CLAT Topper 2023 Interview: Sana Singh (AIR 11) says she treated GK, Quantitative Aptitude as score boosters
"I knew I could rely on the reading sections to help me cross a score of 85. Beyond this, I have put organised effort into covering relevant issues for Current Affairs," she said. In an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com, Sana shared her tips, strategies and journey to top the Law entrance exam. Read further to know more.
CLAT Topper 2023 Interview: Sana Singh (AIR 11) says she treated GK, Quantitative Aptitude as score boosters
CLAT 2023 Topper Sana Singh AIR 11 says that she approached the exam as an opportunity to hone her strengths and treated the GK and Quantitative Aptitude sections as score boosters. "I knew I could rely on the reading sections to help me cross a score of 85. Beyond this, I have put organised efforts into covering relevant issues for Current Affairs," she said. In an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com, Sana shared her tips, strategies and journey to top the Law entrance exam. Read further to know more.
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There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Q. Congratulations! Did you expect to be the topper of CLAT 2023?
A. Definitely not. It was somewhat unexpected right until the end. I was, of course, pleasantly surprised when the CLAT 2023 Results were declared.
Q: Will CLAT be held twice in 2025?
In 2022, CLAT exam was held twice, I. e. on June 19 as CLAT 2022, and on December 18, 2022 as CLAT 2023. However, from 2024 onwards, CLAT exam is to be conducted once in a year only, as confirmed by the exam officials in the latest notification. Earlier, CLAT exam was conducted in May or June, but from 2024 onwards the entrance exam will be conducted in December (of preceding year to the admission year) itself for concluding admissions on time. Therefore, CLAT counselling process will be completed by May of each academic year.
Q: When will the CLAT 2025 exam be held?
The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) conducted the CLAT 2025 on December 1, 2024. The exam authority published the admission notification for CLAT 2025 with details of syllabus, exam pattern and events on the official website.
Q: Is there Maths in CLAT 2025?
Yes, there is math in CLAT exam. The section carries 10 per cent weight. Scoring well in maths can give candidates big boost over competition. The CLAT syllabus for Quantitative Techniques includes the following important highlights:
- The section includes 13-17 questions in the exam
- Unlike other sections, the Quantitative Techniques section includes short sets of facts, propositions, graphs or other textual, pictorial, diagrammatic representation of numerical information
- Majority of the questions in the section are created specifically for the exam, however, few graphs and histograms are also derived from public sources such as the official website of Reserve Bank of India
- The difficulty level of questions in the exam is of Class 10 level, however, the questions are more logic-based rather than formulae-based
- Important topics on which Maths questions are based in the exam include:
CLAT Syllabus for Quantitative Techniques | |
|---|---|
Number Theory & Basic Arithmetic | Averages & Percentages |
Ratio & Proportion | Mixtures & Allegations |
Time & Work | Time, Distance & Speed |
Fractions & Equations | Monetary Evaluations |
Probability | Permutations & Combinations |
Data Interpretation to analyse Charts, Tables, Histograms & other Graphical Information | |
Q. What was the preparation strategy that helped you crack CLAT 2023?
A. I started seriously preparing for the CLAT 6-8 months before the exam, though I had decided I wanted to pursue law long before that. This entailed taking weekly mocks and targeting an improvement in my weaker sections. In the 11th grade, I had stayed in touch with news updates and familiarised myself with the pattern of the exam by doing practice questions occasionally. Soon after the revised CLAT 2023 date was announced, I formed a study group to keep me accountable and help me stay on track with my daily goals.
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Q. How did you manage time between board exams and entrance exam prep?
A. Throughout the academic year, I paid attention in classes, took notes and valued my teachers’ inputs with respect to board exam preparation. I studied for school tests, assessments and exams as and when they came up and ensured that I was maintaining consistently satisfactory performance. During lunch breaks and free periods at school, I would review GK compendiums with friends or work on my coaching study material. From October 2022 onwards, I shifted focus from school to CLAT and utilised my time off during the Diwali break to work on entrance exam-related work. My teachers and peers were very supportive of me and encouraged me to perform well in both school and entrance exams.
Q. Did you take any coaching for this exam?
A. Yes, I was a two-year Career Launcher LST Span student in an online batch.
Q. What study plan did you follow for this exam?
A. I focused on maximising my scores in the reading sections, i.e. English, Legal Reasoning and Critical Reasoning, as they had always come easily to me. I took mocks once a week initially and 2-3 times a week in the later stages of prep, and analysed them with my study group. For CR, I mainly worked on GMAT questions as I found them sufficiently challenging and interesting. I made it a habit to read the newspaper everyday. In addition to this, I read widely (blogs, books, academic papers and journals) to broaden my perspectives and add to my knowledge base.
Q: When will AILET 2024 exam be held?
NLU Delhi will conduct AILET 2024 on December 10, 2023, as it informed in a notification released on May 23, 2023. The exam date of AILET 2024 has been confirmed in press release, and the admission notification for more details has been published on the official website - nludelhi.ac.in. As announced by NLU Delhi in November 2022, the exam will be conducted in December every year, so that the admission process is completed timely. In 2022, the exam was held twice . However, now NLU Delhi will conduct AILET once in a year, in December month only to complete admission process before the academic year begins.
Q: Are calculators allowed in AILET Exam?
Calculators are not allowed in the AILET exam. However, students are provided the virtual calculator during the exam which can be used to solving lengthy calculations. The virtual calculator is made available on the computer screen during the test and candidates can use it by clicking on the calculator link. Candidates are advised to practice solving numerical questions on their own as using virtual calculators can take much time
Q: What are the exam timings for AILET?
AILET is a 120 minutes examination, and it is scheduled from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The exam timings are shared by NLU Delhi every year in the admission notification. For an exam day, candidates should reach their allotted exam centre at least an hour before the exam timings, as the centre officials will not allow any candidate after the exam has already begun. Therefore, candidates must evaluate the time to reach the exam centre, and keep at least 30 minutes extra for frisking and seating arrangements at the test centre. Know more about AILET Test Centre instructions - https://www.shiksha.com/law/ailet-exam-centre.
Q: Where can I get the CLAT 2025 invite list?
Only those aspirants who have been included in the CLAT 2025 invite list will be allowed to appear for CLAT 2025 Counselling. The counselling procedure of CLAT 2025 is conducted through an online centralised system. The counselling is conducted separetly for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The entire process is conducted as per the CLAT 2025 counselling dates that is released by consortium. After every round, the consortium will announce the seat allotment for national law universities (NLUs) that are pariticipating in the admission process.
Q: How to Check CLAT Merit List 2025?
Candidates can check the NLU-wise CLAT merit list by following the below steps:
Step 1: Visit CLAT official website
Step 2: Navigate to ‘Notifications’ section
Step 3: Click on ‘CLAT 2025 Allotment List’ link
Step 4: View and download the CLAT allotment list 2025
Candidates must note that they can appear for CLAT Counselling 2025 only if there name is there in the merit list. CLAT counselling will be conducted in online mode. Candidates must appear for the counselling to get admission to one of the NLUs in the country.
Q. Which books did you read to prepare for the exam?
A. I relied on my coaching’s study material for passage-based questions. I used the Manhattan Prep GMAT book to gain a better understanding of core CR concepts.
I have had a steady reading habit my entire life and luckily enough, preparing for the CLAT allowed me read more than ever. I enjoyed light fiction and non-fiction while reading for leisure.
Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
A. I approached the exam as an opportunity to hone my strengths and treated the GK and Quantitative Aptitude sections as score boosters. I knew I could rely on the reading sections to help me cross a score of 85. Beyond this, I put in organised effort into covering relevant issues for Current Affairs. My study group was of great help here as we compiled topic lists, conducted GK quizzes and frequently discussed important events.
However, I would advise future test-takers against putting in a disproportionate amount of time into GK because we have learnt time and time again that it is a rather unpredictable section. It will prove far more beneficial and rewarding to focus on other sections, without entirely neglecting GK.
Q. What other law entrance exams did you take or are planning to take?
A. I wrote both CLAT and AILET 2023. I secured an AIR of 27 in the AILET, which is the entrance exam for National Law University, Delhi.
Also Read: AILET 2023 Topper Interview: Shubham Thakare AIR 2 says expect the unexpected in entrance exam
Q. Was law always your first preference?
A. Yes, law has always been my first preference. I briefly considered majoring in Economics or Journalism but finally settled on law in the 10th grade. I believe that the 5-year BA LLB programme takes a holistic approach to a humanities education, which I appreciate.
Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take the exam next year?
A. Taking and analysing mocks, and reading the newspaper are the only two non-negotiable elements of preparing for the CLAT. You do not require a strict 8-hour study schedule to do well on the exam and will, in fact, benefit from taking time off to interact with your peers and engage in activities like reading, debate, public speaking, quizzing, etc. Finding the right study group for you will go a long way when it comes to having a support system when you are at your lowest. Lastly, keep in mind that the CLAT is primarily a test of comprehension and reasoning and not a GK exam. Ignoring other sections in favour of GK is not the best strategy.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. It remains as yet undecided. In school, I have thoroughly enjoyed Sociology as a subject and look forward to continue studying it during my time at NLSIU. Based on the little knowledge I have of them, academia, legal research and public policy seem to offer uniquely interesting prospects that I hope to explore.
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