Students’ Speak: Key tips to keep in mind while preparing for CLAT Exam

By: Jyoti Goel

Preparation for many entrance exams like CLAT requires focus and continuous practice which involves taking mock tests, covering all the subjects, reading and learning new words, improving accuracy, managing time and an unbiased will to revise all the topics studied.

The CLAT exam is round the corner so it is time to buckle up and get ready for the final round of preparations. To begin with, proper time management is a must. Solve as many numerical problems up to Class12. Also focus on legal aptitude. Keep self-updated with current affairs and static General Knowledge is extremely important. Avoid wasting time on a single question in case you are stuck. Assess your performance periodically. Practice and solve as many mathematics problems as you can, this would help in improving the accuracy and time taken to solve a particular problem. Read more and understand the context in order to improve your language and prepare well for English comprehension. Create a study chart that includes the following points to prepare for CLAT Exam:-

• Give as many tests: Join some test series or buy mock papers and practise them regularly
• Complete whole syllabus: Make sure that you cover all the subjects of the entire syllabus
• Prepare short notes: Prepare your own short crisp notes for quick revision
• Stick to the pattern: It is important that you strictly follow the new pattern of the exam

Some of the subject-wise rules are given as follows:

English

• Extensive Reading: Read as much as you can to improve your English. This will sure give you an edge in the exam
• Improve grammar Take more exercises to get more clarity on grammar
• Read the Editorials: Read editorials is very important for the exam
• Vocabulary:- Improve your vocabulary by reading new articles, this would help in attaining good scores

Mathematics

• NCERT: Refer to NCERT books only for preparation

Legal Aptitude

• Legal Terms: Pay special focus on the legal terms as they constitute an important part for preparation
• Laws: Basic knowledge of various major laws of India such as Constitution, Indian Penal Torts and so on
• Update of Legal Issues:- Read legal magazines and journals to keep yourself updated with all the legal current issues

Legal Reasoning

• Classification: Practice more this section
• Arrange words in logical order: The alphabets will appear in some order and you will have to arrange them accordingly
• Verbal Analogies: Read more to enhance vocabulary
• Analysis Judgement:- Questions related to blood relations, heights and so on fall under this section
• Numerical Operations: Get well versed with the formulae to be able to perform well in this.
• Non-verbal Reasoning: Analyse and practice this well as it requires caution and a particular technique to solve questions

How to Prepare for CLAT at Home

It is not necessary to enrol in coaching classes to prepare for CLAT, the student can prepare from home too. In order to prepare for CLAT from home, a student is required to attempt as many mock tests as one can. They can also refer to material provided by coaching classes; this would help in preparing for CLAT exam in a systematic way. Always ensure that you stick to the syllabus.

About the Author:

Jyoti Goel is a final year law student at Kamkus College of Law. Her hobbies are listening to music, watching movies and cooking.