This article is written by Rohit Guru of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab. The article discusses what to expect and how to crack CLAT 2019.

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the most-sought after law entrance examination for admission into the prestigious National Law Universities (NLUs) and other law colleges. It acts as a gateway to 20 National Law Universities with Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur (MDPNLU) being the latest addition to the list and many other private law colleges. It is an online examination conducted by the NLUs on a rotational basis with their dates of establishment acting as the base for such rotations. CLAT 2019 is being conducted by National Law University Odisha, Cuttack (NLUO).

This culminates the introduction of CLAT as a gateway to the top law schools and how it’s conducted by various NLUs. Now I want to address the elephant in the room which haunts every single CLAT aspirant. How to plan for the upcoming CLAT examination. This is the biggest headache every applicant gets when he decides to appear for this unpredictable monster. And it’s obvious given the unstructured and the unlimited scope of the syllabus regarding majority of the topics added to the uncertainties hovering around this incalculable objective massacre. Before going into the details of the various problems a CLAT expectant faces in his/her journey and how to deal and plan their work, let’s look into major areas which this examination tests.

CLAT is primarily concerned with 5 major sections which are explained below:

1. Legal aptitude and knowledge

This is the most significant section of the entire CLAT examination paper as in cases where two candidates have the same total scores, the marks scored in this section are used as a tie-breaker. They constitute for 50 questions of the entire share of 200. This section essentially tests a candidate’s interest and understanding towards the subject of law, research aptitude, problem analysing and problem solving ability. This includes legal propositions and legal principles followed by a set of facts to which the respective legal principle has to be applied. Some of the legal propositions and facts may not be true in real sense but they have to be assumed or accepted as real statements and answered accordingly. This section also includes legal knowledge and facts which examine the examinee’s current and static legal GK’s hold and how well versed they are with them.

2. General knowledge

   This by far is the toughest section of CLAT paper and again comprises of 50 questions. I call this the toughest because of its unlimited scope regarding the questions it can pose. General knowledge includes everything which comes under the sky. It is divided into two sub-headings: static general knowledge and current affairs. Static deals with everything that has happened in the past and current affairs deal with the recent happenings all around the world. This deadly combo makes this section as the most intimidating and daunting compared to all other sections of the paper. However, this subject can also be called the make or break section of the paper as a student with a fairly good hold over GK can score a lot of marks within 10 minutes and improve his performance exponentially.

3. English including comprehension

    This section examines the applicant’s expertise in English. This section consists of 40 marks with a good variety of questions ranging from comprehension passages to grammar. In the comprehension part candidates will be questioned on their understanding and interpretation of the passage and its principal theme, facts of the passage, meaning of the words used therein, etc. The grammar can be tested in terms of finding grammatical errors, filling the blanks with appropriate words, etc. There are questions on antonyms, synonyms, and along with that idioms and phrases are also tested. Like General knowledge, grammar too has a very wide scope which can be tested in the CLAT examination.

4. Logical reasoning

    The objective of this section is to test the candidate’s rationality and problem solving ability. This, like English comprises of 40 questions. It is divided into two major heads: analytical reasoning and verbal reasoning. Analytical reasoning examines the examinee’s ability to identify patterns, codes, logical links between the terms, finding out the odd one out, blood relations, analogies and many such areas. This is considered by many as their strength and many score well in this section. Now comes the tricky part. Verbal reasoning which is comparatively complicated as it involves a good hold over the English language to crack the various statements given in the questions. This includes statements, assumptions and conclusions, critical reasoning and related topics. This in comparison to analytical reasoning is less in weightage but a candidate who wants to get an excellent rank has to work hard in this area too.

5. Mathematics

   Not enough words can be used to explain the misconceptions students generally have regarding this particular section. Many believe that math is something they cannot handle and as a result a majority of the CLAT takers completely ignore this section and hamper their own chances of making into the top law schools. Let me make it clear. CLAT only tests elementary mathematics, the maths we have been practicing till class 10 and nothing more than that. A few topics like probability, permutations and combinations don’t come under the purview of elementary mathematics but with a few hours of hard work even they can be mastered. The major topics covered under this are percentages, profits and losses, speed, time and distance. Let us all keep this is in mind that the applicants who make a cut for the top law schools score marks in this section too and instead of ignoring it completely, equal importance should be given for the preparation of this area. It consists of 20 questions and every single mark you score counts.

6 Major challenges that a Law aspirant faces while preparing for CLAT and the various ways to overcome them. 

Now let us turn our attention towards the various problems a CLAT applicant faces. As a former CLAT taker, I can put myself into the shoes of the anxious applicants who are not sure how to go about the planning and preparation for CLAT 2019 and the various dilemmas one faces at this stage. These problems can be narrowed down to 6 major issues and have been discussed below. Let us understand them one by one and then try to overcome each one of those.

1. Never-ending and unceasing syllabus

The first and foremost problem a candidate faces is the proper determination of the CLAT syllabus. Unlike other entrance examinations CLAT doesn’t come with a straightforward and clear cut syllabus. The topics are highly subjective to each person’s understanding due to the limitless scope of various topics like the entire section of general knowledge, the grammar area of English, the legal knowledge and legal facts questioned and also the various topics tested under verbal reasoning. This causes a huge uproar as many candidates start reading irrelevant information which won’t be tested and hence fall short on those topics which are actually important and form a major chunk of the question paper. This leads to double work, mismanagement of time as candidates spend their valuable time preparing unimportant or less important topics instead of using it judiciously on the necessary areas.

2. Time management

The second problem which an aspirant faces, is regarding the management of time. This is a major issue as CLAT is all about proper time management and getting maximum output through maximum accuracy. So in simple terms a person has to mark the correct answers within 2 hours and get the maximum result with least possible negatives. To achieve this there must be proper time management. However, many of the CLAT takers cannot manage their time till the D-Day and end up hampering their exams. To successfully crack CLAT an applicant must master the skill of time management.

3. The uncertainty of the question paper

The third problem regarding this examination is the uncertainty of the questions that come in it. CLAT is the most unpredictable exam and comes with many surprises. For instance, let’s take the 2017 CLAT paper. Every year CLAT had tested static GK for around 15 marks which is quite important. But in 2017 not a single question was tested on the same except for one which too was related to current affairs. And in the same paper, the Maths section was monopolised with questions from time and work and speed, time and distance even when there are so many topics that can be tested on. And such uncertainties will lead to more doubts in the subsequent years. If a student followed the 2017 pattern and completely focused on just current affairs, he/she would have screwed up their GK section because CLAT 2018 consisted of around 15 static questions and also there was a good mix of all the topics in the math section and not just two major ones.

The uncertainties also extend to the difficulty level of the question paper. There are no fixed standards to ascertain and maintain the difficulty level and hence it varies from year to year. For example, the CLAT 2015 paper is considered to be the toughest paper of all time with CAT level questions coming in it. And just the next year, CLAT 2016 is considered to be the easiest paper with the topper scoring the all-time highest in CLAT- 174.5. And there will always be a section which will be the toughest among all 5.

4. Inability to determine strengths and weaknesses

The fourth problem is that there are many students who cannot determine their strengths and weaknesses. CLAT tests five sections and each student would have some or the other section as his/her strength and some section which would be his/her kryptonite. It is very important to ascertain these as only after that he/she would be able to work on the weak areas and convert their strong sections into their fortes. However, due to various reasons many applicants fail to realise their potential and fail in determining their key areas.

5. Lack of proper guidance

The fifth problem deals with guidance. Many of the test takers don’t get any proper guidance during their preparation and as a result are misguided and walk in the wrong direction. And by the time they realise this, it is too late for them. They cannot undo their lost time and efforts and fail miserably in their attempt to crack CLAT. There are many who don’t go to coaching classes and depend on themselves. There is no one to guide them and they remain in the dark. The people in the remote areas do not get to know the real competition which exists in this examination due to lack of guidance and exposure. The lack of resources also piles more misery on such masses.

6. Aimlessness and depression

There will always come a time where an aspirant is surrounded by aimlessness and depression. This too forms a part of the preparation. As a CLAT taker myself, I can relate to the time where I was lost during the preparation. Everything seemed worthless and I questioned myself thousands of times if I chose the correct career path. Every time I focussed on CLAT a single thought kept on bugging me. If I was doing the right thing by ignoring my CBSE boards. I was mentally constrained. And let me make something clear by saying this. It is completely normal to feel this way. It is normal to feel mentally disturbed because you are at a crossroad of your life. For many it is their career which depends on this exam. We can never judge how important this examination is to someone. There are many candidates who are trying to balance both their boards and CLAT. This in itself is a daunting task for many. But this is the choice one has made and he/she has to play by it. There are no excuses if one wants to succeed. All I can say to this is that one has to stay mentally strong with all their grit and determination. The willpower has to be strong if one wants to compete in the modern world as there is no place for slack and excuses.

These were the main problems a CLAT aspirant faces in his/her preparation. Now it’s time for us to analyse these hindrances and plan our methods to overcome them.

1. Tackling the problem of the never-ending syllabus

Starting with the problem of unlimited and unstructured syllabus. It is impossible for anyone to ascertain the proper syllabus. Hence at best we can narrow down its scope. It can be done with the thorough analysis of the past year question papers. There are many sources claiming the syllabus of CLAT, however, the previous year question papers are the most authentic source for limiting the vast and undefined syllabus. The previous year question papers can show the pattern and the types of questions CLAT tests. For example, a general idea can be drawn on the various topics which comes under the GK section especially the static part of it. We can also see the various questions regarding English grammar which CLAT generally asks. Even questions pertaining to verbal reasoning can be deduced to a certain extent and the applicants can focus on those areas. In short, THOROUGHLY ANALYSE THE PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS.

2. Mastering the skill of time management

Second comes the management of time. Without mastering this no one crack CLAT. It is simply impossible. The best way to learn this skill is to appear as many mocks as possible. This is the most efficient way to determine how much time you spend on a given section and work on it accordingly. You grow with the number of mocks you take. It is as simple as that. It is important to appear mocks because it is only then that you would be able to time your entire paper efficiently and attempt it accurately. With practise you start allotting a fixed time to a particular section. For example, with practise I could attempt the entire GK section in under 10 minutes and the legal section within 35 minutes. Also to increase one’s efficiency, one has to increase his/her reading skills. This is possible with the daily reading of the newspapers. With time your speed will increase and you can read your questions pretty quickly and answer them.

There is another aspect to managing your time. That is managing your life and your time for CLAT preparation. There are many who are balancing both their 12th boards and CLAT. So it is very important to make a timetable or a study schedule because after that you can easily prioritise your workload and handle it proficiently. A fixed number of hours can be devoted to both your board preparation and CLAT and nothing would be neglected. And for the people who are focusing on just CLAT can make a timetable to allot fixed hours on preparation for the various topics. I understand many a times making a schedule becomes a formality as no one sticks to it. It just becomes impossible to follow. However, if one, with the correct mentality, follows the schedule or the timetable he is destined for unparalleled success.

3. Addressing the uncertainties

The next problem is the uncertainty of the questions asked. Well regarding this nothing can be done. All I can say is be prepared with every relevant topic thoroughly so that no matter what the question is you can answer it. I will again ask you to go through the previous year question papers and get a good idea of the range of questions that CLAT can spring up with. I will suggest the same with the difficulty of the paper. Be prepared for the worst case scenario and luck too matters a lot. Uncertainty has a become a characteristic feature of CLAT and hence it is always better to be prepared for anything and everything.

4. Determining strengths and weaknesses

The next problem I discussed was the inability of the students to determine their strengths and weaknesses. The best way to ascertain this is to appear mocks on a regular basis and then do a SWOT analysis. This thorough analysis will help a candidate to understand his strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Only then he/she can work on them accordingly. This will give a deeper understanding as to what a person lacks, where one can improve and what his forte could be. With this SWOT analysis an aspirant can formulate a specific way to attempt the question paper as he would be knowing which section to attempt first so that he can bag in maximum marks. With proper time management and SWOT analysis a candidate can come up with his own ideal format to attempt the paper.

5. How not to get misguided  

The next issue deals with guidance. Many of the aspirants join a coaching center to get proper directions. However, there are many who can’t do so for various reasons. But it doesn’t mean that they have to live in the dark. With the advent and advancement of technology a person without joining a coaching too can crack CLAT. There are many free online resources a person can have access to like Lawoctopus, ClatGyan, StudyIQ, Gktoday and thousands of such resources along with many educational videos on Youtube. All a person requires is the determination to succeed and proper motivation. If a person has these with him, trust me, no one can stop him from attaining success.

6. Keeping yourself motivated

The last affair I discussed was the period when a student becomes aimless and starts feeling depressed. This is the time where one need hard-core motivation. Anything which asks him to keep striving for his/her goal. Like in my case I used to follow social media pages like Luxury quotes and millionaire vibes to keep myself motivated. I used to read success stories of various footballers like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. I lived in Hyderabad and it was a normal sight to see the big luxury cars rolling past me. My wish to give my parents a better life, visit Camp Nou and own luxury cars kept me motivated. Similarly, every person has some dream or passion or motivation which keeps on motivating him to strive harder. He/ she just has to identify them and work accordingly. Whenever one feels down, he/she should have these motivating factors in their minds which will stimulate them and light their inner fire to succeed again.

This concludes the various ways and means to overcome the hindrances a CLAT taker faces. Here is the preparation plan in pointers and the strong points have been reiterated to make it clearer.

•    Ascertain the syllabus
•    Prepare a timetable or a study schedule
  •   For CLAT and board takers, fix the number of hours for each of the two exams and prepare accordingly.
  • For just CLAT focused candidates, make a schedule to study the various sections of the entrance and distribute it proportionately.
• Give regular mocks to manage your time.
• Do a proper SWOT analysis to determine the strengths and weaknesses.
• Formulate an ideal format to attempt the question paper
• Get proper guidance from any way possible.
• Always be motivated to work hard no matter how you feel
• Read the newspaper daily to increase your reading speed
• Get your doubts, no matter how small, cleared.
• Make GK notes daily without any excuses
• Give proper time and importance to every section.
• Be prepared for the worst possible scenario
• Work smart. CLAT is a multi-objective examination where with a bit of common sense you can mark a correct answer.
• Follow proper books and materials which are relevant (a brief mention has been made at the end of the article)
• And finally…..PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND PRACTICE.  After all practice makes a man perfect.

Uncertainties the only certainty of CLAT

This part of the article is essentially written to warn the CLAT aspirants about the horrendous turns this unpredictable exam can take and transform from a national level examination into a complete massacre. The uncertainties I am mentioning here are the problems which mar CLAT every year.

• CLAT 2018 is the worst ever CLAT paper affected by gross mismanagement and technical glitches. Computers shutting down, candidates losing their valuable time and many cheating all across the country are just a few of the problems faced. These problems completely marred the sanctity of a national level examination endangering the career of many CLAT aspirants. The condition was so bad that petitions were filed in the High courts and the Supreme court to re-conduct the examination. This wasn’t the first time something erroneous happened with CLAT.
•  CLAT 2017 proved to be a perfect example of all that is desperately wrong with our testing system. Riddled with badly designed, erroneous questions many of which had more than one correct answer.
•  In CLAT 2015 there were cases filed in Allahabad High Court alleging discrepancies in CLAT exam process.
• In CLAT 2013 too Kerala High Court issued notice to HNLU regarding petitions alleging discrepancies in the allotment list.

It’s the same script every year. We will find erroneous questions which are present in the main paper year after year ironically on a rotational basis with no known improvements. Having technical issues leads to complete chaos in the exam hall which disturbs a focused mind which is very essential for cracking CLAT. Panic creeps in and destroys the very factor which is fundamental to crack CLAT: CALMNESS. This is not expected from a National level entrance examination. But to be honest the CLAT students cannot do anything about it other than to hope that everything goes well. The best we can do is to be prepared for the worst. And by worst I mean cases going to the Supreme court and also probably a re-examination. CLAT is highly unpredictable and anything can happen. So be mentally strong to face anything of that sort. NEVER panic no matter what. Panic will completely demolish your morale. Keep your heart stableand never lose your cool. This will help you get through the worst case scenarios possible in an examination hall.

     “A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall”      –Serena Williams

Recent trend in CLAT

CLAT is increasingly becoming more competitive with the number of test takers increasing every year. People are becoming more aware about law as a career. Hence, to win against so many for so less number of seats one has to become competitive, hard-working, focussed and keep in mind what has been said in the article. And don’t just work hard. Work smart wherever required. You will surely go a long way.

Books and materials to follow

• English: Wren & Martin. Read newspaper daily to increase your reading speed which will help in answering comprehensions and also help in expanding your vocabulary.

• Legal aptitude and Knowledge: Go through previous year question papers, appear mocks and analyse the questions there. Online sites like ClatGyan provide free material. And if one has joined a coaching center, follow the materials they provide. Practice as many questions as possible especially the ones from the past year papers.

• Logical reasoning: Verbal and Non-verbal reasoning by R.S.Aggarwal ( yes that thick book)

• Mathematics: Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Aggarwal

• General Knowledge: For current affairs one has to read the newspaper daily. Also follow online sources like GKtoday.in, affairs cloud, etc.

For static GK you can refer to Pearson’s GK manual

In the end, I would say that enjoy this process of preparation. You will notice that you have grown as a human in terms of maturity and knowledge by the time you appear CLAT. And this will help you advance in your future endeavours. This preparation should be a willing action and not a compulsion. Only then you can succeed in true sense. I will conclude this article by quoting a few words from my favourite footballer which shows how important hard-work is in achieving success and I wish you lads all the best for your dreams and CLAT 2019.

CRACK CLAT 2019 – ADVANCED LEGAL REASONING AND LEGAL GK

For many of you English, logical reasoning, Maths, GK are much more manageable than this one large chunk of the exam: legal aptitude! It can be broken down mostly into two parts: legal reasoning and legal GK. Both can give a tough time to even the most diligent and ambitious students, especially because they are taught so unsystematically.

             “You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.”

             “It took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.”

                                                                                                                 -Lionel Messi