, English Language with 30, Logical Reasoning with 30 and Quantitative Techniques with 15. That works out to roughly 27%, 23%, 20%, 20% and 10% of the paper respectively.
How is CLAT 2023 marked?
CLAT 2023 followed the standard Consortium scheme: +1 mark for every correct answer, −0.25 for every wrong answer, and 0 for a question left unattempted. Because of the negative marking, it pays to skip questions you genuinely cannot reason out rather than guessing blindly.
Is the CLAT 2023 paper still worth practising?
Yes. Although CLAT now sets 120 questions rather than 150, the 2023 paper is fully comprehension-based, just like today's exam. Sitting its heavier 150-question load builds reading stamina, so the current 120-question paper feels more comfortable on exam day.