CLAT 2021 Preparation Tips: Check Section-Wise Preparation Tips

A lot depends on a candidate’s preparation strategy when it comes to the question of clearing CLAT. It is not an easy nut to crack and requires a rigorous amount of effort. The right balance between your work and play will help you fetch better marks.

As per the previous trend, CLAT 2021 will be conducted in the 2nd week of May, 2021. CLAT registrations will start in January 2021 and end in Match 2021. We recommend you to devote this crucial time to practise as many CLAT Practice papers as possible to ace the examination.However, before beginning with the preparation, candidates are advised to go through the exam pattern and syllabus of the exam. Read More on CLAT 2021 Exam Pattern

The success rate of CLAT is way too low than any other national level entrance test like JEE Main, NEET or CAT. If one picks up CLAT 2019 records, one can see that around 55,000-60,000 students appeared for the test. The total number of available seats (excluding category reserved and domicile seats) were roughly around 700-800. If one calculates this ratio, the success rate of CLAT will come around 1.86%. This is the reason why candidates are advised to adopt a well-informed CLAT Preparation Strategy to clear the exam.

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CLAT 2021 Preparation Guide

CLAT 2021- UG Sectional Preparation Tips

While one sits down to pen the study plan, it is important for him/her to know the exact exam pattern and syllabus, and how the paper will actually look like. This technique will not only help in devising a proper preparation strategy, but will make one familiar with the paper and help in analysing and understanding the weak areas where extra effort is required. In the below image we have described the new paper pattern and the kind of questions that will be asked. 

After getting thorough with the CLAT 2021 UG program paper pattern, let’s come up to how one needs to address the questions, what approach should be followed, and what preparation strategies can be the most suitable.

English Language

The main aim of the section is to test the reader’s ability to understand and analyse text that is at 12th standard level. The topic of the passage can vary; it can be technical, scientific topics, or current issues, or historical events of significance. However, prior expert knowledge in such a field is not required.

How to approach questions?

1. Usually, a passage will have one point. In addition, there will be arguments or statements supporting or countering the main point. Now the job of the reader is to discern the main point and understand which arguments or statements are in favour, and which are against.
2. Once this is done, focus on 5W’s- Who, What, Why, When, and Where. This will help you while answering.
3. Vocabulary questions will broadly be of 2 types: i) General meaning of a word or phrase; ii) Meaning of a word or phrase in “context of passage”. To attempt such questions, read one or two lines before and after the given word or phrase.
4. Pay close attention to the wordings of the question. At times the paper setters will frame a simple question into a complex one just to test whether the reader is paying attention or not.

Preparation Strategy

1. Read newspapers and magazines religiously along with books used by question setters to create questions. Memorization of the entire book is not required. The editorial section of the newspapers should be well read to know different opinions on one topic which will help in understanding the arguments and statements laid down in the passage.
2. Regular group discussions with your peers can prove to be a blessing as this is a fun and innovative way of engaging and learning.
3. Practice grammar from good 10th standard grammar textbooks. It is difficult to develop vocabulary at this point of time, but note down the words and meanings you come across while reading.
4. Going through all practice papers and sample papers is a must for this section.

Know more on English Preparation Tips

Current Affairs and General Knowledge

Passages of upto 450 words each derived from news and journalistic sources will be asked. The purpose of the passage will be to test the reader’s in-depth understanding of issues and events of significance, rather than knowing mere facts. Questions in this section will include:

• Fill in missing information in the blanks.
• Identify causes and consequences of the events described in the passage.
• Answer questions about personalities and events associated with the event in the passage.
• Answer questions about award, recognitions, and other events of significance associated with persons mentioned in the passage.

How to approach questions?

1. Since the questions can vary from any topic, make sure you read the entire passage carefully. Certain valuable clues may be hidden in the passage while you answer questions.
2. In this section you may not be tested for vocabulary, but you might be asked the meaning of certain statements in line with the topic of the passage.
3. The overall theme of UG CLAT is to test the reading abilities. Thus, understand and decode the information well in the passage.

Preparation Strategy

1. Inculcate a long term habit of reading newspapers and magazines, especially the editorial sections. These sources often let you know new events and get a grasp on various opinions.
2. Along with it, you can also read journals and periodicals available over the internet, accompanied by certain research papers and blogs of known personalities.
3. With such a short span of time it is difficult to gain all knowledge under the sun. Thus, get into a habit of discussing issues in groups. The advantage of this will be that you will cover your non-touched areas which others might have covered.

Know more on General Knowledge Preparation Tips

Legal Reasoning

Passages of around 450 words each based on fact situations or scenarios- may be in relation with legal matters, public policy, or moral philosophical enquiries will be asked. Though prior knowledge of law is not required, a candidate will benefit if s/he possesses a general awareness of contemporary legal and moral issues.

How to approach questions?

1. The questions in this section can be associated with news articles and books of law, and certain passages created specifically for the exam.
2. From this year, candidates will have to dig in to find the principle and facts from the passage. Factual context will not be presented like previous years’.
3. Break down the principle into smaller parts keeping in mind the words like ‘AND’ and ‘OR’. Similar case needs to be repeated with facts.
4. Avoid applying any pre-existing knowledge of law as the question setters do not consider you as all-grown lawyers. They are simply testing your practical understanding of implying laws in a given situation with constraints.

Preparation Strategy

1. Since this year's Legal Reasoning section is different from that of previous year, not attempting last year question papers will be a mistake. The format of the questions has changed, however, the basic understanding behind posing questions remain the same.
2. Legal Reasoning, English Language, and Logical Reasoning fall under the same line. Therefore, the way you prepare for the other two sections, the same strategy can be implied here. But an extra cult over legal matters is required.
3. Sample papers and model test papers provided by The Consortium should be attempted first, and then from other sources.

Know more on Legal Reasoning Preparation Tips

Logical Reasoning

This section will include a series of short passages of around 300 words each. The source of the passage could be opinion and editorial pieces from newspapers and magazines, and essays on moral philosophy available online and in various books.

How to approach questions?

1. Carefully identify the various premises and conclusions given in the passage.
2. With the help of premises and conclusions, try and identify the overall theme of the passage.
3. Identify and separate the number of argument sets placed in the passage, as some may be in support and some may contradict each other.
4. Certain questions will be assumption based wherein you will be asked to assume a situation to be true even when you know it is false. At this moment, it is necessary for you to follow the instructions given as it will help you in answering correctly.

Preparation Strategy

1. There are chances that the same sources be used to prepare questions for English Language, Logical Reasoning and Legal Reasoning. Thus, devise a way in which you can prepare for all the three sections together.
2. Though the format of this section is different from previous year, questions from logic games or syllogisms can be included. Do practice previous years’ questions sets.
3. Sample papers and model test papers provided by The Consortium should be attempted first, and then from other sources.

Know more on Logical Reasoning Preparation Tips

Quantitative Techniques

This section will include short sets of facts or propositions, graphs, or other textual, pictorial or diagrammatic representations of quantitative information, followed by a series of questions. The questions and passages of this section have been created afresh by the question setters, however certain graphs, or pictorial representations can be taken from other sources like that of Reserve Bank Of India.

Typical questions require you to answer 10th standard mathematics questions from areas like: Number theory and basic arithmetic, ratio and proportion, mixture and allegations, probability, etc.

How to approach questions?

1. Read the passage carefully and analyse every aspect of it before attempting questions.
2. Keep in mind the question setters have moved from formulae-based questions to more logic-based questions, which means they are not only testing simple mathematical calculations, but also the ability to analyse the passages and graphical information.
3. Keep your rough notes sheet handy and neat, as what you might have solved for previous questions may help you in solving other questions.

Preparation Strategy

1. The best way to prepare for this section is to go back to your basic 10th and 12th standard mathematics books to clear all your basics.
2. The key to this section is how much you practice. Attempt previous year papers, mock tests, sample papers regularly.
3. Do not worry much about the time you are taking to attempt a question as it is more important to answer accurately than answering in record time.

Know more on Mathematics Preparation Tips

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CLAT 2021 Preparation Books

To prepare for an exam, books are the best source as they enhance knowledge and provide insights about a topic but a candidate often faces plenty of problems to choose the right book. To lighten candidates’ burden, all the books mentioned below are chosen after careful research. These books are the best for section wise as well as overall CLAT Preparation. Given below is the section wise CLAT Preparation books :

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CLAT 2021 Exam Pattern

• Each Question will carry 1 mark for the right answer. 
• There will be a negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer. 
• There will be a total of 200 Objective (MCQ) type questions in the test. 
• CLAT Exam Duration will be 2 hours. 
• UG - CLAT focuses on the ability to study law as opposed to prior knowledge.
• CLAT Exam Pattern was changed for the year 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

CLAT PG 2021 Exam Pattern

• The first section will consist of 100 questions
• You will be awarded 1 mark for every correct answer.
• There will be a negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer. 
• The second section will consist of 2 descriptive type questions worth 25 marks each. 
• Each Essay should be of at least 800 words. 
• Only the candidates who score 40% in section 1 will be eligible for the correction of section 2. 
• There is 5% relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates. 

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CLAT 2021 Preparation FAQs