If you’re preparing for NLSAT 2026, the NLSAT 2025 paper is your best blueprint. From passage themes to question structures, the paper reveals clear trends in what NLSIU tests and how you should prepare.
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This guide decodes everything from difficulty level to legal reasoning frameworks, helping you realign your preparation for NLSAT 2026 with confidence.
Also Read: NLSAT previous year papers PDF Free Download
NLSAT 2025 upheld its reputation for drawing on diverse, real-world, and relevant reading material. It leaned heavily on topics in the news, current legal debates, and socio-political commentary rewarding candidates who engaged with public discourse regularly.
Passage Themes:
Satirical commentary on divine interventions (Kanan Gill’s Act of God)
Cultural commentary via food narratives (Karachi Biryani)
Functioning and misuse of PILs in the Supreme Court
Accountability in competitive exam regulation
Freedom of expression and internet speech (Ranveer Allahbadia’s arrest)
Role of elections in democratic legitimacy
Discrimination against women in sports
Predictive policing and ethical questions in AI
Fictional legal hypotheticals involving national security (Aliens vs PM's advisor)
Sources: Mostly drawn from The Hindu, The Indian Express, and select fiction/legal commentary.
Takeaway for NLSAT 2026: Build sustained reading habits focused on editorials, legal news, and analytical essays. Prioritize issues that connect law, policy, and ethics.
Also Read:NLSAT Topper Interviews 2025
Special Insight: One entire passage was focused exclusively on strengthening/weakening arguments, reinforcing the importance of mastering this subset of critical reasoning.
Also Read: 6-Month NLSAT 2026 Study Plan
Timeframe Focus: February–March 2025 Themes Covered:
Paris Olympics, doping cases (Dutee Chand)
AI innovation (Microsoft’s Majorana chip, AI-generated Ghibli-style art)
Supreme Court decisions (Ranveer Allahbadia, Collegium System)
Awards and passings (e.g., Shyam Benegal’s death)
International legal-political developments (ICC and Duterte, Boeing Starliner)
Preparation Tip for NLSAT 2026: Follow a weekly news review strategy. Focus on legal judgments, international affairs, government schemes, and socio-political debates.
Number of Questions: 5
Marks per Question: 12
Overall Level: Easy to Moderate
Key Takeaway: Candidates who were able to recognize the legal doctrine involved, apply it logically, and consider counterarguments performed better. Rebuttal skills were particularly important in questions with competing interpretations (e.g., caramel popcorn and taxation logic).
Also Read: Which Coaching You Should Join for NLSAT 2026
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Format: 1 out of 3 topics (30 marks)
Takeaway for NLSAT 2026: Essays tested your ability to connect legal principles with socio-political issues. Candidates were rewarded for clear structure, multiple perspectives, and grounded reasoning without jargon.
Observation: Despite the easier paper, high competition meant small margins made a big difference. A total score above 95 was generally needed for open category selection.
Begin preparation at least 6–8 months before the exam
Read newspapers daily, particularly editorials and legal commentary
Practice critical reasoning question sets weekly, especially strengthen/weaken arguments
Attempt mock case studies and get feedback on argument structure
Write one timed essay per week, focusing on policy and legal issues
The most important learning from NLSAT 2025 was the emphasis on analytical thinking over static legal knowledge. The questions in both Part A (objective) and Part B (subjective) tested conceptual clarity, reading comprehension, and the ability to reason through complex legal problems. For NLSAT 2026, aspirants should focus on improving their reading speed, practicing mock tests under timed conditions, and writing structured, well-reasoned answers for subjective questions.
NLSAT 2025 was moderately difficult, with a noticeable tilt toward logic-based comprehension and case-based legal reasoning. This highlighted the need for daily reading practice, logical puzzle-solving, and exposure to current legal issues. For NLSAT 2026, aspirants should align their study plans with skill-building in legal interpretation, critical reasoning, and structured essay writing.
Yes, NLSAT 2025 featured more indirect questions particularly in Part A requiring inference and deep comprehension. Part B saw analytical essay prompts that were open-ended but rooted in contemporary issues. NLSAT 2026 candidates should be ready for unpredictable essay topics and should develop their ability to take a stance and argue it logically.
Part B played a crucial role in NLSAT 2025, especially in distinguishing top scorers. The quality of arguments, clarity of thought, and depth of understanding were clearly rewarded. To succeed in NLSAT 2026, students must practice writing short answers and essays with proper structure, coherence, and legal reasoning—even if not from a law background.
Many NLSAT 2025 aspirants over-focused on memorization and underprepared for comprehension-based reasoning and subjective writing. For NLSAT 2026, candidates should avoid skipping mock tests, underestimating time management, and ignoring answer structure in Part B. A balanced preparation strategy combining reading, writing, and reasoning—is key.
Based on NLSAT 2025, aspirants should:
Prioritize legal aptitude and reading comprehension.
Practice structured writing (both short answers and essays).
Read editorials, legal blogs, and landmark judgments to improve reasoning.
Solve previous year papers and simulated mocks regularly.
Stay updated with legal current affairs and case laws for better context-building
