How To Prepare For CLAT 2023?

Cracking CLAT is the dream of many law aspirants. It takes consistency and dedication to get a good score and secure a seat in a top law school through CLAT. The exam date for CLAT 2023 is out. Therefore it is time to buckle up and start your preparation.

There is a tough competition for a few thousand seats in the National law universities offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in law. Candidates must strategise their preparation to ace the exam. Our experts will provide you with the best strategy and tips to start your preparation. 

In this article, you will get to know about how to prepare for CLAT 2023.

CLAT 2023: Exam Pattern

The exam is a comprehensive entrance test that will test your reading and mental skills. The paper is designed to see whether you can form judgements, conclude and draw inferences. There will be 150 questions with multiple-choice questions, and 1 mark will be awarded for each correct response. 0.25 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer. The Current News section is meant to test awareness of recent happenings.

A few changes are made to the test pattern and syllabus. It will be best to keep yourself updated with the latest changes. The questions will appear in the form of a paragraph. Each paragraph will have approximately 400 word-based passages based on multiple-choice questions.

The 5 sections of CLAT 2023 are discussed below:

CLAT 2023: Syllabus

The syllabus for UG 2023 consists of five sections – English Language, Current Affairs, including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. On the other hand, the PG syllabus is based on major subjects of the LLB programme. Students can go through the details of the CLAT Syllabus mentioned below:

CLAT 2023: Marking Scheme

The test will be based on mandatory subjects of the undergraduate program and including Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Law of Contract, Torts, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Company Law, Public International Law, Tax Law, Environmental Law, and Labour & Industrial Law.

• The CLAT exam will have passages followed by a series of questions except for the quantitative section.
• In the quant section, the questions are based on graphs, pictorial representation, a set of facts, etc. Answers are to be driven from the given data.
• The difficulty level of the Common Law Admission Test for UG programs will be class 12.
• The total time duration of the exam is 2 hours, i.e., 120 minutes for both UG and PG programs.

CLAT Exam: Study Material

Choosing the best book for CLAT preparation is very important. Here are some of the book references for your CLAT preparation journey.

English Language

1. High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
2. English is Easy by Chetananand Singh
3. Objective General English by RS Aggarwal
4. Barron’s Pocket Guide to Vocabulary

Legal Reasoning

1. Universal’s CLAT Guide
2. Legal Awareness and Legal Aptitude by AP Bhardwaj
3. LexisNexis Butterworths
4. Bare Acts of the Indian Constitution

Current Affairs & General Knowledge

1. Pearson General Knowledge Manual
2. Lucent’s General Knowledge
3. Manorama Year Book
4. India Year Book
5. Competition Success Review
6. The Hindu Newspaper

Logical Reasoning

1. Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
2. Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey
3. Analytical and Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal

Quantitative Techniques

1. Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal
2. Class 10th NCERT Textbook

Subject Wise Tips for How to Prepare For CLAT 2023

While preparing for the exam, candidates ask, “How to prepare for CLAT?” The best answer to it is strategic preparation. Sitting for hours and studying without focus won’t do you any good. Preparing your sections smartly and consistently will help you ace the exam.

Here are some tips for your subject-wise preparation for CLAT 2023:

English Language

English can’t be learned in a day. You require a lot of reading to become an expert.

• Read the Newspaper editorial and opinion columns to improve your CLAT English preparation.
• The English used in Newspaper editorials and opinion columns is good enough to improve your English.

Grammar

• Studying the basics of grammar from school-level books can also strengthen your basics.
• Gain an understanding of the meanings of the words and phrases used in the paragraphs.
• You must correct grammar and fix the mistakes to secure a good rank in CLAT 2023.

Extensive Reading

• Students may improve their reading ability for the CLAT 2023 by making reading a regular part of their daily routines.
• Read books, magazines, newspapers, and novels to enhance your vocabulary. 

Current Affairs & General Knowledge

This section may involve an analysis of legal material or information related to a subject. No previous knowledge will be needed other than comprehending the information presented in this section.

• The applicant must be aware of current affairs and know about recent happenings throughout the globe.
• Make a habit of reading the newspaper daily.
• Prepare notes, including important dates, awards, etc., as it will help during your revision time.
• Basic knowledge of history, geography and science will greatly benefit.
• This part is based on factual information; therefore, think before answering the question.

Legal Reasoning

Questions lay more emphasis on legal reasoning rather than general knowledge. The principles or opinions of the candidate may influence responses.

A time management strategy will help solve legal aptitude questions based on legal matters, public policies, and moral philosophies. 

• Read law magazines and have a legal perspective or opinion on issues that matter.
• Practise the previous year’s questions to minimise time demand since stress will disrupt focus and thinking capacity during the exam.
• Knowledge of the legal systems of different countries will be helpful.

Logical Reasoning

Before moving on to the next phase, candidates must be familiar with the argument, placements, and conclusions. A solid foundation in the fundamentals of logical thought is required to solve this section.

• Solve puzzles and games that demand logic daily.
• Create analogies and metaphors, identify inconsistencies and imbalances, and assess the persuasive power of arguments.
• Solve questions from verbal and non-verbal reasoning. 
• Mock tests should be given to increase speed and accuracy.

Quantitative Aptitude

The more you practice this section, the more accuracy will build. Practice with a timer to build efficiency.

• Memorize tables up to 20 and squares up to 30 regularly.
• Going through NCERT Mathematics textbooks of classes 9 and 10 is more than enough.
• Have a clear understanding of the basics of all the relevant topics.
• Sample Papers will be of great help.