What is CLAT?
CLAT is a Common Law Admission Test and it is conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLUs). CLAT is the entrance exam for admitting students in the National Law Universities. Consortium conducts two exams one is UG CLAT for admission to Bachelor of Law course and PG CLAT for admission to Master of Law course. The details of both the examinations are available on the official website of the Consortium of the National Law Universities (CNLUs). There are many National Law Universities spreading across different states of India like NLU Delhi, NLSIU Bangalore, NLS Jodhpur, NALSAR Hyderabad, NUJS Kolkata and many others. Candidates get admission to these Universities depending upon the marks they score in the entrance test. So, to get admission in the best National Law University candidate has to score good marks. To score good marks students have to do a thorough preparation for the exam as per the syllabus designed by the Consortium for the screening of the students. The complete details of the syllabus and tips for the preparation of the CLAT entrance is given below.
CLAT SYLLABUS
- English Language
- Current Affairs, including General Knowledge
- Legal Reasoning
- Logical Reasoning
- Quantitative Techniques
Question Paper Format
| Maximum Marks | 150 |
|---|---|
| Duration of Exam | 2 Hours |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | 150 questions of one mark each |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks for each wrong answer |
Subject Area Wise Weightage
| Subjects | Approximate Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| English Language | 28-32 questions, or roughly 20% of the question paper |
| Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 35-39 questions, or roughly 25% of the question paper |
| Legal Reasoning | 35-39 questions, or roughly 25% of the question paper |
| Logical Reasoning | 28-32 questions, or Roughly 20% of the paper |
| Quantitative Techniques | 13-17 questions, or roughly 10% of the question paper |
How To Start Preparation
Every individual is different and the methods of learning are also different most of the time. So, first you need to assess yourself and accordingly create a strategy for the exam preparation that suits you the best. But there are some common tips that every individual follows while preparing for any entrance test like time-management, self-study, collecting study material & books, or joining a coaching centre for help.
Before starting the preparation, the student must visit the CNLU website and read the entire information available on the website for the CLAT entrance exam. It will give you the outline of what is the syllabus and what is the format of the question paper as in what kind of questions are going to come in the exam then you can refer to the previous years question papers also for reference.
After going through the general instructions and guidelines available on the website, students first have to fill in the application form then the student should remember the date of the examination so that accordingly the student can set the deadline that determines how much time you have for the preparation. Then after registration as per the information available on the Consortium website a candidate can download the study material and reference model question papers for the practice of the entrance exam.
Once everything is set you must go through the syllabus once again and as per the subjects you must decide how much you have to devote to a particular subject. For instance, suppose your English Language is weak then you must spare time for newspaper reading. If your GK/Current affairs are weak then you must read the newspapers and read the magazines on current affairs and you have to regularly keep yourself updated with the latest news updates. And suppose your maths or legal reasoning or logical reasoning part is weak then you must spend time in reading analytical reasoning guide books and spend time in mock tests etc. By practicing the mock test, you can check your scorecard that how many marks you are scoring on an average in the mock test. Mock test is a way to judge your knowledge and it will help you to decide how much time and preparation you need to crack the entrance exam.
Study Material
Some study materials are provided by the CNLU and some are provided by the coaching institutes that offer coaching for CLAT preparation and some you can collect yourself from different libraries and bookstores and other sources like online, friends, guides and with the help of your teachers.
Study Materials are prepared and designed from the object of particular exams only and these study materials often cover most of the syllabus which is going to be asked in the examination. So, always read and revise the study material twice or thrice before appearing in the examination. A thorough study of the study material can prepare you well for the examination and it will wipe out your many queries regarding the subjects that come to your mind before starting preparation for the examination.
Books
Every subject has its standard books. You can refer to the standard books on any subject for its preparation. Suppose for the preparation of the mathematical part you can refer to the 10th standard NCERT books and you can refer to the quantitative aptitude RS Aggarwal also. And there are many other books available in the market for both the preparation of the objective and subjective part of the examination. For practicing Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) students can buy the Universals Guide Book for CLAT. Practicing MCQ is the best way to prepare and test your knowledge on a daily basis.
Coaching Institutes
If you think that you cannot prepare on your own and you will be needing external help and guidance for the preparation of the examination then you can join a coaching centre. One year preparation before the examination by joining a coaching is an old school method now but it really works. Every state has coaching centres that provide coaching for the preparation of the CLAT entrance exam. In these institutes students are taught by professionals and subject experts. So, joining a coaching centre could be a really helpful and wise decision to start the preparation.
Negative Marking
Never forget that the exam has negative marking. Your 0.25 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer. So, prepare accordingly. For practicing on the objective questions’ students can refer to the previous year question papers, mock tests and also use the sample questions papers available in CLAT entrance examination guide books like Universal’s Guide Book for CLAT.
Newspaper Reading
For improving your English language, GK and Current affairs newspaper reading is like a mandatory thing. To stay updated about all the current affairs, national, international, political, education, sports, and other news updates, newspaper reading is mandatory. If you are preparing for the CLAT entrance exam you must build the habit of reading newspapers on a daily basis.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Multiple Choice Questions can be prepared in two ways one by reading subjective books that automatically improves your knowledge which helps you in solving the MCQs and the other way is by practicing the sample question papers available in the Guide books. Guide books like Universal’s Guide book are must for the students who are preparing for the CLAT.
Legal Reasoning
For legal Reasoning you must read the newspapers everyday and try to read all the news related to the legal issues then follow up with that news on subsequent days. Thoroughly read the study material and other books you are referring to for studying legal reasoning. A basic subjective knowledge on constitution and other law subjects will also help you in answering many questions. Solve legal questions in model question papers every day to improve your knowledge on different areas of law. Keep your spirit high and never lose confidence in the answer you selected.
Logical Reasoning
For logical reasoning, solve as many questions as you can in your model question papers. Referring to two three different guidebooks will help you in developing your analytical skills & reasoning to choose the right answer. Try to understand the concept and reasoning applied to solve the questions.
Quantitative Techniques
The quantitative techniques include the mathematical part but it is elementary. For the preparation of basic calculation, algebra, diagrams and numerical questions students can refer to the class 10th NCERT Math book or refer to the quantitative aptitude by RS Aggarwal. Though many other books are also available in the market on Legal aptitude, logical reasoning and quantitative techniques. You can buy a few books and start your preparation by solving the model question papers.