Summary
The first step in these 40 days is to build a solid foundation by focusing on the core concepts in each section. A strong grasp of the fundamentals will give you the confidence and clarity needed to tackle more complex questions later
During your preparation, make note of important dates, events, and names of landmark legal judgments that are likely to appear in the exam. To ensure efficient revision make short yet comprehensive notes
The last 40 days before CLAT
can make or break your preparation. With over two decades of mentoring CLAT
aspirants, I’ve seen firsthand how this final leg of preparation can
significantly influence your results. It's not just about working harder—it's
about working smarter. Consistent, focused preparation during this period can
transform an average score into an exceptional one. At this stage, you need to
sharpen your strengths and systematically address your weaknesses. But it’s
also crucial to build and refine your exam strategy. Knowing how to manage your
time, approach different question types, and stay calm under pressure will be
the most important thing which you have to do.
During these last 40 days, your
preparation must revolve around five key areas:
●
Legal Reasoning – strengthening your ability to read
and interpret legal principles from the passage.
●
Logical Reasoning – developing critical thinking and
argument analysis.
●
English – focusing on comprehension, vocabulary, and
understanding theme, style and tone
●
Current Affairs – staying updated on important events
of the year.
●
Quantitative Techniques – improving speed and accuracy
in basic maths with special focus on percentage, SI & CI, profit loss, work
time, speed distance and problem on ages.
Your
preparation should be structured with dedicated time for each of these
sections, ensuring that you're building momentum as the exam approaches.
The
first step in these 40 days is to build a solid foundation by focusing on the
core concepts in each section. A strong grasp of the fundamentals will give you
the confidence and clarity needed to tackle more complex questions later. Let’s
break this analysis down section by section for you:
Legal Reasoning: Start with the basics. Familiarise yourself with
key legal principles that form the backbone of this section—contracts, torts,
criminal law, and constitutional law.
While prior knowledge of law is not
required in this new pattern of CLAT, having a general awareness of
contemporary legal and moral issues will help you understand and apply the
principles discussed. After each passage, you will face questions that require
you to identify and infer the legal rules or principles presented, apply these
rules to various fact scenarios, and understand how changes in the principles
might alter their application. Over the next 40 days, focus on practising
similar passages based on past year papers, sharpening your ability to
interpret, apply, and critically analyse legal principles to prepare effectively
for the exam. Practice application-based questions regularly to sharpen your
ability to interpret legal rules and principles quickly. CLAT often tests how
well you can apply legal concepts, so it’s crucial that you’re not just reading
but also practising actively.
Logical Reasoning: The Logical Reasoning section, is designed to
test your ability to critically analyse and break down arguments. You'll need
to identify the argument’s premises and conclusions, recognize how the
reasoning is structured, and evaluate how changes in premises or evidence might
strengthen or weaken the conclusion. Additionally, you’ll be expected to infer
logical outcomes, apply those inferences to new situations, and draw
relationships or analogies between ideas. Being able to spot contradictions,
equivalences, and assess the overall effectiveness of the arguments will be key
to excelling in this section. Focus your preparation on practising these skills
daily, as they are essential for navigating this part of the exam effectively.
The ability to read between the lines and draw inferences swiftly is key. You
should be spending time every day working on syllogisms, assumption-based
questions, and logical conclusions. Over time, this will help you improve both
speed and accuracy, which is essential for this section.
English Language: For English, daily reading is non-negotiable.
Spend at least 30–45 minutes reading editorials, legal articles, or essays.
This will not only help with your comprehension but also build a solid vocabulary,
which is critical for CLAT. Focus on improving your comprehension speed and
contextual understanding. The English section is less about rote learning and
more about developing an instinct for language, so the more you read, the
better you’ll get at tackling complex passages.
Current Affairs and General Knowledge: This section demands
consistent effort. Go back and revise important national and international
events from the last six to eight months on priority. Prioritise contemporary
events of significance from India and the world, Arts and culture,
International affairs, Historical events of continuing significance and legal
updates, as they tend to feature heavily in the exam. Reading newspapers, legal
magazines, and online portals like The Telegraph can keep you up to date. Make
it a habit to note down key points every day—it’ll help in revision later.
Quantitative Techniques: When it comes to Quantitative Techniques,
practice is everything. Spend some time on basic arithmetic, ratios,
percentages, and data interpretation. The goal is to improve your speed and
accuracy. Work on solving questions under time pressure—this will help you get
comfortable with the pace you need to maintain during the exam. While this
section might seem intimidating for some, consistent practice will make a
significant difference.
By
focusing on these core areas in a structured manner, you'll lay a strong
foundation for the more intensive preparation in the coming weeks.
Staying
updated on current affairs is crucial in these final weeks for the CLAT's
General Knowledge sections. Set aside at least one to two hours every day to
focus on current affairs related to contemporary events of significance from
India and the world, Arts and culture, International affairs, Historical events
of continuing significance and legal updates. This is not just about reading
but actively summarising and revising the material. Keeping pace with current
and legal news updates will help you in both the Current Affairs and the Legal
Reasoning sections, as many passages may be drawn from recent events. During
your preparation, make note of important dates, events, and names of landmark
legal judgments that are likely to appear in the exam. To ensure efficient
revision make short yet comprehensive notes. These notes will allow you to
review critical information regularly and easily recall it closer to the exam.
By dedicating consistent time to current affairs, you'll ensure that you're
well-prepared for this dynamic and highly relevant part of the CLAT exam.
With
just 40 days in hand, regular mock tests are non-negotiable. Taking three-four
full-length mock tests every week under timed conditions will help simulate the
real exam environment. For those who began their preparation early, reducing
the number of mocks to two per week can help maintain focus without
overexertion. Importantly, no mocks should be taken in the final week before
the exam to ensure a calm and collected mindset. For those who started late,
it's advisable to stick with three to four mocks per week, but ensure no mock
tests are taken in the last two days before the exam—dedicate that time solely
to revision. Also, the aim is not just to complete the test but to do so within
the time limit, which is crucial for building both speed and accuracy. Treat
each mock test as if it were the actual CLAT—this will train your mind to stay
calm and focused on the day of the exam. Equally important is test analysis.
After every mock test, spend ample time reviewing your performance. Break down
each section, identifying recurring mistakes, weak areas, and questions where
you’re losing time. This step is vital for understanding where you’re falling
short. Go back to revise concepts that you’re consistently misunderstanding,
and focus on time management techniques that can improve your efficiency. For
areas where you are consistently underperforming—whether it's quantitative
techniques, English comprehension, logical or legal reasoning—allocate
additional practice time. Work on these sections through sectional practice
tests or targeted exercises through workbooks. By dedicating extra attention to
your weak spots, you'll gradually turn them into strengths, ensuring a well-rounded
performance across all sections of the exam.
Rajneesh Singh, Founder & chief mentor of a premier law entrance mentoring institute, has over two decades of experience. He is the Founder of CLAT Essentials and the former Product Head (National) for the Undergraduate and Jobs Divisions at a top educational institute. His passion for teaching and commitment to student success make him a respected and sought-after mentor in law entrance exam coaching. He can be reached at rajneeshsingh@outlook.com. Website: clatrajneeshsingh.com
Last updated on 18 Oct 2024
