The Common Law Admission Test, more commonly known as the CLAT exam, has gained increasing popularity among students and has seen the number of applicants going up drastically. The increasing number of applicants has meant that the exam has become more competitive than ever, requiring a well-thought-out plan. If you are planning to crack CLAT this year, we are there to assist you with our course on CLAT UG 2024. Enroll now
This article discusses the exam pattern, syllabus, tips & tricks to crack CLAT UG etc. So, let’s get started.
Exam pattern and the syllabus of CLAT UG 2024
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As with any competitive exam, the foremost step an applicant should take is to get a good idea about the exam pattern and the syllabus.
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The CLAT paper comprises five sections: English, Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning, Current Affairs, and Quantitative Methods. The exam lasts two hours.
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The English language and the logical reasoning section consist of approximately 30 questions each, whereas the legal reasoning section makes up almost a quarter of the paper.
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The current affairs section is given a similar weightage as the legal reasoning section, with approximately 35 questions, and the rest is quantitative aptitude, with 13-17 questions. Before starting the preparation for the exam, comprehending this break-up of the section is essential as it can help make the list of vital issues that require greater attention and the relatively easier ones.
Tips & tricks for CLAT UG
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The most crucial drill: comprehension
The CLAT test structure contains comprehension-based sections followed by questions. The examination relies heavily on English subjects, which is true for most of the question paper sections. Although learning how to read and interpret texts correctly is a challenging and lengthy task, it is a crucial skill to hone for anyone that aspires to clear this exam.
The first alternative is to read through the entire paragraph and then review each question individually. The second method is to scan the questions first to understand what you are searching for before reading the section. While the method that one chose might boil down to one own personal preference, I suggest reading the paragraph first. This is first because memorising all the questions you skimmed through is difficult. One may be able to scan the paragraph and come up with the correct answer for the first question. Still, the following question may be on an entirely different aspect of the material, and the reader will be unprepared to answer it. Moreover, even a question that appears to be particular to one feature likely needs a comprehensive grasp of the material to be answered correctly.
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Thorough reading of the passages
Reading the passage thoroughly is essential; hence, one must set aside enough time to read these paragraphs rather than skimming through them to grasp all the relevant concepts and facts. That being stated, one should not waste time interpreting every word or sentence. If understanding a sentence becomes difficult, do not read it more than twice since you will lose a sense of the section as a whole—you may go back to it if you have a particular question. Arrange your time accordingly; a good starting point would be to allocate 3-4 minutes for reading the paragraph, which can be done by setting aside a timer while practising these essays.
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Logical reasoning and comprehension go hand in hand
The logical reasoning section also contains essays which can be answered in the same method as elaborated above. While reading the passages, one should strive to identify the primary point as quickly as possible and subsequently read every paragraph carefully to see how it builds on or connects to the main idea. Stop after each paragraph and take time to condense the paragraph's "main concept" and include it in the mental synopsis of what you are reading. Take a stop after a couple of phrases or immediately before a transition word if the material does not contain distinct paragraphs.
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Newspapers are an essential tool in your arsenal
To score well in CLAT, having strong fundamental reading abilities is essential. If you lack these abilities, a good approach to reading comprehension questions can only take you so far. Hence, after identifying the approach one should go with, it is important to focus on the drills that would hone these skills. For CLAT, nothing is more important than reading newspapers and specifically the editorial section, as it is in line with the general theme of the text in the exam. Furthermore, reading newspapers would help one with keeping in touch with current affairs and the nuances that might be at play in these events. The go-to choice for aspirants has usually been The Hindu, however, it is advised that CLAT aspirants pick up at least one other newspaper, which could be Indian express.
Once these habits are developed, what follows would be the need to practice and make a working timetable. A timetable should be both flexible and practical as one might risk consistency if the timetable is over-ambitious. At the same time, it should be flexible enough to deal with any new difficulty that an aspirant may encounter and need to work on.
Conclusion
Ultimately, what is most important here is to be calm with yourself, go through your reading material, and try not to become irritated when you feel your progress is not as fast as you would want it to be. Some of the abilities one develops during the preparation would be helpful for the rest of the life, so go at your speed and strike a balance between hard work and health. When you become more consistent with the drills and mocks, you will notice your marks improving, making the process more enjoyable.