You don’t need a high IQ to clear CLAT, says Apeejay alumnus

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is considered as one of the most difficult entrance exams to crack. Nearly 60,000 candidates appear for this exam every year, only about 5% of all the aspirants get into a National Law University (NLU). However, with the right preparation, anyone can crack CLAT, says Pranav Batra, an alumnus of Apeejay School, Faridabad. He secured an admirable All India Rank of 527 and secured admission in the reputed Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur. Named after the former Chief Justice of India, Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah, it’s one of the 23 National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. In an interview, Pranav suggests effective strategies to crack the law entrance exam.

What’s your advice to those preparing for CLAT?

First, you must improve your reading skills. All sections of the exam now carry comprehension-based questions. Put yourself in the habit of reading every day without fail. You must not take more than 2 minutes to read 450 words. Though, reading is not just about finishing a passage in a stipulated time, understanding its meaning in just one reading should be your focus. When taking the CLAT, time is of the essence. With 150 questions to finish in 120 minutes, speed is key. Reading newspapers is a great way to increase your reading speed. It also improves your general knowledge and builds your vocabulary. You must also read good General Knowledge magazines. Remember a good lawyer should stay updated with everything going around the world. Moving on to the Legal aptitude, you don’t have to memorise various constitutional and criminal laws. In the revised CLAT exam pattern, the emphasis is on testing your aptitude.  Going through the study material of any decent coaching centre is more than sufficient. The Maths section is pretty easy as it’s designed to test the candidate’s knowledge of elementary mathematics, i.e., Maths taught up to 10th Class. Logical Reasoning requires more practice rather than theoretical knowledge.

How to balance CLAT and class 12 board preparations?

You must have a clarity of thought. Suppose, if you are clear that you want to make a career in law then give more importance to CLAT preparation compared to Boards, as to be eligible for CLAT you must have passed your 12th board exam with at least 45% marks. But, it doesn’t mean you sideline the Boards preparations. Having a good board score will give you piece of mind in case things go haywire. I scored 98.5 % in class 12. I think the ideal time to start preparing for CLAT is when you are in class 11 as you have ample time to thoroughly prepare for the exam.   

Can an average student crack CLAT?

Yes, an average student can certainly crack CLAT with good scores. CLAT is easier than other entrance exams such as JEE and NEET. You don’t need a high IQ to clear this test, instead you need hard work, consistency and most importantly, clarity of direction. Coaching can help you prepare better but with self-study too you can get good results.

“Attempt as many Mock Tests as you can. If you don’t give enough Mocks and not analyse them carefully you will not make it through. Analysing a mock test is vital as it helps you identify your strong and weak areas.”

–Pranav Batra