CLAT PG 2020 Previous Question Paper – Passage 10

This series of articles contains the complete CLAT PG 2020 question paper, conducted for the LLM admissions through the CLAT 2020 exam. In 2020, the pattern of the question paper was changed from the traditional MCQs to a ‘Comprehension based’ model. Each article in this series has one passage and the ten questions following it.

This article contains Passage 10 and the associated questions. The video embedded below discusses the answers as per the official key and the approach that can be used for such questions.

The answers to all the questions, for all the passages in the CLAT PG question paper are discussed in our YouTube video series at : https://www.youtube.com/lawmint

To make use of this question paper :
(1) The links to the complete series of articles is given below
(2) Read the passages and questions that follow
(3) Open our YouTube channel in another window or on your mobile phone (The video covering this specific passage is also embedded below.)
(4) Go through the series of videos where the answers to all the questions are discussed

The original plan by the CLAT Consortium was to have 10 passages, with 10 questions per passage and a subjective part. However, the subjective part was dropped and the number of passages was increased.

The CLAT PG 2020 exam had 12 passages, 120 questions – to be answered in 120 minutes. Click on the links below for the individual passages and the questions associated with the passage.

CLAT PG 2025 - Comprehension Mock Tests Series & Previous Question Papers
  • Updated as per latest CLAT PG pattern
  • Overall there are 300+ comprehension passages - with 2300+ questions
  • 100 passages are provided as stand-alone mini mock tests
  • 120 passages are combined to form 10 full-length mock tests
  • 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 (New Pattern) Question papers included as mock tests
  • Answers include the reason or 'rationale' for better understanding
  • Order of the questions and answer choices are shuffled in every attempt for better practice
  • All the stand-alone passages & full length mocks can be repeated till you score 100%
  • The passages are of various lengths and complexities for better practice
  • Unlimited access & practice - valid for one year from date of purchase
  • Accessible 24 x 7 via Smart-Phone browsers and Desktops

Also included in the pack : (Useful for non-CLAT LLM entrance exams) :
  • 11 CLAT PG old pattern previous Papers - 2009 to 2019 (as mock tests)
  • 50 full-length old MCQ format mock tests (100 questions each)
  • 50 old pattern MCQ mini-mock tests (25 questions each)
  • Summarized overview of Important Jurisprudence topics (For Subjective & Objective questions)
  • Overview of all Constitutional Amendments
  • All Tests & Previous Papers are timed and have Negative marking for realistic simulation
  • Questions & Answer Choices randomly shuffled in every attempt for better practice
  • More the 100 LawMint users were selected by various top NLUs in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 - Including NLSIU, NALSAR, NLU-J, WBNUJS
  • Our users were also selected for the IIT KGP LLM, NLU Delhi (AILET PG) & DU LLM programs
CLAT PG 2021 Mock Test Series and Previous Question Papers

Authentic Feedback from previous LawMint users :

I got AIR 21 in CLAT PG. Thank you so much. Your mocks helped me a lot in my preparation 🙂 - Ayushi Jain

I have subscribed to your CLAT PG program and got AIR 36 in this year CLAT PG. I have also secured AIR 54 in AILET PG exam. I would like to thank you. Your mock paper really helps a lot - Shrashank Tripathi

I would like to thank you for the CLAT PG LLM COURSE. Practising mock tests there helped me in getting confidence and hence I was able to get AIR 45 in CLAT PG LLM - Akshay Awasthi

A year back, I relied on the IIT Kharagpur RGSOIPL mock test series by LawMint to prepare for my RGSOIPL entrance test. Few months back, I relied on your UGC NET Law series to prepare for UGC NET. I was the topper of the RGSOIPL entrance, and have cracked JRF in UGC NET. All thanks to LawMint - Anshuman Sahoo

"I got AIR 18 in CLAT PG and General Category rank 28 in AILET PG. I want to thank you for helping me practice well in controlled conditions from any place. It gave me a lot of confidence and I took the tests while travelling too. I also made it to IIT Kharagpur." - Vinodharani

"Lawmint has been of great help to me in securing AIR 25 in AILET PG and AIR 29 in CLAT PG examinations. The subjective and objective approach of the test series kept me up to date with the latest exam pattern." - Bhawna Nanda

"I, Nimmy Saira Zachariah joined you clat test series. I cleared AILET PG with 30th rank. Your test series were of immense help as it gave me clear idea of where my preparations stand thank you once again law mint." - Nimmy S Z

"Hey guys. Where do I start? If I thought that getting AIR 59 in Clat PG was it, then how wrong I was. With Lawmint now I have cracked UGC NET as well." - Joyanta Chakraborty

CLAT PG Comprehension Passage 10

Criminal law is the most direct expression of the relationship between a state and its citizens. Criminal sanction is indeed the most coercive method of regulating an individual’s behaviour which any state may deploy. The degree of coercion under criminal law is qualitatively different from the outcome in a dispute under civil law. The purpose of criminal law is to forbid and prevent conduct that unjustifiably and inexcusably inflicts or threatens substantial harm to individual or public interests. Feinberg explains the harm principle in following words: ‘It is always a good reason in support of penal legislation that it would probably be effective in preventing (eliminating, reducing) harm to persons other than the actor and there is probably no other means that is equally effective at no greater cost to other values’.

91. Which of the following reformed Criminal Law?
a) Malimath Committee
b) Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah Commitee
c) 52nd Law Commission Report
d) All of the above.

92. Under Indian Penal code ‘Culpable homicide’ is first defined, but ‘homicide’ is not defined at all. ‘Culpable homicide’, the genus, and ‘Murder’, the species, are defined in terms so closely that it is difficult to distinguish them. The distinction between ‘Culpable homicide’ and ‘Murder’ was criticised as the ‘weakest part of the code’ by-
a) Glanville Williams
b) Jamesh Stephen
c) Jeremy Bentham
d) Simith & Hogan

93. Lately Indian Criminal Law has been moving away from the above mentioned classical Principles of Criminal Law. Which one of the following does not demonstrate this shift?
a) Creation of new crimes.
b) Shift in Burden of Proof
c) Presumption of Guilt
d) Broader definitions of crimes

94. The accused must be given death penalty to satisfy the ‘collective conscience of the society’. Is this the correct method of determining sentence?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Yes, in Terror and Sedition Cases
d) No, as what others think is irrelevant in deciding punishment

95. In determining the sentence, which of following factors are to be taken into consideration?
a) Aggravating Factors
b) Mitigating Factors
c) Both Aggravating & Mitigating Factors
d) Collective Conscience of the Society

96. The Supreme Court itself admitted in Santosh Kumar Bariyar (2009) that death penalty is imposed ‘arbitrarily or freakishly’. The court made a candid admission in saying that ‘there is no uniformity of precedents’. In Sangeet (2013), the Court yet again acknowledged that ‘principled sentencing’ has become ‘judge centric’. In Swami Shraddhananda (2008), the Court said, award of death sentence depends on the ‘personal predilection of judges’ and there is ‘lack of uniformity’ in capital punishment. Which of the following statements is correct?
a) Award of Death Penalty depends on law and is given in rarest of rare cases.
b) Award of Death Penalty depends on personal ideologies of judges.
c) a) & b) both are correct.
d) a) is wrong.

97. In Machhi Singh (1983) a three judge bench listed five parameters to decide whether case falls within ‘rarest of rare’ such as the manner of commission of crime i.e. brutality, motive, anti-social or abhorrent nature of crime, magnitude of crime and personality of victim i. e. child, women or leader loved by people etc. Which parameter laid down by the constitution bench in Bachan Singh was left out?
a) Too much importance was given to ‘Crime’ but ‘Criminal’ was left out.
b) Impact on society
c) Intent
d) Weapons used in the commission of crime

98. Who had said that ‘The Indian Penal Code is to the English criminal law what a manufactured article ready for use is to the materials out of which it is made. It is to the French Penal Code and, I may add, to the North German Code of 1871, what a finished picture is to a sketch. It is far simpler, and much better expressed, than Livingston’s Code for Louisiana; and its practical success has been complete.’?
a) Lord Macaulay
b) James Stephen
c) Hari Singh Gaur
d) Justice Krishna Iyer

99. Justice Fitzgerald observed: ‘The law of conspiracy is a branch of our jurisprudence to be narrowly watched, to be zealously regarded and never to be pressed beyond its true limits.’ Under Section 149, mere membership of the assembly without any participation in the crime is sufficient. In the light of this statement, whether punishment of conspiracy by mere agreement and under Section 149 by mere presence be deleted from the IPC?
a) Yes, if we believe in liberal and enlightened criminal jurisprudence
b) No, if we are status quoist
c) No, Conspiracy must remain punishable by mere agreement
d) No, mere presence should be enough

100. Criminal Law Revision must reflect-
a) Deterrent theory with the aim to prevent crime.
b) Retributive theory consistent with the scheme of victim compensation.
c) Reformative theory consistent with democratic values and civil liberties
d) None of the above.

CLAT PG 2025 - Comprehension Mock Tests Series & Previous Question Papers
  • Updated as per latest CLAT PG pattern
  • Overall there are 300+ comprehension passages - with 2300+ questions
  • 100 passages are provided as stand-alone mini mock tests
  • 120 passages are combined to form 10 full-length mock tests
  • 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 (New Pattern) Question papers included as mock tests
  • Answers include the reason or 'rationale' for better understanding
  • Order of the questions and answer choices are shuffled in every attempt for better practice
  • All the stand-alone passages & full length mocks can be repeated till you score 100%
  • The passages are of various lengths and complexities for better practice
  • Unlimited access & practice - valid for one year from date of purchase
  • Accessible 24 x 7 via Smart-Phone browsers and Desktops

Also included in the pack : (Useful for non-CLAT LLM entrance exams) :
  • 11 CLAT PG old pattern previous Papers - 2009 to 2019 (as mock tests)
  • 50 full-length old MCQ format mock tests (100 questions each)
  • 50 old pattern MCQ mini-mock tests (25 questions each)
  • Summarized overview of Important Jurisprudence topics (For Subjective & Objective questions)
  • Overview of all Constitutional Amendments
  • All Tests & Previous Papers are timed and have Negative marking for realistic simulation
  • Questions & Answer Choices randomly shuffled in every attempt for better practice
  • More the 100 LawMint users were selected by various top NLUs in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 - Including NLSIU, NALSAR, NLU-J, WBNUJS
  • Our users were also selected for the IIT KGP LLM, NLU Delhi (AILET PG) & DU LLM programs
CLAT PG 2021 Mock Test Series and Previous Question Papers

Authentic Feedback from previous LawMint users :

I got AIR 21 in CLAT PG. Thank you so much. Your mocks helped me a lot in my preparation 🙂 - Ayushi Jain

I have subscribed to your CLAT PG program and got AIR 36 in this year CLAT PG. I have also secured AIR 54 in AILET PG exam. I would like to thank you. Your mock paper really helps a lot - Shrashank Tripathi

I would like to thank you for the CLAT PG LLM COURSE. Practising mock tests there helped me in getting confidence and hence I was able to get AIR 45 in CLAT PG LLM - Akshay Awasthi

A year back, I relied on the IIT Kharagpur RGSOIPL mock test series by LawMint to prepare for my RGSOIPL entrance test. Few months back, I relied on your UGC NET Law series to prepare for UGC NET. I was the topper of the RGSOIPL entrance, and have cracked JRF in UGC NET. All thanks to LawMint - Anshuman Sahoo

"I got AIR 18 in CLAT PG and General Category rank 28 in AILET PG. I want to thank you for helping me practice well in controlled conditions from any place. It gave me a lot of confidence and I took the tests while travelling too. I also made it to IIT Kharagpur." - Vinodharani

"Lawmint has been of great help to me in securing AIR 25 in AILET PG and AIR 29 in CLAT PG examinations. The subjective and objective approach of the test series kept me up to date with the latest exam pattern." - Bhawna Nanda

"I, Nimmy Saira Zachariah joined you clat test series. I cleared AILET PG with 30th rank. Your test series were of immense help as it gave me clear idea of where my preparations stand thank you once again law mint." - Nimmy S Z

"Hey guys. Where do I start? If I thought that getting AIR 59 in Clat PG was it, then how wrong I was. With Lawmint now I have cracked UGC NET as well." - Joyanta Chakraborty
CLAT PG 2020 Comprehension passage 10 with answers explanation LawMint CLAT PG Mock Test Series