Updated on 22nd June 2023 | 11:11 am | #CLATprep
Cracking CLAT is the most cherished dream for most budding lawyers. “How to prepare for CLAT” is one question every candidate asks. Scoring well in CLAT is as necessary as it gets to get a law degree from an NLU, or, the topmost institutions in India for law. It is never too early to start preparing and creating your own strategy for getting the highest possible scores.
Someone looking at a successful career in law should know about how crucial NLUs can be in their professional journey, involving everything from packages worth 18LPA+ to getting a personal holistic development.
To achieve this, one must take entrance tests like CLAT and AILET, which are the only gateway to NLUs. This article talks about shaping one's preparation for CLAT 2024.
Note: CLAT 2023’s pattern has been changed. Unlike past years, this year the paper will comprise 120 questions.
You must change your preparation strategy, and get your hands on the latest copies of preparation material including mock tests. Although the syllabus and question paper format are expected to stay the same, it is recommended that you speak to CLAT mentors immediately.
In discovering the perfect answer to "How to prepare for CLAT", let's start with some preparation tips by our CLAT experts:
Following the CLAT syllabus is crucial to the preparation as it
Sections |
Topics |
English |
Comprehension passages, Grammar, word meanings, incorrect/correct sentences |
Mathematics |
Algebra, profit and loss, time and work, average, speed and distance, permutation-combination and Venn diagrams, statistical estimation, Mensuration |
General Knowledge & Current Affairs |
Static general knowledge including History, Polity, Geography, Environment, etc. Current affairs- national of national and international importance, sports, new appointments, awards, honors, etc. |
Logical Reasoning |
Logical and Analytical reasoning skills |
Legal Aptitude |
Study of law, Research aptitude, Problem-solving ability, Questions based on hypothetical situations, and Important court decisions |
#1 Know the marking scheme
It is imperative that you know the marking scheme. You should know which section would be the most suitable one for you to fetch the marks needed to crack CLAT.
#2 Build a Strong Conceptual Understanding
For an exam as demanding as CLAT, you need to have a strong conceptual understanding. Brush up your basics and revise important concepts frequently to develop a good hold over concepts asked in CLAT.
# 3 Practice and analyze
Once the fundamentals are clear, it is important to write the practice test on the very same day for reinforcement of the concept. It will strengthen your conceptual understanding and allow you to assess your weak areas.
Download CLAT Preparation PDFMathematics
For this section, Practice! Practice! and practice! The more you practice, the more equipped you are. Revision of areas you are weak in helps too. These techniques will help you in building accuracy and keep up with the time-bound exam.
General Knowledge and Current Affairs
Awareness play a key role in this section. One must make his/ her habit of reading newspapers and watching the news daily. Basic knowledge of history, geography, and science will be preferred as a great advantage. Free news portals including the Hindu are sufficient sources for current affairs.
Legal Reasoning
To ace CLAT 2024, you must focus specifically on static and current legal issues, landmark judgments, and important cases from the last year. It helps significantly in understanding the passages faster. Read about all the new amendments and enactments done in both monsoon and winter sessions of the parliament along with recent contemporary issues. There might be questions in cases where you are not left with enough time to read and understand the passage. Having prior knowledge in such instances is of great help. Work on vocabulary comprising legal jargon, legal terms, foreign phrases, and maxims. Lookup for a term if you do not understand the meaning, and read it repeatedly.
English Language
For this part, it is necessary to read as much as possible. Reading the newspaper and practicing comprehension passages will increase your answering speed. Solve the previous year's question papers. Take online mock tests and check your performance.
Download CLAT Preparation PDFIn order to prepare for any exam, books are the most reliable source. A plethora of books are available in the market for CLAT preparation. The Consortium also publishes various preparatory materials for the UG-CLAT 2024, including
In addition to these, we have suggested section-wise books that will make your CLAT preparation journey easier.
Sections |
Books |
English Language |
High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin English is Easy by Chetan Anand Singh Objective General English by RS Aggarwal Barron's Pocket Guide to Vocabulary |
Legal Reasoning |
Universal's CLAT Guide Legal Awareness and Legal Aptitude by AP Bhardwaj LexisNexis Butterworths Bare Acts of the Indian Constitution |
Mathematics |
Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal Class 10th NCERT Textbook |
Logical reasoning |
Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey Analytical and Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal |
General Knowledge & Current Affairs |
Pearson General Knowledge Manual Lucent’s General Knowledge Manorama Year Book India Year Book Competition Success Review The Hindu Newspaper |
CLAT 2024 will be held on 3 December 2023.
CLAT is an offline MCQ-based paper that happens annually.
The one-time application fee which is non-refundable for CLAT 2024 is:
Students from any board or stream can take the test if they are currently in class 12, or have passed out already.
The paper is conducted only in the English language.