Reader's Digest: Preparing for competitive law exams like AILET PG and CLAT PG can be demanding for law students. Those taking both exams will find relief in the common criminal law section, easing LLM exam preparations. Read on for more insights!

Challenges make your preparations interesting in highly competitive exams like the LLM entrance tests. But there is no doubt - that having a common section to cover for 2 exams is quite a relief, and one such is the Criminal Law Section. 

• Criminal law is one of the mandatory subjects taught in the undergraduate program, helping you prepare for LLM entrance tests.
• Your UG law textbooks are sufficient to cover all the important topics that can appear in the PG entrance test.
• Last year, the difficulty level of this section was "high," calling you to pay extra attention while preparing for this section. We cannot emphasize this section's importance more! You can expect a minimum of 20-30 questions, and every mark you score can determine your rank and fate in studying at the top NLUs. 

Therefore, covering all the topics in your CLAT PG syllabus 2025 with almost care is essential. 

Access all previous CLAT PG papers here for download! ⬇️

 Weightage helps you Prioritize your Syllabus 

The more weightage, the more you score! 

The table below shows the number of questions from Criminal Law in previous year's papers. 

Year	Number of Questions from Criminal Law
2023	28 Questions
2022	24 Questions
2021	30 Questions
2020	10 Questions

 Preparation Strategies for Criminal Law Questions for CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025 

Criminal law in AILET PG and CLAT PG deals with statutes, rules, and regulations set to protect the right of every citizen in the country and is an important subject to be studied by every law student.

It holds the ground of Justice for the rights of all the country's citizens, emphasizing the importance of this section. 

It also deals with laws related to threatening, murder, and otherwise endangering an individual's safety, health, property, and moral welfare, including oneself requiring you to cover criminal cases and contemporary/ recent cases that can appear in your LLM entrance papers. 

1. Start your preparation by focusing on recent and landmark case laws 

• Focus on contemporary legal issues and recent judgements. 
• Know their ratio, relevant provisions, landmark cases referred in them, the bench, and if there is a dissent, then know the dissenting opinion and name of the judge who gave it. 
• If any case is overruled via judgment, know the ratio of that case. 

2. Make Bare Acts your friend.

• Study bare provisions and bare acts, and understand the illustrations and legal terms. 
• Bare Acts will be asked in the form of questions in the question paper. 
• Focus more on the provisions related to recent cases. 

3. Short notes can be your saviour. 

• Make short notes on both case laws and bare provisions. These notes will be your saviour when you revise before the examination.  
• Example: If you are reading about provisions of Rape 
• List down recent and landmark cases, sections of rape, essential ingredients, and newly added amendments for every criminal topic you cover. This holds good for other sections as well.  
• This saves you time and helps with revision.  

Check: CLAT PG Mock Test 2025

4. Cover the Index of the Bare Act 

• You must know which section deals with which concept. Refrain from reading big books or commentaries from the LLM preparation point of view. 
• Don't go into the depth of concepts in the Bare Act's; just have a command over it.

4. What must you cover? 

• Know the gist of IPC, CRPC, Evidence, and fundamental conceptual clarity and illustrations.
• Read recent and landmark case laws.
• Read as much of the judgement as is necessary for you to completely understand the opinion of the bench. Where the bench has given separate opinions- read so as to grasp the difference between their opinion in a manner that you know who said what. You can also refer to case summaries,  

Check: CLAT PG Online Coaching Services 2025

What to study for Criminal Law Questions for CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025

In the past year's question paper, the difficulty level of Criminal Law questions in CLAT PG and AILET LLM courses ranged from moderate to difficult.

Considering previous years' papers, it is noticed there were a good number of questions that appeared based on the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) and not the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Nearly 30 questions were asked in the 2021 paper on criminal law, including 4 comprehension-type passages with 3 Judgments and 2 articles. This shows the significance of thoroughly preparing for this section. 

Also, the sample paper released by the consortium this year has 2 passages from criminal law. This raises the possibility of more weightage for criminal law.

MCQs are the types of questions expected for Criminal Law Questions for CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025.

The areas from which common questions may be asked in criminal law for CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025 are as follows: 

• General Defences
• Concept of Constructive Liability
• Abatement and conspiracy
• General principles and definitions of criminal law
• Punishments and exceptions
• Liabilities
• Offences and defamation
• Offences against property: Theft, Robbery, Extortion, Criminal misappropriation of property, and criminal breach of Trust
• Stages of Crime
• Offences against Marriage
• Definition clause 
• Amendment
• Hierarchy of Courts
• Maintenance
• FIR and all the related provisions
• The inherent power of the High Court
• Provisions added through amendments.
• Evidence 
• Relevancy of Facts
• Oral and documentary evidence
• Best Evidence Rule
• Presumptions
• Cross and chief examinations
• Dumb Witness

Check: Criminal Law Preparation Strategy and Study Plan for CLAT PG 2025

Previous Year Questions from Subjective Part of AILET PG 2025

Prior to 2020, the CLAT PG exam consisted of both MCQ-type questions and subjective-type questions. An analysis of these questions might help you understand areas from which questions may be repeated. The areas from which essay topics were asked in previous year's papers are listed below:

Previous year' Essay topics for CLAT PG

• Criminal conspiracy
• Offences and defamation
• General principles and definitions of criminal law
• Punishments and exceptions
• Liabilities
• Men's rea
• Theft
• Extortion
• Cheating
• Criminal conspiracy: Act done by several persons
• Kidnapping
• Attempt to commit offences
• Assault
• Private defence
• General exceptions

Check: Best Books for CLAT PG 2025

Essay-type or subjective-type questions from AILET PG

Section I of the AILET PG paper consisted of MCQ format questions and two subjective-type questions in section II. The Criminal law areas from which subjective questions have been asked in AILET LLM are listed below: 

• Law of Crimes
• Aggravating and Mitigating Factors 
• Bail and Bonds 
• Restitution for Crime Victims 
• Plea Bargains and more 

Sample Criminal Law Questions for CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025 to Practise

Criminal Law Questions for CLAT are as follows: 

1. Which of the following is not a chapter heading under the Indian Penal Code?

• a) Offenses against State
• b) Offenses against Human Body
• c)  Offenses against property
• d) None of the above

Ans - None of the above

2. The case of dowry death can be filed only within

• a) 7 years of death
• b) 7 years of marriage
• c) 7 years of dowry demand
• d) Both b and c

Ans - 7 years of marriage

Check: AILET PG Mock Test Series

3. Maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code can be claimed by

• a) Wife
• b) Everyone
• c) Parents
• d) Both a and c

Ans - Wife and Parents

4. A person who helps the other person is an

• a) Abettor
• b) Instigator
• c) Accomplice
• d) Friend

Ans - Accomplice

5. The offence of theft can only be against

• a) Movable property
• b) Immovable property
• c) Both (a) and (b)
• d) All properties

Ans - Movable property

Criminal Law Questions for AILET are as follows: 

6. The Law of the contract is a:

• a) Criminal Law
• b) Civil Law
• c) International Law
• d) Disputed Laws

Ans- Civil Law

7. The tort is a species of:

• a) Criminal wrong
• b) Breach of contract
• c) Civil wrong
• d) Moral wrong

Ans- Civil wrong

8. The Law of Torts is developed mainly through:

• a) Customs
• b) Legislations
• c) Judicial decisions
• d) None of the above

Ans- Judicial decisions

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Check: Important Topics for CLAT PG

Key Takeaways

1. Common Syllabus Relief: December sees a flurry of activity among law students preparing for competitive exams. Students taking both exams consecutively benefit from the common Criminal Law Questions for CLAT PG and AILET PG, easing their LLM exam preparation.

2. Importance of Criminal Law: Criminal law, a mandatory undergraduate subject, is crucial for LLM entrance tests. Recent and landmark case laws and your undergraduate law textbooks sufficiently cover the essential topics for PG entrance tests, helping you score well.

3. High Stakes: Last year's high difficulty level for this section and 2 passages in sample question paper from criminal law highlights its significance. With 20-30 expected questions, each mark is vital for securing your rank and place in top NLUs. 

4. Preparation Strategies: Prioritize your studies based on question weightage. Key strategies include reading contemporary legal issues, recent and landmark judgements, studying Bare Acts, creating short notes, mastering the index, knowing IPC, CRPC, and other core concepts.

5. Subject Coverage: Focus on CrPC, IPC, General Defences, Constructive Liability, Abatement, Conspiracy, Punishments, Offences, and more. Stay updated on recent case laws.

6. MCQ-Based Exams: CLAT PG and AILET PG primarily feature MCQ-type questions. Be prepared for this format and prioritize objective section preparation.

7. Practice Questions: Regularly practice sample questions, previous year papers and mock tests to enhance your understanding and test readiness. 

8. Strategic Approach: To succeed, effectively manage your preparation time, covering both objective and subjective sections.

Now that you know the important topics to cover in Criminal Law Questions for CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025, your preparation process gets much easier.  Focus on areas which are in contemporary legal discussions. 

Check: Differences Between CLAT PG and AILET PG 2025