Key tips to prepare for CLAT

By: Ambika Sur

Understand the exam pattern, practise mock tests regularly and revise thoroughly to attain high scores in the entrance exam.

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is conducted for admission in national law universities in India. Here we will discuss preparation tips for CLAT in detail. This year, the last date for CLAT registration is May 18.

To prepare for any entrance exam, knowledge of the syllabus is important. In CLAT syllabus, there are two sections based on the areas like Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Contract Law, Torts, International Law, Intellectual Property, Recent Important Judgements and Miscellaneous. The two sections are Objective and Descriptive. The total number of questions is 100, carrying one marks each for the objective section and in the descriptive section, two essay type questions are asked.

There is one condition, the descriptive section would only be checked if a general candidate scores 40% or above in the general category and 35% in SC, ST and PWD categories in the Objective Section.

It is always advised to start preparing for the objective sections from the beginning to score high as this section carries 100 marks. After practising for the first section, start preparing for the Descriptive Section. Every student should make sure that they write the answers completely while practising as this would help in enhancing speed.

Note – After analysing previous year questions, it is observed that in the essay type section the questions are mainly framed from Jurisprudence or Constitutional Law.

Follow a book– Read a lot but follow a pattern is important to prepare for CLAT. The books that could be referred are Judicial Service Exam Book of Ashok K Jain for Jurisprudence as it has arranged the chapters section-wise. For Constitutional Law, the best books are by Brij Kishore Sharma, JN Pandey and VN Shukla.

Work on your weakness – After going through the books, identify your strengths and weaknesses. Analyse and work on the weak areas. The focus must be on covering all the topics of the syllabus to score high in the exam.

Polish your strengths – Along with the weakness give equal importance to the topics in which you have a good grip. Practise and revise consistently to ensure that each topic is covered.

Mock tests and previous year questions - Practising mock tests and previous year question papers would help in understanding the pattern and enhancing speed. Various mock tests and previous year’s papers are available online, one must practise them regularly to score well.

Stay updated – The candidate must keep updated with the recent judgement and legal topics to score high in the exam. A high number of questions are based on the recent trends as observed in the previous year papers.

Maintain a diary –Keep a track of the topics covered along with the small key points in a separate notebook. Also, prepare a practical study plan and follow it regularly. Make small goals and achieve them eventually to boost confidence level.

Take rest –During preparation, time should be allotted for recreation, relaxation or rest as this would help in reducing the stress level.

Revise – This is the most important part of every examination. Without a proper revision, no one could give them in the exam. Therefore, revision should be done regularly.

About the Author:

Ambika Sur is a student at Lovely Professional University pursuing her MBA with agriculture background. She is continuously working on her technical and managerial skills to achieve an exceptional career in the corporate world. She has completed a live project at Metro Cash and Carry and marketing intern at Agronxt.