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CLAT difficulty level has changed in the post-2020 pattern, where every year’s paper is based on reading comprehension skills and time management. While difficulty remains subjective and depends on individual preparation, expert analysis and student feedback, most students still want to know about “Toughest Paper of CLAT in Which Year”?
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As per LawEntrance, CLAT 2022 is often cited as tough due to its length and moderate difficulty, which reduced the accuracy of students across sections.
- CLAT 2024 (CLAT 2023 paper) had introduced higher-order reasoning elements in LR, making it a challenging paper for that year, as described by some coaching reviews.
- CLAT 2025, as reported by The Indian Express, was viewed as “easy to moderate” and more student-friendly, indicating a change to stable question patterns.
Ultimately, identifying the “toughest year” depends on a student’s strengths, but available analyses show that CLAT 2022 and CLAT 2023 were the toughest papers of CLAT for most students, while recent years have moved toward a more balanced difficulty level.
| Year | CLAT Question Paper with Answer Key PDF | CLAT Solution PDF |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Check Here | Check Here |
| 2022 | Check Here | Check Here |
| 2021 | Check Here | Check Here |
| 2020 | Check Here | Check Here |
CLAT Toughest Paper Analysis: A Year-by-Year Breakdown
According to coaching experts and test-takers, the post-2020 pattern shift introduced significant challenges that have continued through recent examinations.
Here's a breakdown of the CLAT Paper Difficulty:
| Year | Difficulty Level | Key Challenge | Student Feedback |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLAT 2022 | High | Lengthy paper, moderate difficulty | Time management issues |
| CLAT 2023 | Very High | New analytical reasoning elements | The logic section stumped many |
| CLAT 2024 | Moderate | Stable pattern maintained | More accessible than 2023 |
| CLAT 2025 | Moderate | Consistent with the previous year | Focused on comprehension |
Source: LawEntrance & IndianExpress
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- CLAT Admit Card 2026 Released: Download CLAT Admit Card 2026, Details Mentioned, How to Download
- CLAT 2026: Exam (7th December), Difficulty Level Analysis & Exam-Day Guidelines
Section-Wise Difficulty Analysis
| Section | CLAT 2022 | CLAT 2023 | CLAT 2024 | CLAT 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | Moderate | Moderate | Easy-Moderate | Easy-Moderate |
| Logical Reasoning | Moderate | Very Difficult | Moderate | Moderate |
| Legal Reasoning | Moderate-Difficult | Difficult | Moderate | Moderate |
| Current Affairs | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Quantitative Techniques | Easy-Moderate | Moderate | Easy-Moderate | Easy-Moderate |
Check:
- CLAT Exam Pattern 2026: Check CLAT syllabus, Marking Scheme, Exam Mode, Question Paper
- CLAT Exam Analysis 2026: Check Difficulty Level, Section-Wise Analysis & Expected Cutoff
Ques. Why was CLAT 2022 considered tough?
Ans. CLAT 2022 was considered tough mainly because of its lengthy format combined with moderately difficult questions, which created significant time management challenges for most test-takers.
Ques. Did CLAT 2022 follow the new pattern?
Ans. Yes, CLAT 2022 followed the post-2020 changed pattern, focusing on comprehension-based questions across all sections, making it different from pre-2020 examinations.
Student Performance Comparison for CLAT Papers
CLAT 2022: The Lengthy Paper Challenge
As per Reddit users' comments, CLAT 2022 was one of the toughest papers of CLAT due to its length combined with moderate difficulty levels. Students had a challenge managing their time as they had to go through multiple comprehension passages and questions that required careful reading and analysis.
CLAT 2023: The Analytical Reasoning Twist
As per different student feedback, CLAT 2023 (conducted for admission to the 2024 batch) was a challenging paper. The CLAT 2023 paper introduced new analytical reasoning elements in the Logical Reasoning section that make the paper tough, as these questions demanded a different approach compared to previous years.
Student Performance Comparison
| Year | Average Attempts | Questions Unattempted | Top Score Range | Time Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLAT 2022 | 95-105 (of 120) | 15-25 | 115-120 | Very High |
| CLAT 2023 | 100-110 (of 120) | 10-20 | 110-118 | High |
| CLAT 2024 | 105-115 (of 120) | 5-15 | 115-120 | Moderate |
| CLAT 2025 | 105-115 (of 120) | 5-15 | 116-120 | Moderate |
Also Read:
Ques. What made CLAT 2023 particularly difficult?
Ans. CLAT 2023 introduced new analytical reasoning elements in Logical Reasoning that required greater problem-solving skills, making the paper difficult.
Ques: How did CLAT 2023 compare to other years?
Ans. CLAT 2023 was notably more. challenging than the surrounding years due to innovative question types, though subsequent years returned to more predictable patterns.
Common Student Challenges by Year
Most of the experts state that students who are strong in logical reasoning might find CLAT 2023 manageable despite its analytical elements, while someone with a slower reading speed would struggle more with CLAT 2022's length.
So individual strengths, weaknesses, and preparation strategies play important roles in how candidates experience difficulty.
| Challenge Type | CLAT 2022 | CLAT 2023 | CLAT 2024 | CLAT 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Management | Critical Issue | Moderate Issue | Manageable | Manageable |
| New Question Types | Few | Many | Minimal | Minimal |
| Passage Length | Very Long | Long | Moderate | Moderate |
| Calculation Intensity | Low | Moderate | Low | Low |
| Logical Complexity | Moderate | Very High | Moderate | Moderate |
Also Read:
The Post-2020 Pattern Challenge
Regardless of which specific year was toughest, as per the analysis, it's concluded that the post-2020 pattern actually introduced challenging papers. The new paper pattern focuses on comprehension-based questions, critical thinking, and passage analysis represents a fundamental change from earlier memory-based testing.
This pattern requires sustained reading ability, quick information processing, and strong analytical skills across all sections, including Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, English Language, Current Affairs, and Quantitative Techniques.
Pre-2020 vs Post-2020 Pattern Comparison
| Aspect | Pre-2020 Pattern | Post-2020 Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Question Format | Direct, standalone questions | Passage-based comprehension |
| Focus | Memory and static knowledge | Analysis and critical thinking |
| Reading Requirement | Minimal | Extensive (4000-5000 words) |
| Time Per Question | 1-1.5 minutes | 1.5-2 minutes |
| Difficulty Perception | Moderate | High to Very High |
CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
| Category | Year | Previous Year Paper |
| Post-2020 (New Pattern) | 2024 | Previous Year Paper |
| 2023 | Previous Year Paper | |
| 2022 | Previous Year Paper | |
| 2021 | Previous Year Paper | |
| 2020 | Previous Year Paper | |
| Pre-2020 (Old Pattern) | 2019 | Previous Year Paper |
| 2018 | Previous Year Paper | |
| 2017 | Previous Year Paper | |
| 2016 | Previous Year Paper |
Ques. Why are post-2020 CLAT papers generally harder?
Ans. Post-2020 papers focus more on comprehension and critical thinking over memorisation, requiring candidates to analyse lengthy passages and apply concepts rather than recall facts.
Ques. Which skills matter most for recent CLAT papers?
Ans. Reading speed, comprehension ability, analytical thinking, and time management have become crucial skills for tackling recent CLAT examinations successfully.
To sum up, CLAT 2022 felt tough because of its long passages, and CLAT 2023 added more complex analytical reasoning, deciding the “hardest” year isn’t the same for everyone. Your preparation, strengths, and comfort with reading-heavy questions play a big role in how difficult the exam feels.
Most experts agree that CLAT 2023 stood out because of its unique reasoning style, but all CLAT exams after 2020 have been challenging in their own way. For future aspirants, the safest strategy is simple: build strong reading skills, practice analytical reasoning regularly, and prepare evenly for all sections to handle whatever pattern the exam brings.
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